DVLA to phase out number plates with year of registration

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) will soon phase out number plates with the year of registration.

According to the Chief Executive Officer, Julius Neequaye Kotey, who announced this at the Public Accounts Committee’s (PAC) hearing on Monday, 27 October 2025, said the new one would have security features.

Again, it is to end, among others, people importing vehicles and only registering them in their preferred year.

“But the one we are going to introduce, we will not be having a year of registration, which tells you that nobody can buy a car or nobody will wait until the next year before registration of a vehicle,” he said.

The CEO explained that “because every vehicle that must be in the system must be a vehicle that will be identified or can easily be identified by DVLA. But with what we had, we do not have information on them on some of the vehicles.”

SCAN

The CEO asserted that, when rolled out, a police officer will be able to access information about a vehicle, since the new number plates will have scannable security data.

With the help of information contained on the Ghana Card produced by the National Identification Authority, the DVLA will link the information of vehicle owners for easy identification.

The CEO stated that the new plate will have a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), which he said would make it “very difficult” for crooks to outsmart.

MODUS OPERANDI

The DVLA CEO explained that the situation at the moment enables people to cut corners to have number plates by the roadside, which means the details of the vehicle and the owner would not be captured in the authority’s system, and they do not pay duty as well.

The CEO said they have done their checks and identified how it is done by these crooks. He said they mostly use numbers of accident cars.

He noted that sometimes with the help of some “officers”, they have what we call the custom documents and the chassis number; they bring the car of the same type, get a place and mark the number plates on it, and they will be using their number plates out there. So, we’ve done research to get to know all these strategies they use.”

DISRESPECT

Meanwhile, a little scene was created by the DVLA CEO and the PAC Chairperson, Abena Osei-Asare, the Member of Parliament for Atiwa East Constituency.

The chairperson appeared disrespected by the CEO for suggesting that she may have an unnecessary question.

After the CEO had stated that the RFID chip would have information security details, the chairperson asked to know the “kind of details” the DVLA would embed in the new number plates.

“You said it’s going to come with a lot of security details. I’m asking that a number plate, let’s say Ranking’s number plate, will be equipped with security features such that if the police should scan it, they’ll know that it truly belongs to Ranking.

“Because, in putting out somebody’s security out there, a bad person can also get hold of that. So that is why I’m asking, what kind of information are you going to put?” she asked.

In his answer, the CEO of the DVLA said it would comply with the data protection law, adding that the current form will now be digitalised.

She asked further whether the new plates would have the user’s surname, as was being discussed on social media, but the CEO responded that it will depend on the law.

Unconvinced, the PAC chair retorted that the CEO wields the authority and should be able to state the law, especially as she asked a specific question.

In his comeback, the CEO said, “We don’t put names on number plates. I wonder why that question. Sorry, but we don’t put names on number plates.

Livid, the PAC Chair responded, “You were wondering why that question? Because we don’t put names on number plates. What are you telling me? People pay to have their names on number plates. And you sit here as a DVLA boss and tell me you don’t put numbers on number plates.

“Haven’t you seen specialised numbers with people’s surnames and personalised names on number plates for yes or no cases?”

“Yes,” the CEO responded, explaining that the ordinary person will not register a car with a specialised name on the number plate, an explanation which the chair said did not mean some number plates do not have names of people on it.

The PAC Chair continued, “So why are you telling me you don’t put names on number plates? That is a blatant lie. You have people who pay for specialised number plates and they have their surnames.”

She stressed that she cannot go to the CEO’s “office to disrespect” him, and as the chair, she ordered the CEO to withdraw that statement, which he did.

 

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