DVLA stands for the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority, Ghana’s body for licensing drivers, testing them, approving driving schools and registering vehicles. Most driver tasks now start in the DVLA Self Service app, where you verify yourself with your Ghana Card and then apply, renew, replace or check fees before visiting an office.
Updated October 2026
This page is a directory guide published by WebsitesGH, not a DVLA website. Sign-in, payment and identity checks happen only on official DVLA channels, which are named below with the dates they were checked.
What does DVLA stand for in Ghana?
DVLA is the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority. It licenses and tests drivers, approves and supervises driving schools, registers vehicles and issues number plates, and handles renewals, replacements and international permits.
In practice that means two separate money conversations. One is what the authority charges for a licence stage. The other is what a private, DVLA-approved driving school charges you for tuition. Mixing the two is why so many first-time drivers budget wrongly.
Which DVLA service do you need, and where do you do it?
The DVLA Ghana Self Service App is published by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority at 1 Jawaharlal Nehru Road, Accra, Ghana, with phone +233 26 222 6364[1]. You verify your identity with your Ghana Card, then link an existing driver’s licence or create a driver profile to get started[1].
| Service | Official channel or office | What you need | WebsitesGH page |
|---|---|---|---|
| New licence application | Self Service app, then office for tests and biometrics[1] | Ghana Card and a driver profile[1] | Approved driving schools near you |
| Renewal | Self Service app[1] | Existing licence linked to your profile[1] | Driving schools category |
| Replacement after loss | Self Service app, then office verification[1] | Police report and biometric verification[2] | Greater Accra schools |
| Foreign licence conversion | Self Service app[1] | Ghana Card and your foreign licence[1] | Automotive directory |
| International driving permit | Self Service app[1] | A valid Ghanaian licence on your profile[1] | Central Region schools |
| Fee check and compliance cases | Self Service app[1] | Verified Ghana Card profile[1] | Business guides |
Licence check: the app lets you view applicable DVLA fees and charges and view vehicle non-compliance cases including warnings, charges and seized items[1]. If you need a licence status or a check code for an employer or insurer, ask DVLA directly on the published phone number or at the support email rather than a third-party site.
Contact: the official support email is info@dvla.gov.gh and the app listing was last updated 6 October 2026[1]. That makes it the freshest official statement of what DVLA online services do.
How much are DVLA fees and driving school fees in Ghana?
Be careful here. The figures circulating online are not all official and not all dated. One unofficial site, dvlagh.netlify.app, publishes a flat list with no effective date. Pulse Ghana publishes a fee discussion but says the DVLA revised its fee structure in 2022[3]. Treat both as indicative only and confirm the current amount inside the Self Service app before you pay[1].
| Step or service | What happens | Published figure (source and date checked) |
|---|---|---|
| Provisional licence | Supervised driving allowed | GH₵ 100, 1-year validity, dvlagh.netlify.app, checked 13 October 2026[2] |
| New driver’s licence | Issued after tests | GH₵ 280 with 5-year validity and multiple vehicle categories, dvlagh.netlify.app, checked 13 October 2026[2] |
| Renewal | Same-day processing, early renewal accepted | GH₵ 250, dvlagh.netlify.app, checked 13 October 2026[2] |
| Replacement | Police report and biometrics | GH₵ 150, dvlagh.netlify.app, checked 13 October 2026[2] |
| International permit | 1-year validity | GH₵ 200, valid in over 150 countries worldwide, dvlagh.netlify.app, checked 13 October 2026[2] |
| Vehicle registration | Includes custom plates and transfer of ownership | GH₵ 250-2,000, dvlagh.netlify.app, checked 13 October 2026[2] |
| Driving school tuition | Classroom and in-car lessons | Set by each school, not by DVLA: ask the schools on your regional page |
A worked example of the licence-stage cost
Say you start as a complete beginner and go through two paid licence stages. The provisional licence figure is GH₵ 100[2]and the new licence figure is GH₵ 280[2]. Budget for both of those published licence-stage charges separately, since neither covers school tuition and the official schedule was revised in 2022[3]. Tuition is quoted separately by each approved school, so add the quote you collect locally.
