DVLA: Parliament Approved Delinquency Charges On Expired Licences

The Chief Executive Officer of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority, *Julius Neequaye Kotey*, says the DVLA is prepared to defend in court its decision to charge delinquency fees on expired driver’s licences.

According to him, the fees are not set by the Authority but were approved by *Parliament* as part of the law governing the DVLA’s operations.

Mr. Kotey made the remarks on *Tuesday, August 11*, during a courtesy visit by the *Ga Mantse, King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II*, to the DVLA Head Office in Accra.

His comments come after public policy think tank *CUTS International* called on Parliament to probe the legality and administration of the charges. CUTS also asked the DVLA to suspend the fees until the legal basis, approval process and calculation formula are made public.

*“System Removes Discretion”*

The DVLA Boss explained that the Authority’s new *IPP Pro system* automatically applies delinquency charges once a driver’s licence expires. Staff, he said, have no power to waive or adjust the fees.

He said the automation was introduced to ensure consistency and block attempts by some staff in the past to negotiate payments or remove charges for motorists.

“*Before the new system, some DVLA staff could remove delinquency charges and negotiate alternative payments with motorists*,” he noted.

Mr. Kotey stressed that the current system makes billing more transparent because motorists are charged strictly according to the approved fee structure.

“*DVLA doesn’t determine our charges. They are determined by Parliament. It is a law which was enacted in 2012 and amended in 2025, so we are ready to face them in court,” he said.

For his part, the Ga Mantse, King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, urged closer collaboration between traditional institutions and state agencies to help drive government’s 24-hour Economy Policy.

He said traditional leaders have a role to play in supporting public institutions to deliver better services to citizens.