The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority has announced a major reform under which drivers’ licences and roadworthiness certificates will now expire on the holder’s birthday.

The Chief Executive of the DVLA, Mr Julius Neequaye Kotey, said the change forms part of a broader reform agenda aimed at modernising the authority’s operations and improving service delivery.

Under the new policy, a motorist’s date of birth will determine the expiration date of both the driver’s licence and the vehicle’s roadworthiness certificate. Mr Kotey urged the public to take note of the change, explaining that motorists would receive advance notifications to ensure timely renewals.

He disclosed that the DVLA would introduce a short message service notification system to alert drivers when their licences and roadworthiness certificates are due for renewal. According to him, the system is expected to reduce confusion over renewal timelines and minimise long queues caused by last minute applications.

Mr Kotey made these remarks during a media briefing held last Friday to mark his first year in office. He explained that aligning expiration dates with a driver’s date of birth would enhance monitoring, improve compliance and bring the country’s licensing system in line with international best practices.

He added that the reform would also help strengthen revenue mobilisation within the transport sector while improving efficiency and reducing renewal lapses.

The DVLA Chief Executive noted that the reforms are part of the authority’s digital transformation drive, which seeks to improve operational efficiency, reduce revenue leakages, curb avoidable traffic infractions and support nationwide road safety enforcement.

Reviewing achievements over the past year, Mr Kotey said the DVLA had registered more than 10,000 earth moving and other movable machines at the ports, leading to an increase in monthly registrations from 10,000 to 16,000.

He added that the authority had opened 10 new offices across the country, including 24 hour service points in regions such as Savannah, Bono, Ashanti and Greater Accra.

According to him, the DVLA has also introduced mobile licensing units, SMS reminder systems and skills development programmes to improve access to services for the public. He further disclosed that partnerships with the State Insurance Company and the National Identification Authority have helped streamline service delivery.

Mr Kotey said these innovations and improved management practices had resulted in a nine per cent growth in revenue, which would be reinvested to expand operations.

Looking ahead, he said the DVLA plans to roll out an automated vehicle emission testing system and strengthen vehicle inspection processes to curb the use of unroadworthy vehicles that emit harmful gases into the environment.

He also announced plans to fully implement new number plates with enhanced tracking features and expand 24 hour service delivery to most regional offices to ensure wider access to DVLA services nationwide.