The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) has formally suspended the planned rollout of its new Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)-embedded vehicle licence plates, amid legal, parliamentary and public safety concerns.

Read also: DVLA suspends rollout of new number plates planned for January 2026

In an official update issued on December 24, 2025, the DVLA stated that the suspension was necessitated by the inability to complete amendments to the Road Traffic Regulations, 2012 (L.I. 2180), before Parliament went into recess on December 19.

Although Parliament successfully amended the Road Traffic Act, 2004 (Act 683), the regulatory changes required to fully operationalise the new licence plate system remain outstanding.

The new licence plates, originally scheduled to take effect on January 2, 2026, were intended to enhance vehicle traceability and promote road safety through modern technology.

Following the suspension, the DVLA announced the extended use of existing Drive from Port (DP) stickers and Defective Vehicle (DV) plates, allowing motorists currently operating with them to continue their use until a new deadline is announced.

However, the development has attracted strong caution from the Member of Parliament for Abuakwa South, Dr Kingsley Agyemang, who has raised concerns over the legal and insurance implications of the directive.

In a statement issued on December 28, Dr Agyemang welcomed the suspension of the rollout but warned that permitting the continued use of DP and DV plates “until further notice” could expose the public to serious risks.

He argued that the directive is incompatible with the Motor Vehicles (Third Party Insurance) Act, 1958 (Act 42), which mandates valid third-party insurance cover for all vehicles operating on public roads.

According to the MP, DP and DV plates are temporary and conditional, with insurance policies that are limited in scope and duration, pending full registration and inspection.

He cautioned that prolonged use of such plates undermines statutory protections designed to safeguard third parties in the event of road accidents.

Dr Agyemang warned that allowing vehicles to operate without valid and effective insurance could result in uninsured road use, uncompensated victims and avoidable legal disputes, stressing that administrative directives cannot override statutory obligations.

He has therefore called on the Minister for Transport to urgently intervene to regularise the status of DP and DV plates in strict compliance with the law, ensure that no vehicle operates without valid third-party insurance, issue clear policy direction to the DVLA, and protect public confidence in vehicle registration and road safety regulation.

The DVLA, for its part, has indicated that vehicle owners who wish to register their vehicles in 2026 may still do so at its regional offices, noting that such vehicles would be required to undergo re-registration once the new licence plate system is eventually rolled out.

The Authority has assured the public that the new licence plate rollout will take effect once all legislative requirements are fully settled, and has appealed for patience and cooperation.

The debate has intensified scrutiny of Ghana’s vehicle registration regime, with stakeholders urging a balance between administrative transitions, legal compliance and the overriding need to protect public safety.