How do you get a licence, step by step?
- Check you are old enough. The minimum age is 18 years old for private vehicles and 21 years for commercial vehicles[3].
- Collect the forms. Applicants obtain Forms F and F1 from any DVLA office or the online portal[3].
- Get the learner’s permit. It is valid for three months and allows you to practise driving under supervision[3]. Note the naming clash: the unofficial fee list calls this a provisional licence with 1-year validity[2]. Confirm the stage name and the period with DVLA before you plan your timeline.
- Train at a DVLA-approved school. Classroom work on the Highway Code and road signs, then in-car practice.
- Pass the theory examination. You must achieve at least 70% to pass[3]. The number of questions in the current paper is not published on the official app listing, so ask DVLA on info@dvla.gov.gh or the published phone line[1].
- Pass the road test, then complete biometrics and collect the card.
If you fail at either stage, you retrain and re-book rather than paying anyone to “arrange” a pass. Confirm the re-test charge in the app, where applicable fees and charges are displayed[1].
What are the licence classes in Ghana?
Class B covers light motor vehicles, Class B1 covers motorcycles and tricycles, and Class A covers heavy motor vehicles[3]. Commercial driving sits behind the higher age threshold of 21 years[3]. Ask your school which class its vehicles and instructors are approved to train, because a school strong on Class B may not handle heavy vehicles.
Which route fits you?
- First-time driver: age check, Forms F and F1[3], learner’s permit[3], approved school, theory then road test.
- Renewing holder: link your existing licence in the app and renew, since early renewal is accepted on the published list[2].
- Lost or damaged card: get a police report first, because replacement requires it along with biometric verification[2].
- Returning from abroad: use the foreign licence conversion path in the app[1].
- Vehicle owner: registration and transfer of ownership sit on the same published list[2].
This page is for people who want the right channel and a realistic budget. It is not for anyone hoping to skip the tests.
Where are DVLA-approved driving schools in your region?
Approval is school by school, so the practical question is which approved schools operate near you in Accra, Kumasi, Takoradi, Cape Coast, Koforidua, Ho, Tamale, Sunyani, Bolgatanga or Wa. Use the regional lists below, then verify each school’s current approval with DVLA before paying any deposit.
| Region | Main city | WebsitesGH page | What the list covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greater Accra | Accra | Greater Accra schools | City and suburban schools, including a Weija school profile |
| Ashanti | Kumasi | Ashanti schools | Kumasi and surrounding towns |
| Central | Cape Coast | Central schools | Cape Coast and coastal towns |
| Eastern | Koforidua | Eastern schools | Koforidua and environs |
| Western | Takoradi | Western schools | Takoradi and nearby districts |
| Volta | Ho | Volta schools | Ho and environs |
| Northern | Tamale | Northern schools | Tamale and beyond |
| Bono | Sunyani | Bono schools | Formerly Brong Ahafo area |
| Upper East | Bolgatanga | Upper East schools | Bolgatanga and beyond |
| Upper West | Wa | Upper West schools | Wa and beyond |
What can go wrong, and how do you protect yourself?
The common losses are time in the wrong queue, money to a middleman who promises a shortcut, and tuition paid to a school whose approval you never checked. Each one is avoidable with the same habit: start on an official channel and keep your own record.
- Verify identity and apply only through the official Self Service app published by DVLA[1].
- Check charges in the app, where applicable DVLA fees and charges are shown[1], instead of trusting an undated fee page.
- Use the published support email info@dvla.gov.gh for written confirmation[1].
- Ask any school for its current approval reference and confirm it with DVLA before you pay.
- Never hand your Ghana Card or biometric appointment to a third party, since the app ties your profile to that card[1].
