The Chief Executive Officer of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), Julius Neequaye Kotey, has announced a new vehicle registration system that will link registration numbers to vehicle owners instead of the vehicles.
Under the new policy, motorists will have to remove their number plates whenever they sell their vehicles. The new owner will then be required to register the vehicle and obtain a new registration number in their own name.
Speaking on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen, Mr Kotey said the reforms are aimed at improving accountability and making it easier to trace vehicle ownership.
According to him, the new system will also end the practice of displaying the year of registration on number plates.
“There will no longer be a year of registration attached to number plates. When you purchase your vehicle, you simply go ahead and register it,” he said.
“When you sell your car, you have to remove the number plate. The DVLA will deactivate that registration number from the system, and the new owner will have to apply for a new number plate in his or her own name,” he added.
Mr Kotey explained that the changes are intended to prevent former vehicle owners from being held responsible for offences committed after they have sold their vehicles.
“There have been several instances where people are arrested over offences involving vehicles, only for them to claim they sold the vehicle years ago. We want to avoid that,” he said.
He advised all motorists to remove their number plates before handing over a vehicle to a buyer.
“If you sell your car, make sure you remove your number plate to avoid any future problems,” he cautioned.
Mr Kotey also disclosed that vehicle owners will be allowed to keep their registration numbers for future use.
“If you sell your vehicle, you will have up to five years. If you purchase another vehicle within the same category during that period, the DVLA can reactivate your old registration number for use on the new vehicle,” he explained.
The DVLA boss said the new registration system is part of wider reforms aimed at improving vehicle identification, enhancing public safety and reducing fraud in vehicle ownership records.
