Sri Lanka, Nov. 6 -- The Inland Revenue Department (IRD) has postponed the mandatory submission of Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) certificates for specified transactions until April 1, 2027, citing an overwhelming rush for the documents.

The requirement was due to take effect on November 1, 2026, and would have obliged individuals engaging in any of eight specified transactions to submit a valid TIN certificate. It was announced under Circular No. SEC/PN/IT/2026/05 of September 22, and implemented under Section 103(6) of the Inland Revenue Act, No. 24 of 2017, as amended by the Inland Revenue (Amendment) Act, No. 11 of 2026.

In a notice to the general public and responsible officials dated November 5, the department said it had ob...