Ghana's DVLA introduces new number plates and faces legal challenges over licence fees

Ghana's Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) is preparing to pilot a new vehicle number plate system featuring NFC and RFID technology. CEO Julius Neequaye Kotey stated the technology will allow authorized officials to access detailed registration and ownership information electronically, aiming to reduce fraud and plate cloning. The system is expected to be piloted between mid-August and December 2026.

Simultaneously, the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) has announced strict enforcement of national vehicle standards for imports starting October 1, 2026. Under the National Vehicle Homologation and Conformity Assessment Programme, certain vehicles—including those over 10 years old, severely damaged, or with structural failures—will be barred from entry to ensure safety and environmental compliance.

Separately, the public policy think tank CUTS International has challenged the legality of the DVLA's escalating "delinquency" charges for expired driver's licences. CUTS is demanding the suspension of these fees, arguing there is no clear legal basis in the Road Traffic Regulations, 2012, for automatic increases that penalize motorists for the mere expiration of a document, regardless of whether they were actually driving during the expired period.