Going forward, drivers’ licences in the country will expire on the holder’s birthday.

The Chief Executive of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), Julius Neequaye Kotey, who made this known, said the policy formed part of reforms to modernise the authority’s operation.

“With this initiative, your date of birth will be the day on which your licence expires.

The public should take note of this change.

We are also extending this system to roadworthiness certification, so when it is time to renew your roadworthy certificate, you will receive an SMS indicating the due date,” he said.

At a media briefing held last Friday to mark his first year in office, Mr Kotey explained that linking licence expiration dates to a driver’s date of birth would enhance tracking, reduce confusion over renewal timelines, and align the country’s licensing system with international best practices.

Again, he said, the new measure would improve compliance, reduce lapses in renewals, enhance service delivery and strengthen revenue mobilisation across the transport sector.

Mr Kotey added that the DVLA would roll out a short message service (SMS) notification system to remind motorists ahead of the expiration of the driver’s licence and roadworthiness for prompt renewal.

He explained that the SMS alert system would reduce reliance on manual reminders and long queues caused by last-minute renewals.

The DVLA CEO added that the reforms formed part of the authority’s broader digital transformation agenda, which sought to “improve efficiency, curb avoidable infractions, reduce revenue leakages, and support road safety enforcement nationwide.”

Key achievements

Touching on the key achievements within the first year in office, he said the DVLA had registered more than 10,000 earth-moving machines and other movable machines at ports, increasing monthly registration volumes from10,000 to 16,000.

Mr Kotey said the authority had also established 10 new offices, including 24-hour service points, across regions such as Savannah, Bono, Ashanti, and Greater Accra.

Also, he said the DVLA had introduced mobile licensing units, SMS reminders, and skills development programmes to enhance the delivery of services to members of the public.

In addition, the Chief Executive of DVLA said the authority had partnered with the State Insurance Company (SIC) and the National Identification Authority (NIA) to streamline services.

He added that the innovative strategies and prudent management systems implemented over the past year had led  to a nine per cent revenue growth, which would be reinvested into expanded operations.

Plans

Regarding the way forward, Mr Kotey said the DVLA was focused on rolling out an automated vehicle emission testing system and strengthening vehicle inspection protocols.

He explained that the system would help to reduce the phenomenon of rickety vehicles emitting poisonous gases into the atmosphere, affecting human health and the climate.

Mr Kotey also said the authority would work hard to see through the implementation of the new number plates with enhanced tracking technology.

He added that the DVLA would expand the 24-hour services to most regional stations to ensure that all citizens had access to quality services at the snap of a finger.