Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) of

Ghana Ghana (; tw, Gaana, ee, Gana), officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It abuts the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, sharing borders with Ivory Coast in the west, Burkina Faso in the north, and To ...

is the government agency responsible for the

licensing A license (or licence) is an official permission or permit to do, use, or own something (as well as the document of that permission or permit). A license is granted by a party (licensor) to another party (licensee) as an element of an agreeme ...

and evaluation of drivers and cars in Ghana.

History

DVLA was established in 1999 by Act 569 of Ghana's parliament. The act allowed the authority to have a semi-autonomous status in the public sector organisation under the

Ministry of Transport A ministry of transport or transportation is a ministry responsible for transportation within a country. It usually is administered by the ''minister for transport''. The term is also sometimes applied to the departments or other government ag ...

. The authority is responsible for ensuring safety on

Ghanaian Ghana (; tw, Gaana, ee, Gana), officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It abuts the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, sharing borders with Ivory Coast in Ghana–Ivory Coast border, the west, Burkina ...

roads. The authority before the enactment of the DVLA Act was called Vehicle Examination & Licensing Division (VELD).

Driver licensing

The laws of Ghana permits individuals 18 years and older to drive. Ghanaians and residents of the country can apply for a 3- month learner's licence. After the expiration of the learner's licence, a written exam is conducted of which the would-be driver must score 70% or more to pass. After the written exam, the would-be driver takes a test which involves identification and explanation of several

road sign Traffic signs or road signs are signs erected at the side of or above roads to give instructions or provide information to road users. The earliest signs were simple wooden or stone milestones. Later, signs with directional arms were introduce ...

s. If the road signs test is passed, the would-be driver takes the last exam drive with a DVLA instructor. An error-free test drive qualifies the driver to a cover note, which is returned for the

driving licence A driver's license is a legal authorization, or the official document confirming such an authorization, for a specific individual to operate one or more types of motorized vehicles—such as motorcycles, cars, trucks, or buses—on a public ...

on a said date.

Online registration

In April 2008, the authority announced a 306,000 cedi online registration project that sought to streamline the activities of the authority to allow it offer efficient services to its clients. The system was also sought to abolish the activities of middlemen who hampered the operations of the authority. The online system became operational in December 2008.

Lay off Certification

The authority issues Lay off Certificates (L.O.C) to vehicle owner who request for them. The request is granted on both commercial and private vehicles that are not moved for a minimum of 6 months. L.O.Cs allow vehicle owners to save costs by not paying road use fees.

International licence

The Authority issues local

driving licences to foreigners whose driving licences are issued by signatories of International Conventions. Requesting for such a licence requires the provision of the foreign driving licence and a translation of it if it is not in the

English language English is a West Germanic language of the Indo-European language family, with its earliest forms spoken by the inhabitants of early medieval England. It is named after the Angles, one of the ancient Germanic peoples that migrated to the is ...

and four passport-sized photographs. An

eye examination An eye examination is a series of tests performed to assess vision and ability to focus on and discern objects. It also includes other tests and examinations pertaining to the eyes. Eye examinations are primarily performed by an optometrist, op ...

is done and a cover note issued to the individual.

References

{{authority control Automotive safety Ministries and Agencies of State of Ghana Government agencies established in 1999 1999 establishments in Ghana