The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority, DVLA, will begin piloting its newly designed vehicle license plates this September, ahead of a full national deployment scheduled for completion before the end of 2026. The move forms part of a broader digital transformation agenda aimed at modernizing Ghana’s vehicle administration system.
Speaking at a media briefing, the Chief Executive Officer of the DVLA, Julius NEEQUAYE KOTEY, said the new Radio Frequency Identification-enabled Vehicle Number Plate System is not just a cosmetic change. The embedded RFID chip will allow for real-time tracking, authentication, and verification of vehicles by law enforcement and other state agencies. According to him, this is expected to significantly cut down on revenue leakages, reduce vehicle-related crime, curb the use of cloned and fake plates, and improve overall service delivery to the public. He added that the system will also integrate with other government databases to ensure seamless data sharing for taxation, insurance, and security purposes.
As part of the transition, the DVLA estimates that over 3.7 million existing vehicles will need to be migrated onto the new platform. The Authority has assured that the cost to vehicle owners will be kept minimal. Owners are being advised to initiate a service request via DVLA offices or approved digital channels. Once an application is verified and the required service fee is paid, the vehicle will be captured into the new database, onboarded, and assigned a unique registration number that is tied to both the vehicle and the owner.
Mr. KOTEY emphasized that the goal is to build a credible, centralized, and continuously updated vehicle register. Such a database, he noted, will enhance public safety, support police investigations, simplify ownership transfers, and reduce bureaucratic delays for motorists and businesses that rely on vehicle documentation.
The Deputy Director in charge of Vehicle Inspection and Registration, OTUO-SREBOUR KWASI BONA, also spoke to the challenges that prompted the reform. He cited the widespread misuse of dealer DV plates, the proliferation of counterfeit registration plates, and the annual rush at DVLA offices every January as major pain points. He explained that because the new plates will be RFI-enabled and linked to a central system, duplicating them will become extremely difficult. The technology will also help decentralize the registration process, reducing long queues and pressure on DVLA offices at peak periods.
A key feature of the new regime is permanence of ownership linkage. When fully implemented, each registration number will be permanently assigned to an individual. It will not be transferable to a new owner when the vehicle is sold. Instead, a transfer process will update the database to reflect the new owner while maintaining the vehicle’s unique history and record. This, according to the DVLA, will ensure traceability, improve accountability, and close loopholes that have been exploited in the past.
