The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) has warned motorists to ensure they fully complete the transfer of ownership process when buying or selling vehicles, cautioning that failure to do so could expose them to serious legal consequences.
According to the Authority, many vehicle owners continue to operate cars they cannot legally claim as theirs because official ownership records at the DVLA remain in another person’s name.
This situation, officials say, often creates major problems when vehicles are linked to crimes, traffic offences, or disputes over ownership.
The warning forms part of ongoing reforms within the vehicle registration system aimed at improving accountability and ensuring that ownership records are clear and legally defensible.
The DVLA notes that law enforcement agencies rely heavily on its database to identify the rightful owner of a vehicle, not just the person in physical possession of it.
Speaking in an interview, Director of Corporate Affairs at the DVLA, Stephen Attuh, explained that many motorists mistakenly believe they own a vehicle simply because they use it or have access to its number plate.
“You could be driving a car every day and still not be the legal owner because the documents remain in someone else’s name, and when an issue arises, it is the person on our records who will be held responsible,” he said.
Mr. Attuh explained that under the revised system, vehicle titles are now issued directly to individuals at the point of first registration, whether the vehicle is newly imported or being registered in Ghana for the first time.
However, he stressed that buyers of second hand vehicles must ensure the official transfer process is completed at the DVLA.
The Authority says the reforms are intended to protect both buyers and sellers while strengthening vehicle traceability and reducing disputes linked to unclear ownership.
