About six weeks ago, the Centre for Transport and Urban Studies (CUTS) challenged the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority’s (DVLA) policy of charging delinquency fees for late renewal or replacement of driver’s licences. CUTS said simply holding an expired licence should not be treated as a crime. According to Regulation 46(8) of the Road Traffic Regulations 2026 LI 2519, it only becomes an offence if someone drives with an expired licence.
Last week, the DVLA issued a statement titled “Clarification on Delinquency Charges on Failed Renewal of Driver’s Licence.” In the third paragraph, the agency said: “For the avoidance of doubt, the responsibility for holding a driver’s licence is to ensure that the licence is active at all times. At no point should a driver’s licence be allowed to expire.” This, CUTS argues, ignores real-life situations where licence holders cannot renew on time or have no reason to drive.
Appiah Adomako of CUTS gave several examples that challenge the DVLA’s stance. He compared driver’s licences to professional licences held by pharmacists, surveyors, doctors, lawyers, architects, and dentists. These professionals sometimes hold expired licences but don’t renew them because they do not intend to practice. Professional bodies list “members in good standing” to distinguish those actively practising.
Adomako outlined ten scenarios to illustrate his point. One involved a former Member of Parliament who used a chauffeur for 12 years, then lost his seat and decided to drive again. He renewed his expired licence and should not be considered delinquent for the years he did not drive.
Another case was a Ghanaian police officer deployed on a UN peacekeeping mission in Darfur, whose licence expired while abroad. On return, he faced a delinquency charge despite not driving during the deployment. The same applied to a Ministry of Foreign Affairs officer who spent four years in Paris, a Church of Pentecost pastor on a five-year mission in Australia, and a journalist studying abroad on a Commonwealth scholarship.
Adomako also cited a student who qualified for a licence on campus but did not own a car for six years after graduation. When he eventually bought a car and went to renew, he faced delinquency charges for that period without driving. A pregnant woman advised by her doctor not to drive, a holidaymaker abroad during the renewal window, and a stroke survivor unable to drive for six years also faced similar penalties.
He pointed to a case where the delay was caused by DVLA itself. A licence holder applied for renewal at the Kumasi office in 2022 after a year abroad. DVLA issued a temporary licence that had to be extended multiple times. The applicant complied with repeated requests for biometrics over several years. In May 2026, after more than four years, the permanent licence was ready. At collection, the applicant was told to pay a delinquency charge before receiving the card. The person paid reluctantly and is now seeking a refund and explanation for the delay. Adomako asked how someone following DVLA’s instructions could be labelled delinquent.
CUTS acknowledges that driving without a valid licence is an offence. But Adomako says these examples show why expiry alone is a poor measure of delinquency. Drivers returning from abroad or unable to drive for other reasons should have the chance to renew without penalty if they have not driven illegally.
The DVLA’s position is clear: licences must be active at all times. But Adomako’s examples expose the complexity of real-life situations that the current policy does not address. Whether the DVLA will adjust its approach remains to be seen. For now, many Ghanaians face charges that may not fit their actual conduct.
According to Joy Online.
