Drivers who need to replace their licences may soon be able to walk out of a Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) office with a new card on the same day.
According to a report by YEN.com.gh, DVLA Chief Executive Julius Neequaye Kotey announced on Monday, October 12, 2026, that the Authority has acquired instant licence printing machines. He made the announcement at the Government Accountability Series.
Kotey said the instant service is meant for applicants whose records have been held by the DVLA for at least six years and who need a licence replacement. "There is no reason why we cannot provide such applicants with instant services," he said, according to YEN.com.gh.
He stressed that the change does not mean shortcuts for new drivers. First-time applicants must still go through the full licensing process before their cards are printed. "This does not in any way compromise the licence processing protocols," he said.
The announcement did not give the number of machines, their cost or a confirmed start date for the instant service.
The move builds on plans the DVLA announced earlier this year. In August, MyJoyOnline reported that Kotey said the DVLA would allow its regional offices to print licences locally instead of relying on two machines at the head office, which had led to waits of several months and sometimes up to a year.
At the time, he said same-day printing would initially cover only replacement cards, with software in the final stages of testing. He described October to December as a transition period, with full implementation expected from January.
When Kotey took office, the DVLA faced a large backlog of unprinted licences, some dating back to 2023. According to YEN.com.gh, a 24-hour printing operation at the Authority's print farm cleared more than 440,000 applications by the end of 2025.
Kotey also outlined other changes at the Authority, according to the report:
Delays in getting driver's licences have long been a frustration for motorists in Ghana. Drivers who lose or damage their cards have often had to wait weeks or months for replacements, leaving them exposed to problems at police checks and unable to use the card for identification.
Faster replacements could also reduce the room for middlemen, popularly called "goro boys", who have long offered to speed up services at DVLA offices for a fee.
The reforms come as the DVLA rolls out other changes, including the planned RFID number plates that Talk Talk reported on last month. Together, the measures are part of a wider push to digitise and speed up road transport services.
Until the instant service is fully rolled out, drivers who need a replacement licence are advised to apply through their nearest DVLA office with the required documents and follow the Authority's official guidance. Using official channels, rather than middlemen, remains the safest way to avoid delays and fraud.
Motorists will be watching for the DVLA to confirm which offices have the new machines and when the instant replacement service will officially start. If the Authority sticks to the timeline set out in August, full rollout of local printing should begin in January.
