The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) has cautioned the public against the widespread misuse of defective vehicle number plates, emphasizing that such plates are strictly reserved for licensed car dealers and vehicle manufacturers for limited purposes only.
Stephen Attuh, Director of Communication at DVLA, told Citi FM on Thursday, February 5, 2026, that DV plates are not meant for general or prolonged use on public roads and should never substitute full vehicle registration.
The official clarified that DV plates are intended solely to facilitate temporary vehicle movements, such as when a car leaves a dealer’s facility for defect repairs or test drives before final sale.
Attuh said once a vehicle is sold to a customer and leaves the dealer’s facility, the buyer is required by law to register the vehicle properly before it can be used on public roads.
The DVLA communication director placed responsibility for the growing misuse squarely on car dealers, accusing some of disregarding existing regulations governing trade licences.
He cited Regulation 23 of Legislative Instrument (LI) 2180, noting that conditions governing the issuance and use of trade licences are unambiguous, and any deviation constitutes a breach of law.
The statement follows growing public concern over the widespread appearance of DV plates on roads across Ghana, with many motorists wrongly believing such plates can be used freely even after vehicle purchase.
Attuh emphasized that DV plates have many limitations under current regulations, and their use for ordinary driving is not permitted under any circumstances.
The authority recently released 2026 trade licence plates to garage operators, vehicle dealers, and manufacturers, maintaining the annual renewal system for such temporary registrations.
Under existing regulations, trade licences remain valid for one year and only in relation to the specific motor vehicle for which the licence was issued.
The DVLA has previously warned that motor vehicles bearing trade plates cannot be used for carrying fare paying passengers, goods, or hiring purposes, as such activities violate Regulation 23 of LI 2180.
Authorities have noted that most motor vehicles operating under trade plates fail to display the plates on both front and rear of vehicles as required by law, while dealers frequently neglect to maintain proper trade licence logbooks documenting vehicle movements.
The clarification comes as Ghana continues using the traditional year based vehicle registration system following delays in implementing a planned Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) enabled number plate system.
