The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) has issued a statement clarifying the legal basis for delinquency charges imposed on drivers who fail to renew their licences before expiry, following concerns raised by clients over charges levied at its service centres.
The Authority explained that the responsibility for keeping a driver’s licence active rests with the holder, stressing that a licence is at no point supposed to be allowed to expire.
According to the DVLA, the Road Traffic Regulations, 2026 (LI 2519) provides under Regulation 46(1) that a driver’s licence may be renewed at any time within one month before it expires, upon payment of the prescribed fee, with such renewal taking effect from the date of expiry.
The statement further cited Subregulation 6 of Regulation 46 of LI 2519, which states that a licence is subject to renewal every two years and must be replaced six years from the date it was issued. Subregulation 7 also places a duty on the licence holder to renew personally, after passing an eye test and providing evidence of training with a certified driver training institution.
The Authority said the Fees and Charges (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Amendment) Regulations, 2025 (LI 2512) consequently spells out the penalties payable by licence holders who fail to renew before expiry, categorised as follows:
- Delinquency for non-renewal (one sticker) – GH¢52.00
- Delinquency for non-renewal (two stickers) – GH¢104.00
- Driver licence renewal (7 to 12 months) delinquency – GH¢75.00
- Driver licence renewal (above 1 year to 2 years) delinquency – GH¢111.00
- Driver licence renewal (above 2 years) delinquency – GH¢148.00
The DVLA encouraged clients to ensure timely renewal of their licences to avoid the penalties, noting that it sends SMS alerts to licence holders through the phone numbers used during application — once a month before expiry and again two weeks before expiry.
The Authority reaffirmed its commitment to upholding the highest driver standards and urged licence holders to abide by the responsibilities that come with holding a driver’s licence.
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