DVLA to issue vehicle licence plates in Owners’ Names from January 2026

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) has announced a major change to Ghana’s vehicle registration system.

Beginning January 2026, all vehicle licence plates will be issued in the names of individual owners.

According to the Authority, the new system aims to strengthen road safety, improve vehicle traceability, and enhance national security. Under this policy, each vehicle registration number will be directly tied to its owner, who will assume full responsibility for the use and custody of the licence plate.

The DVLA explained that the move represents a shift from the current practice, where number plates remain attached to vehicles even after a change of ownership. Going forward, owners will be required to remove their plates when selling or transferring a vehicle.

“When vehicles are transferred from the immediate owner, that owner owes a responsibility to himself to take off the number to allow the new owner to go through the process to secure an assigned number to be fixed on the vehicle,” the Authority said in a statement issued on October 3.

It added that the initiative forms part of broader reforms aimed at making Ghana’s transport sector more secure and transparent. The new registration structure, the DVLA noted, will ensure that vehicle numbers function as personal identifiers, directly linking every vehicle on the road to a verifiable individual.

Officials say the reform will also aid law enforcement agencies by improving data accuracy and accountability in vehicle-related investigations. By ensuring that each registration number can be traced to a specific person, the DVLA expects to curb vehicle-related crimes, including car theft, hit-and-run incidents, and fraudulent transfers.

The Authority further urged vehicle owners to treat their number plates as personal property and handle them with care. “Vehicle owners are to regard their registration numbers as unique identifiers and take personal responsibility for safeguarding them,” the statement emphasized.

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The DVLA said it has already begun engaging stakeholders, including vehicle dealers, transport unions, and insurance companies, to ensure a smooth nationwide rollout of the policy.

The new directive officially takes effect on January 1, 2026, and applies to both private and commercial vehicle owners.