The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) has reiterated its stance on the appropriate use of DV number plates, emphasising that these plates are issued exclusively to car dealers and vehicle manufacturers for specific, well-defined purposes.
The DVLA clarified that DV plates are not intended for general or extended use on public roads and should not be considered a replacement for complete vehicle registration.
Speaking on the issue, the Director of Communication at the DVLA, Stephen Attuh, elaborated that DV plates are designed to support particular activities within the operations of licensed car dealers and manufacturers.
He pointed out that these plates are mainly utilised when a vehicle is temporarily moved, such as when it departs from a dealer’s facility for repairs or for test drives before final sale.
Mr Attuh provided these clarifications on Thursday, February 5, in response to growing public concern and confusion about the widespread use of DV plates on roads nationwide.
According to Mr. Attuh, numerous motorists mistakenly believe that DV plates can be used without restriction even after a vehicle has been purchased, a practice he described as illegal.
“You are not required to have a DV plate on your vehicle so long as it is not for purposes of fixing a defect on it or test driving. Once the vehicle is sold to you and you are off the dealer’s facility, you are required by law to register the vehicle to be duly identified before it can be on our roads.”
Stephen Attuh further attributed the increasing misuse of DV plates directly to car dealers, accusing some of them of ignoring existing regulations.
Referencing Regulation 23 of Legislative Instrument (LI) 2180, he emphasised that the conditions surrounding the issuance and use of trade licences are clear, and any deviation from these stipulations constitutes a violation of the law.
“The dealers have allowed for the misuse of DV plates. Regulation 23 of LI 2180 clearly spells out what a trade licence is and how a person can acquire one. The DV plate has many limitations, and its use for ordinary driving is not permitted”.
