DVLA unveils new timeline for digital number plates; see full details

Josephine Amuzu 18:10 - 13 July 2026

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DVLA unveils new timeline for digital number plates; pilot begins August 1, nationwide re-registration starts January 2027

Millions of vehicle owners in Ghana will soon begin the transition to a new digital vehicle registration system after the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) announced a revised roadmap for the nationwide rollout of digital number plates.

The first phase of the exercise will begin on August 1, 2026, when the DVLA starts piloting the new system with the registration of government vehicles.

This will be followed by the registration of all unregistered vehicles from September 1, 2026.

The authority says the nationwide re-registration of existing vehicles will officially commence on January 1, 2027, and run until December 31, 2028, giving motorists two years to switch to the new digital number plates.

Speaking at a media briefing in Accra on Friday, as reported by Graphic Online, DVLA Chief Executive Officer Julius Neequaye Kotey said July 31 had been set aside to complete system upgrades ahead of the pilot phase, adding that the January 2027 start date for the nationwide exercise remains unchanged.

The latest announcement comes months after the authority suspended its original implementation plan, which was expected to begin earlier this year.

At the time, the DVLA explained that the rollout had been put on hold because Parliament was yet to approve amendments to the Road Traffic Regulations governing the format and contents of vehicle number plates.

Although no update was provided on the status of the legislation during Friday's briefing, Mr Kotey reaffirmed the authority's commitment to introducing the digital registration regime and urged transport unions and other stakeholders to support the initiative.

According to him, the new system will improve vehicle identification, reduce revenue leakages and allow real-time integration of the DVLA database with agencies including the Ghana Highway Authority's toll system, the National Insurance Commission, the Ghana Police Service and the judiciary.

He said the current system often makes it difficult for investigators to quickly obtain information on vehicles linked to criminal activities, delaying investigations and, in some cases, affecting bail processes.

It is unfortunate that agencies such as EOCO and the police sometimes request vehicle information from us, but we are unable to provide it immediately. This is something we are determined to change, he said.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) has developed a new generation of vehicle number plates that go far beyond displaying registration details.

The Director of Driver Training, Testing and Licensing, Kafui Semenyo, also stressed the importance of onboarding vehicles onto the digital platform before the nationwide exercise begins.

He explained that the onboarding process confirms that all applicable taxes have been paid, verifies legal ownership of a vehicle and enables law enforcement agencies to instantly access vehicle information if it is stolen.

Mr Semenyo warned that motorists who fail to onboard their vehicles will be unable to obtain vehicle registration cards, certificates or ownership titles.

They also risk being unable to register or re-register their vehicles when the mandatory nationwide exercise begins and could face sanctions for violating road traffic regulations.

The DVLA had earlier directed owners of vehicles registered before 2023 to migrate their records from the authority's manual database to its digital platform as part of preparations for the transition.

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