Registering an Imported Car With Ghana's DVLA

Your car has arrived at Tema, customs is cleared, and the keys are finally in your hand. There is one more step before you can legally drive it: registration with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA). This is the process that gives your vehicle its number plates, its Vehicle Registration Certificate (VRC), and its roadworthiness sticker.

At SmartLink Auto we export used vehicles from Korea and deliver them to Tema, so we walk our buyers through this final stage all the time. Below is a plain-English guide to what happens, what to bring, and roughly what to expect on time and cost. Fees and procedures do change, so always confirm the current details with the DVLA before you start.

First, finish customs at Tema

Registration cannot begin until the vehicle has been cleared through customs at the port. During clearance, the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) assesses duty, VAT, NHIL, the GETFund levy, and other charges based on the vehicle's value, engine capacity, and age. When you pay, you receive the customs entry documents that prove the car entered the country legally and that all duties were settled.

Those customs entry papers are the single most important thing you carry into the DVLA. Without them, you cannot register the car.

The documents you will need

Here is a practical checklist to gather before you visit a testing station or DVLA office.

• Original customs entry documents from GRA.
• Bill of Lading or sea waybill from the shipping line.
• Commercial invoice or bill of sale showing what you paid.
• The Korean vehicle title and the export deregistration certificate (the export certificate that proves the previous registration was cancelled and the car is yours to register in Ghana).
• A valid Ghana Card (the national ID now also carries your TIN).
• Two recent passport photographs.
• A valid insurance policy (third-party at minimum, comprehensive recommended). Insurance must be in place before registration is completed.

Keep the originals and make a full set of photocopies. DVLA officers verify originals but usually keep copies on file.

Step by step through the DVLA

The process runs in a few clear stages. In recent years the DVLA has used a pre-registration step followed by final registration, so expect two visits rather than one.

1. Roadworthy inspection

Take the vehicle, along with the customs entry documents, to a designated Private Vehicle Testing Station. Officers carry out a physical inspection and a short test drive to check lights, brakes, tyres, steering, and general condition. When the car passes, you receive a vehicle inspection report.

2. Present the car and papers to the DVLA

Bring the vehicle and your full document set to a DVLA registration centre. Officials authenticate the customs documents, confirm the chassis or VIN number matches the paperwork, and verify that you are the rightful owner.

3. Pay the registration fees

Once your documents check out, you are issued an invoice. The amount depends mainly on the vehicle's engine capacity or, for larger vehicles, its tonnage. Pay the invoice and keep the receipt.

4. Biometric capture and issue of plates

At final registration you complete the registration forms, have your biometric details captured, and the car is assigned its registration number. You then receive your number plates, the endorsed documents, the Vehicle Registration Certificate, and the roadworthiness sticker. New plates carry a year suffix, so a car registered in 2025 shows "-25" on the plate.

That is the finish line. With plates fitted, a valid VRC, roadworthiness sticker, and insurance, the car is road-legal.

Timelines and fees: what to expect

Every case is a little different, so treat these as guides rather than promises.

• Timeline: if your documents are complete and the car passes inspection first time, registration is often done within a few working days. Missing or mismatched paperwork is the usual cause of delay.
• Roadworthiness and registration fees scale with vehicle type and engine size, and the DVLA reviews its schedule of fees regularly, so confirm the exact figures on the day.

Never hand cash to unofficial "helpers" hanging around the offices. Pay only against a DVLA invoice and always collect your receipt.

How SmartLink Auto helps

Because we ship from Korea and deliver to Tema, we make sure the paperwork that Ghana requires travels with the car. That means a clean Korean title, the export deregistration certificate, the bill of lading, and the commercial invoice all arrive in order, so your clearance and registration go smoothly. We are happy to point you to a reputable clearing agent and explain each step so you know exactly what to expect once your car lands.

Have a question about a specific vehicle or the documents for your import? Talk to the SmartLink Auto team and we will guide you through it.