
A directive by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) requiring owners of vehicles registered before 2023 to physically visit DVLA offices for a digital update of their records has sparked widespread public backlash, particularly on social media.
Many citizens have questioned the logic, cost, and convenience of the exercise, describing it as burdensome and poorly communicated.
Critics argue that the directive contradicts Ghana’s broader digitalisation agenda, which promotes online service delivery to reduce congestion and inefficiencies at public offices.
The directive is linked to the planned rollout of new vehicle licence plates in 2026 and requires affected vehicle owners to migrate their records from the DVLA’s former manual system to its digital platform.
According to the Authority, vehicles that are not digitally onboarded will be unable to access the new licence plates once the necessary parliamentary approvals are completed.
Several social media users have expressed frustration over the requirement for a physical visit, questioning why a so-called “digital update” cannot be completed online, especially as many public institutions are moving services to virtual platforms.
Speaking to Graphic Online in Accra, the Director of Corporate Affairs at the DVLA, Stephen Attuh, explained that vehicles registered before 2023 were processed under a manual system and must be digitally onboarded as part of the transition.
“Customers whose vehicles fall under this category need to visit any of our offices across the country to ensure their manual registration files are migrated onto the digital platform before the final rollout of the new licence plate system,” Mr Attuh said.
He added that vehicles not migrated onto the digital platform would not qualify for the new licence plates once parliamentary approval is secured.
The new licence plates are expected to incorporate Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology to improve vehicle traceability and strengthen enforcement.
The DVLA had initially announced that the new licence plate system would commence in January 2026. However, on December 24, 2025, the Chief Executive Officer of the DVLA, Julius Neequaye Kotey, announced a suspension of the rollout.
According to him, the implementation could not proceed because proposed amendments to the Road Traffic Regulation, 2012 (L.I. 2180), which governs the content and format of vehicle number plates, are still before Parliament.


