Ghana’s Road Traffic Regulations, 2026 (L.I. 2519) introduce detailed rules on how vehicles are registered, how number plates must look and be displayed, how often registration numbers must be renewed, and what happens to a vehicle’s number when ownership changes.
What must every registered vehicle have?
Under Regulation 10, when a motor vehicle or trailer is registered, the Licensing Authority assigns it an identification mark, or registration number.
For an ordinary motor vehicle, that identification mark must appear on two number plates. The plates must be securely fixed, upright or within 15 degrees of an upright position, and the letters and numbers must be clearly legible. The front and rear plates must also be easily distinguishable.
The Regulations go further. The reflective characters on a plate must be clearly legible at night in clear weather and recognisable by a driver following from at least 60 metres away. Plates must also be resistant to wear and tear.
There is also a third, retro-reflective licence plate issued by the Licensing Authority. This takes the form of a sticker placed on the inner right-hand corner of the windscreen. It carries the registration information as well as the chassis number, make and model of the vehicle.
A motor vehicle or trailer covered by the requirement cannot legally be kept, used or driven on the road without it.
So what do the different number plates mean?
L.I. 2519 creates a number of identifiable categories:
| Type | What identifies it under L.I. 2519 |
| Private vehicle | A white background, together with the region, Ghana map, Ghana flag, unique alphanumeric identification mark and registration-centre code. |
| Commercial vehicle | A yellow background, with similar security and identification information. |
| Diplomatic vehicle | The form and nature of the plate are to be determined by the Licensing Authority in collaboration with the Ministry responsible for Foreign Affairs, for vehicles or trailers assigned to diplomatic or international organisations. |
| Government vehicle | A white background and the prefix “GV”. |
| Electric vehicle | Includes a green-coloured band on the left side of the plate. |
| Trailer | Includes a yellow-coloured band on the left side. |
| Equipment | Includes a blue-coloured band on the left side. |
| Private motorcycle | Uses the prefix “M” and a blue background. |
| Commercial motorcycle | Uses the prefix “M” and a yellow background. |
| Temporary vehicle | Uses the prefix “TMP”. |
| Defective vehicle plate | Uses the prefix “DV”, and must carry a unique garage identification, registration number and expiry date. |
| Particular identification mark | Allows an approved personalised inscription or name to serve as the identification mark. |
| Ceremonial plate | Carries an approved personalised ceremonial inscription and is valid for no more than three months. |
These requirements are set out principally in Regulations 11 to 23.
One point worth noting is that the Regulations themselves do not spell out a specific colour or prefix for diplomatic plates in Regulation 13. Instead, they leave their form and nature to the Licensing Authority and the Foreign Affairs Ministry.
Can you cover, bend or obscure your number plate?
No.
Regulation 24 says a person cannot keep, use or drive a motor vehicle or trailer on a road without the required registration plate.
It also prohibits fixing the registration number in a way that makes it obscure or difficult to distinguish.
This means the issue is not simply whether a plate is physically attached to the vehicle. It must also be visible and readable.
A breach attracts, on summary conviction, a fine of not less than 10 and not more than 25 penalty units, imprisonment for up to 30 days, or both.
That makes obscured plates particularly relevant to automated enforcement such as TRAFFITECH: deliberately positioning or covering a plate so that it cannot easily be identified can itself amount to an offence.
How often must a vehicle’s registration number be renewed?
This is one of the biggest changes motorists need to know.
Under Regulation 25, the owner of a motor vehicle or trailer must renew the registration number every two years by applying to the Licensing Authority.
The Licensing Authority is required to notify the owner one month before the registration period expires.
Once the renewal requirements have been met and the prescribed fee paid, the Authority issues a validation sticker. That sticker must be placed on the top-left corner of the licensed plates.
Failure to renew the registration number or properly display the validation sticker can attract 10 to 25 penalty units, up to 30 days’ imprisonment, or both.
Importantly, this two-year registration-number renewal should not be confused with the road-use certificate or roadworthiness requirements, which are dealt with separately under the Regulations.
Can DVLA take your registration number away?
Yes.
Under Regulation 26, the Licensing Authority may withdraw a registration number where the owner fails to renew it in accordance with Regulation 25.
A number may also be withdrawn if it has remained unassigned for five years or more without the owner notifying the Authority, where a court orders its withdrawal, or in another circumstance determined by the Licensing Authority.
What happens to the number plate when you sell your car?
This is perhaps the most important provision for people buying and selling used vehicles.
Under Regulation 30, both the existing owner and the prospective new owner must notify the Licensing Authority of the change of ownership within 14 days.
They must provide a completed transfer-of-ownership form, a letter changing ownership, the Certificate of Title, and any other documents required by the Licensing Authority.
But the transfer does not happen merely because the parties have signed documents.
Before DVLA completes the change of ownership, the Licensing Authority must physically check the chassis number and confirm that it corresponds with its records.
Does the number plate automatically go with the car?
No.
The Regulations say the previous owner cannot simply transfer the vehicle registration number to the prospective owner unless the Licensing Authority approves it.
Within 14 days of notifying the Authority about the change of ownership, the parties must present the vehicle or trailer so that its registration number can be deactivated and the number plate recalled.
The new owner then applies for one of three things: a temporary registration number, reactivation of an existing registration number belonging to the new owner, or a new permanent registration number.
This means, under L.I. 2519, selling the vehicle does not necessarily mean selling your registration number with it.
What happens to the seller’s old registration number?
The Regulations provide that after a change of ownership, the vehicle’s existing registration number is generally reserved for five years in the name of the previous owner.
If that previous owner buys another vehicle in the same category, the Licensing Authority may reassign and activate the number for that vehicle.
If the new vehicle is in a different category, it must instead be registered as a new vehicle.
The five-year reservation rule does not apply in the same way to government vehicles, registered companies and diplomatic vehicles.
The important takeaway
L.I. 2519 changes the way motorists should think about a number plate. It is not simply a metal tag permanently attached to a particular car.
The Regulations link a registration number to the registered owner, the vehicle category, periodic renewal and DVLA’s records. They also introduce distinctive identifiers for commercial vehicles, government vehicles, electric vehicles, motorcycles and temporary vehicles.
Perhaps the most important practical points are these: registration numbers must be renewed every two years; plates must remain clearly visible; ownership changes must be reported within 14 days; and when a car is sold, the old registration number does not automatically pass to the buyer.
Credit: Citinewsroom
