File photo of DVLA plates
The Chief Executive Officer of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), Julius Neequaye Kotey, has issued a stern warning to vehicle owners misusing Defective Vehicle (DV) plates.
In a recent interview with Kasapa FM, Kotey emphasised that DV plates are intended solely for car dealers and should be used for a maximum of two weeks after a vehicle is cleared from the port.
“If you are a car dealer and you are coming to sell your car, we don’t determine when you sell your car. So we give you DV plates – Defective Vehicle plates -‘defective’ in the sense that we have not tested the car to ensure it is roadworthy,” he explained.
“So that DV plate, you are supposed to use it for two weeks until you sell the car. It’s illegal to drive with DV number plates more than 14 days after clearing your vehicle from the port,” he stated.
He further highlighted the misuse of these plates by individuals who are not authorised dealers.
“I’ve seen a lot of people who don’t deal in cars using DV plates. And the police will be hard on them from now on. So I beg you with all humility go and register your car if you’ve used it for more than 14 days after taking it from the port.
“I once heard someone saying that he buys the plates and sells them. It’s wrong. It’s illegal. It’s criminal,” he warned.
Kotey also revealed alarming discrepancies in the DVLA’s plate issuance system, noting that approximately 3,000 DV plates go unaccounted for each month, suggesting large-scale theft and illegal distribution.
To combat the issue, the DVLA plans to implement a new system in 2026 to verify the authenticity of all number plates in Ghana.
This initiative aims to curb the circulation of fake plates and ensure that only authorised dealers have access to DV plates.
“Some of the plates are fake too. But because there’s no system to check the authenticity of the plates, we cannot do anything. But I can assure them that next year, we will have a system to check the authenticity of every plate in Ghana,” he promised.
ID/MA
