The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) says it will begin the arrest and prosecution of individuals using fake, forged, or expired DV number plates and DP stickers from May 4, 2026.

In a public notice issued on April 17, 2026, the authority warned that anyone found in possession of such illegal vehicle identification materials will face legal action in accordance with the law.

The DVLA said the move forms part of intensified efforts to clamp down on non-compliance within the vehicle registration system. The action follows an earlier directive issued on March 19, 2026, which outlined plans to target the use of expired 2025 DV plates, forged 2026 DV plates, and expired DP stickers. Enforcement operations initially began on March 24, 2026.

According to the authority, its compliance team, working in collaboration with the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service, has already carried out targeted operations across various locations. These operations have largely focused on removing non-compliant plates and stickers from vehicles.

However, despite these interventions, the DVLA said some motorists continue to flout the regulations.

The authority reiterated that, under Regulation 23(11) of the Road Traffic Regulations, 2012 (L.I. 2180), it is unlawful to possess or use forged or fake trade licences, including DV and DP plates and stickers.

“With effect from May 4, 2026, any individual found in violation will be arrested and prosecuted,” the DVLA said.

The directive, the authority noted, is aimed at strengthening regulatory compliance, protecting the integrity of vehicle registration data, and enhancing public safety.

The DVLA urged all vehicle users to comply fully with the regulations and support efforts to ensure a transparent, accountable, and efficient vehicle administration system.

Meanwhile, in August 2025, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) announced that it would embark on a massive overhaul in 2026, following the introduction of a new vehicle number plate system aimed at tackling smuggling and preventing the registration of vehicles that evade import duties.

This move came in response to rising cases of car smuggling into West Africa, including Ghana. On August 26, the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) Head of Legal and Prosecutions, Leo Antony Siamah, revealed during a media engagement that 100 stolen luxury vehicles shipped into Ghana through dubious means had been recovered.

Mr Siamah cautioned the public to exercise extreme vigilance when purchasing vehicles, particularly high-end ones, to avoid becoming unwitting accomplices in criminal activities. He further disclosed that the anti-graft agency was investigating about 300 additional cases of suspected stolen vehicles in collaboration with Interpol, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).

Earlier, in May 2025, an INTERPOL-led operation codenamed Safe Wheels dismantled a major vehicle trafficking network in West Africa. The exercise detected about 150 stolen vehicles and seized over 75 across 12 countries, including Ghana and Nigeria. The two-week operation also launched 18 new investigations and exposed two organised crime syndicates. Most of the stolen vehicles were trafficked from Canada, with others originating from France, Germany, and the Netherlands.

In response, DVLA Chief Executive Officer Julius Neequaye Kotey, in a statement shared on Facebook on Monday, August 25, 2025, announced that the new plates would be fitted with Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology and linked directly to a central database. This innovation, he explained, would make it impossible to register “Togo cars” or vehicles smuggled into the country without proper documentation.

“The new system will ensure that every vehicle can be authenticated against our database. This way, smuggled cars or those that have avoided the payment of duties cannot slip through the cracks,” he explained.