The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) has begun issuing vehicle number plates with the “26” suffix, effective January 2, 2026, following delays in the implementation of a new vehicle registration regime.
The move comes after the Authority was unable to complete the required legal amendments before Parliament went on recess, compelling it to continue with the existing year-based registration system.
Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on Friday, Monitored by Kumasi Mail the Director of Corporate Affairs at the DVLA, Stephen Attuh, explained that amendments to the Road Traffic Regulations, L.I. 2180, are necessary before the new registration system can be rolled out.
“The specific regulations in the L.I. 2180 that we need to amend before introducing the new plate were not successfully completed before Parliament went on recess,” he said. “As a law-guided institution, that regime must be in place before we can roll out the new licence plate, and in its absence, we are compelled to continue with the current registration system.”
The DVLA had planned to introduce a new number plate system that would eliminate year-based suffixes and incorporate radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology.
The proposed system is intended to support digital vehicle scanning for purposes such as tracking, road tolling, speed monitoring, and law enforcement.
However, Attuh said the delay in passing the necessary legislative amendments has stalled the rollout.
“As of today, we’ve moved from the suffix ‘25’ for the year 2025 to the suffix ‘26’,” he explained. “The original plan to remove the suffix could not be implemented, so we will continue with the existing system until the amendments are completed.”
The DVLA assured the public that once Parliament passes the required amendments, the Authority will proceed with the new number plate system and its accompanying digital platform.
Until then, vehicle registrations across the country will continue under the current year-based suffix regime.
Source: www.kumasimail.com