Try this today
- Install the official DVLA Self Service app and verify your identity with your Ghana Card[1].
- Open the fees section and write down the current amount for your exact service[1].
- Open your regional list above and call two approved schools for a written tuition quote.
- Add the tuition quote to the licence-stage figure you found in the app to get your real total.
- If anything is unclear, email info@dvla.gov.gh or call +233 26 222 6364 before paying anyone[1].
How this page was checked
Figures here were taken on 13 October 2026 from the official DVLA Self Service app listing, which was last updated 6 October 2026[1], a Pulse Ghana application guide, and the unofficial fee page at dvlagh.netlify.app. Fee figures are subject to change and the unofficial list carries no effective date, so the app remains the figure to trust. Next step: pick your region above and start with the quotes.
Frequently asked questions
What does DVLA stand for in Ghana?
DVLA stands for the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority. It is Ghana’s authority for licensing and testing drivers, approving driving schools, registering vehicles and issuing number plates. Its Self Service app is published by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority at 1 Jawaharlal Nehru Road, Accra, with phone +233 26 222 6364[1]. Apply through official channels only, never through a middleman.
How many questions are on the DVLA theory test in Ghana?
The pass mark is published: you must achieve at least 70% to pass the theory examination[3]. The number of questions in the current paper is not stated on the official app listing, so confirm it with DVLA before test day using the published support email info@dvla.gov.gh[1]. Your driving school should also tell you the current format for your licence class.
How can I check my Ghana driver’s licence online?
Start in the official DVLA Self Service app. You verify your identity with your Ghana Card and link an existing driver’s licence or create a driver profile[1]. From there the app shows applicable DVLA fees and charges and vehicle non-compliance cases including warnings, charges and seized items[1]. For a formal status letter or check code, contact DVLA directly rather than any third-party checker site.
How much are driving school fees in Ghana?
Driving school tuition is set by each private school, not by DVLA, so it varies by region, licence class and the number of in-car hours. Collect written quotes from two approved schools on your regional list. Keep that separate from licence-stage charges: the published figures are GH₵ 100 for a provisional licence[2]and GH₵ 280 for a new licence[2], which should be confirmed in the app.
Which DVLA tasks can be finished online and which need an office visit?
The app covers applications for new licences, renewals, replacements, upgrades, foreign licence conversions, international driving permits and hazardous permits[1]. Tests, biometrics and physical card collection still mean attending a DVLA office, and a replacement needs a police report plus biometric verification[2]. Vehicle inspection and plate issuance are also in-person steps, so plan one office visit into your timeline.
How do I confirm a driving school is genuinely DVLA-approved?
Ask the school for its current DVLA approval reference and the licence classes it is approved to train, then confirm that with DVLA on the official phone line or at info@dvla.gov.gh[1]. Do not rely on a certificate photo or a signboard. Check that the vehicles match the class you want: Class B is light motor vehicles and Class A is heavy motor vehicles[3].
What is the DVLA Ghana contact number and email?
The official app listing gives phone +233 26 222 6364 and the address 1 Jawaharlal Nehru Road, Accra, Ghana[1]. The support email is info@dvla.gov.gh, and that listing was last updated 6 October 2026[1]. Use these routes for fee confirmation, complaints and licence status questions, and keep a written record of any answer you receive.
How long is a Ghana driver’s licence valid before renewal?
The unofficial fee page lists a new driver’s licence with 5-year validity[2], while renewal is shown with same-day processing and early renewal accepted[2]. Because that list carries no effective date and the fee structure was revised in 2022[3], check the validity printed on your own card and confirm the renewal window in the Self Service app before your expiry date.
Sources
- Play – DVLA Ghana – Self Service App (checked 13 Oct 2026)
- Dvlagh – Services (checked 13 Oct 2026)
- Pulse – How to Get a Driving Licence in Ghana: Complete Guide … (13 Oct 2026)
