The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) is set to introduce decentralised printing of driver’s licences at its offices nationwide in a move aimed at reducing the long waiting periods applicants face.
The new arrangement will enable selected DVLA offices to produce licence cards locally instead of depending entirely on the Authority’s head office for printing.
Currently, only two machines at the DVLA headquarters are responsible for printing licences for applicants across the country, a situation that has contributed to significant delays, with some motorists reportedly waiting as long as a year for their cards.
The DVLA Chief Executive, Julius Neequaye Kotey, disclosed the plan during the commissioning of a new DVLA office at Amrahia in the Adenta Municipality on Friday, August 21.
He said decentralising the printing process would improve efficiency and allow individual offices to serve applicants more quickly.
Mr Kotey, however, clarified that immediate printing would initially be limited to replacement licences.
He explained that motorists renewing expired six-year licences would be able to receive their replacement cards instantly under the new system.
“Every office will now print, but we are printing instantly for only replacement of cards,” he said.
He noted that applicants seeking licences for the first time would still have to complete the mandatory three-month process before their cards could be issued.
According to him, the requirement forms part of international licensing standards and is not unique to Ghana.
“But when you are coming for a new licence, you have to go through the three months before you get your card,” he said.
Mr Kotey said the decentralisation was intended to eliminate the prolonged delays that have left motorists waiting months after completing payment and other requirements before receiving their licences.
The Authority is expected to progressively implement the new printing arrangement across its offices as part of measures to improve service delivery and reduce waiting times.
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