Ghana DVLA introduces digital system to combat vehicle cloning and illegal plates

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) of Ghana will pilot a new digital vehicle registration system in August 2026, with full implementation scheduled for 1 January 2027. The system includes cloning‑detection machines that verify chassis numbers and provide a complete vehicle history, aiming to stop the registration of cloned cars and the illegal embossing of number plates.

Within a month of deploying the detection technology, the DVLA seized more than 130 vehicles suspected of being cloned or registered through duty evasion. Owners are currently allowed a temporary window to regularise customs duties, after which prosecutions will follow. CEO Julius Neequaye Kotey highlighted that the new platform will also improve information access for the Ghana Police Service, the Economic and Organized Crime Office and national security agencies, which previously struggled to obtain accurate vehicle data.

By centralising plate production and eliminating unauthorised operators, the digital initiative seeks to enhance transparency, curb fraud and strengthen security across Ghana’s road transport system.