Public policy think tank CUTS International has called on Parliament to examine the legal basis for additional charges imposed by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) on motorists who renew their driving licences after expiry.

The organisation is questioning whether the escalating fees contained in the DVLA’s 2026 fee schedule have been properly authorised under Ghanaian law.

Under the current schedule, motorists who renew their licences before they expire are charged GH¢127. However, those who renew after the expiry date face progressively higher charges depending on how long the licence has remained expired.

The applicable charges are GH¢204.25 for licences expired for up to six months, GH¢279.25 for between seven and 12 months, and GH¢315.25 for periods of up to two years.

The fee rises to GH¢352.25 for licences expired for up to four years, while motorists whose licences have been expired for more than four years are required to pay GH¢404.25.

CUTS International has urged Parliament to investigate how these charges were determined and whether the DVLA has the statutory authority to impose them.

Director of the West Africa Regional Centre at CUTS International, Appiah Kusi Adomako, said government agencies must be able to point to clear legal provisions authorising every fee they collect from the public.

“The DVLA must show Ghanaians the law, the approved fee schedule and the formula behind every cedi it collects as a delinquency charge. Public power must rest on law,” he said.

Mr Adomako also questioned the assumption that every expired driving licence represents continued illegal driving.

He noted that some motorists may have travelled outside the country, stopped driving or simply had no need to use their vehicles during the period their licences remained expired.

He therefore cautioned against automatically treating a late renewal as evidence that a motorist committed an offence.

CUTS International further drew attention to Regulation 46 of the Road Traffic Regulations, 2026 (L.I. 2519), which already establishes sanctions for failure to renew a driving licence, including fines or imprisonment following conviction.

The think tank is consequently seeking clarification on the precise nature of the DVLA’s additional charges, including whether they constitute renewal fees, administrative penalties or another form of statutory charge.

Mr Adomako urged Parliament to urgently scrutinise the approval process behind the fees and determine whether they are supported by law.

He further called for motorists to be reimbursed if an investigation establishes that the DVLA collected the additional charges without the required legal authority.