The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) and the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service launched a nationwide enforcement exercise today, Tuesday March 24, 2026, targeting motorists still operating vehicles with 2025 Defective Vehicle (DV) plates or expired Departure from Port (DP) stickers.
The crackdown follows the February 4 release of 2026 DV plates to motor traders, fleet owners and licensed trade plate dealers, which the DVLA says automatically rendered continued use of 2025 plates and expired stickers unlawful.
The DVLA has made clear that DV plates are intended solely for temporary vehicle movements, such as when a car leaves a dealer’s facility for defect repairs or test drives before a final sale, and are not a substitute for full vehicle registration.
Speaking ahead of the exercise, DVLA Corporate Affairs Manager Stephen Attuah outlined how officers will handle offenders on the ground. Enforcement teams will remove the plates of non-compliant vehicles and issue the driver a chit confirming they are on their way to regularise the situation. Failure to follow through will result in further legal consequences. He added that many drivers hold a mistaken belief that DV plates can be used freely after a vehicle has been purchased, warning that this is unlawful.
The delays that necessitated the original grace period stemmed from Parliament’s failure to pass amendments to the Road Traffic Regulations, 2012 before adjourning in December 2025, which stalled the planned introduction of Radio Frequency Identification-embedded plates.
The DVLA reminded the public that all its operational offices have been registering vehicles under the 2026 system since January 2 and urged motorists to comply with Regulation 23 of the Road Traffic Regulations, 2012 (L.I. 2180) to avoid sanctions.
