A private legal practitioner and transport education expert, Lawyer Francis Acquah Annan has clarified growing confusion about the use of names on vehicle number plates in Ghana, explaining that what many believe to be personal names are, in fact, Personalised Identification Marks regulated by law.
The clarification follows a viral video showing a tense exchange between the Chief Executive of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) and the Chairperson of Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee.
--Advertisements--
What the Law Says
Lawyer Francis Annan explained that according to the Road Traffic Regulations, 2012 (LI 2180), every vehicle registered in Ghana must have an official identification mark issued by the DVLA.
“Where a person registers a motor vehicle or trailer, the Licensing Authority shall assign and register an identification mark in respect of the motor vehicle or trailer,” — Road Traffic Regulations, 2012 (LI 2180), Regulation 10(1)
The law also allows vehicle owners to request a particular identification mark or special registration number for a fee. These are known as Personalised Identification Marks, not names.
--Advertisements--
Lawyer Annan, who has over eight years of experience teaching the Road Traffic Act and conducting public education, explained that a “personalised” identification mark may include a person’s initials, nickname, or a short word that resembles a name — but legally, it identifies the vehicle, not the owner.
Regulation 10 (4) of LI 2180 limits the prefix of such marks to six (6) characters. This means even if a registration bears a human name, it is treated only as a unique identifier for that vehicle and not the person’s name.
Plates such as “KOFI 25-25” or “AMA-24” might look like someone’s name, but they fall under the category of specialised or personalised registration numbers.
These identifiers are part of Ghana’s standardised system designed to ensure every vehicle can be uniquely traced. Both regular and personalised number plates are issued and recorded by the DVLA.
Lawyer Annan also emphasised that the DVLA Chief Executive’s explanation before Parliament was accurate, though perhaps misunderstood.
“The DVLA Boss was correct,” the expert said. “A number plate that looks like a name is legally a personalised identification mark, not a personal name. The law is very clear on this.”
He added that greater public education is needed to reduce misconceptions about personalised registration numbers and their purpose.
Background
The debate began after a parliamentary session in which lawmakers questioned why some vehicle number plates appeared to bear owners’ names.
The DVLA insists that all registration identifiers, including personalised ones, are issued strictly in accordance with Regulation 10 of LI 2180. The system, the Authority says, ensures uniformity, accountability, and traceability across Ghana’s vehicle registration database.
