The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) has restated its position on the proper use of DV number plates, stressing that such plates are strictly issued to car dealers and vehicle manufacturers for limited and clearly defined purposes.
DVLA stated that DV plates are not meant for general or prolonged use on public roads and should not be treated as a substitute for full vehicle registration.
Clarifying the issue, the Director of Communication at the DVLA, Stephen Attuh, explained that DV plates are intended to facilitate specific activities within the operations of licensed car dealers and manufacturers.
He noted that these plates are primarily used when a vehicle is being moved temporarily, such as when it is leaving a dealer’s facility for the purpose of fixing defects or undergoing test drives before final sale.
Mr. Attuh made these clarifications while speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on Thursday, February 5, in response to growing public concern and confusion over the widespread use of DV plates on roads across the country.
According Mr. Attuh, many motorists wrongly believe that DV plates can be used freely even after a vehicle has been purchased, a practice he described as unlawful.
“You are not required to have a DV plate on your vehicle so long as it is not for purposes of fixing a defect on it or test driving. Once the vehicle is sold to you and you are off the dealer’s facility, you are required by law to register the vehicle to be duly identified before it can be on our roads.”
Stephen Attuh further placed the blame for the growing misuse of DV plates squarely on car dealers, accusing some of them of disregarding existing regulations.
Citing Regulation 23 of Legislative Instrument (LI) 2180, he noted that the conditions governing the issuance and use of trade licences are unambiguous, and any deviation from these provisions constitutes a breach of the law.
“The dealers have allowed for the misuse of DV plates. Regulation 23 of LI 2180 clearly spells out what a trade licence is and how a person can acquire one. The DV plate has many limitations, and its use for ordinary driving is not permitted.”
