The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) has cautioned motorists to ensure that the full transfer-of-ownership process is completed whenever vehicles are bought or sold, warning that failure to do so could expose individuals to serious legal and administrative risks.

According to the Authority, the advisory forms part of ongoing vehicle registration reforms aimed at addressing long-standing challenges where individuals use vehicles they cannot legally claim ownership of due to incomplete or improper documentation.

Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show, the DVLA’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Mr. Stephen Attuh, explained that many motorists mistakenly believe they own a vehicle simply because they possess it or are using its number plate, even though the legal title remains in another person’s name.

He noted that such situations often create complications when vehicles are linked to criminal activities, traffic offences, or ownership disputes, as law enforcement agencies rely on DVLA records to identify the legally registered owner.

Mr. Attuh revealed that under the revised registration process, 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 go through the official transfer-of-ownership process with the DVLA to legally assume ownership.

“So we realise that there are situations where a person uses a vehicle but cannot produce documents to prove legal ownership,” he said.

“You may buy a car and assume ownership simply because you are using the number plate, but the title still belongs to the previous owner.

If an issue arises, it is the person whose name appears in our records who will be held responsible.”

He explained that the reforms are designed to ensure that every vehicle owner holds a legally recognised title, making ownership clear and enforceable.

According to the DVLA, the new measures will strengthen accountability, improve vehicle traceability, and ensure that ownership records remain accurate, transparent, and legally defensible.

Motorists are therefore encouraged to comply fully with the transfer process to avoid future disputes or legal complications.