Ghana Driver's License: DVLA Announces New Expiration Rules, Expiry Date to be Linked to Birth Date

• Ghana driver’s licenses will now expire on holders' birth dates, according to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority
• A special SMS notification system will remind drivers of upcoming license and roadworthiness renewals
• Julius Neequaye Kotey, Chief Executive of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority, announced these updates at a special press conference

Ghana driver’s licenses will now expire on the holder’s date of birth.

Julius Neequaye Kotey, Chief Executive of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority, announced this new development on January 23.

3News reported that the authority will also introduce an SMS notification system to notify drivers in advance of license renewals.

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Kotey made the statement during a press conferencecommemorating his first year in office.

He explained that the new system will send SMS reminders to drivers when their licenses and roadworthiness certifications are up for renewal, an initiative which forms part of broader efforts to increase compliance and improve service delivery.

“So your date of birth will be the day your license will expire. That is the new initiative we are bringing on board. The public should know that. So we are about to roll out the Roadworthy to it. So when it’s time for you to go and renew your Roadworthy, we’ll give you an SMS to inform you of the set date,” he announced."

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DVLA suspends rollout of new number plates

The authority had suspended the rollout of new licence plates due to some legislative delays. The new license plate system was going to be one of its key reforms.

The authority explained that the delays were linked to shortcomings with the Road Traffic Regulation, 2012, while before Parliament.

This suspension came after the Vehicle Embossment Association of Ghana sued the DVLA over the planned new licensing system.

About the new DVLA number plate system

Kotey unveiled the design of the new number plates in August 2025.

He said these changes, which he announced on Facebook, were part of reforms in the country's vehicle registration system.

The new plates will be equipped with RFID technology and other features to modernise vehicle management and improve road safety.

Among the expected benefits, Kotey said the new plates would prevent smuggling, improve tracking, facilitate future automated toll collection, and facilitate easier identification.

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The new plates will be reflective for enhanced visibility and have some form of digital integration.

Kotey concluded by noting that the new design is subject to further modifications.

DVLA to build hospital

YEN.com.gh reported that the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority disclosed plans to put up a hospital that would cater to the healthcare needs of drivers.

Kotey explained the planned infrastructure project while in Jomoro, the Western Region, when he cut the sod for a new DVLA office to be built on Friday, January 16, 2025.

He said they hope to complete the hospital by the end of 2026. This move has been criticised, for example, by the Chairman of the Constitution Review Committee, Professor H. Kwasi Prempeh, who believes the authority must focus on its core mandate instead of building hospitals.

Source: YEN.com.gh