Have you ever looked at a car’s number plate in Ghana and noticed the letters at the beginning? These letters are not just random, they show where the vehicle was registered. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) uses these codes to identify vehicles based on their region, making it easier for law enforcement and officials to track registrations.
What do the letters mean?
Some of the most common number plate codes in Ghana include GR and GW for Greater Accra Region, AS for Ashanti Region, CR for Central Region, ER for Eastern Region, and NR for Northern Region. Other regions also have their own codes, such as BA for Bono and Ahafo, UE for Upper East, UW for Upper West, VR for Volta, and WR for Western.
Special vehicle codes
Not all number plate codes represent a region. Some are used for specific purposes, including temporary or commercial registrations. DV is assigned to Defective Vehicles, which means the car is unregistered and awaiting proper documentation. CP stands for Customs and Port, indicating that the vehicle was recently cleared from the port.
Why do these codes matter
These codes serve an important role in security and identification. In the case of accidents or crimes involving vehicles, number plates help trace their origin. They also provide useful information for car buyers, knowing a registration code can offer clues about where a car was first used, which may be helpful in verifying its history.
Next time you’re on the road, take a closer look at number plates, you might even be able to tell where a vehicle is from just by reading the first two letters. It’s a simple system, but it plays a big role in keeping Ghana’s roads organized.
