High Court dismisses bid to block DVLA number plate rollout
The High Court has dismissed two applications seeking to restrain the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) from embossing and distributing vehicle number plates for 2026.
The interlocutory applications, filed separately on 22 December 2025 and 5 January 2026, followed a substantive suit brought by 26 vehicle embossment companies and their parent association.
The plaintiffs are asking the court to declare null and void a contract awarded by the DVLA to another company for the embossment of vehicle number plates, arguing that it breaches their existing agreement with the authority.
The applications were moved in court on Tuesday by counsel for the plaintiffs.
The first application, filed on 22 December 2025, sought an injunction to prevent the DVLA and the company awarded the new contract from embossing or distributing number plates until the final determination of the case.
The second application, filed on 5 January 2026, sought to restrain the defendants from embossing or distributing number plates in any form, including digital plates, pending the outcome of the suit.
The judge dismissed both applications, describing them as without merit.
Background
In their statement of claim, the plaintiffs argue that the defendant’s approval of 27 of their members to emboss vehicle number plates, together with the parties’ subsequent conduct, created an enforceable contract.
They contend that the approval has never been withdrawn and that the DVLA owes their members arrears for pre-financing the embossment of plates.
They maintain that the contract remains in force but that the DVLA has refused to engage them for the 2026 embossment.
The plaintiffs also state that although the DVLA plans to roll out digitalised vehicle number plates in January 2026, their members have not been engaged to begin work. They argue that the embossment process should have commenced in October 2025 with the allocation of blank plates, but that this did not occur despite public announcements about the rollout.
According to the plaintiffs, on 27 October 2025 the DVLA’s Chief Executive Officer informed them that the manufacturing and embossment contract had been awarded to Dr Nyarko Esumadu Appiah of Original Manufacturing and Embossment (Daasebre). They say this was later confirmed by the Deputy Chief Executive.
The plaintiffs describe the decision as unfair, unreasonable and an abuse of administrative authority. They argue that for the past 30 years, manufacturing and embossment contracts were awarded separately to avoid conflicts of interest, and that awarding both contracts to one individual, while overlooking 46 companies and sole proprietors, is illegal and discriminatory.
They further contend that the DVLA neither advertised for tenders nor sought approval from the Public Procurement Authority to sole-source the contract, in breach of the Public Procurement Act, 2003. They argue that the authority’s conduct shows an intention to disengage them and that it is estopped from arbitrarily terminating their contract.
While supporting the introduction of digitalised plates, the plaintiffs are proposing a six-month suspension of the rollout to allow for planning, training and stakeholder engagement. They say consultations began in 2021 and that an earlier rollout was postponed to allow further engagement, but that management changes in 2024 brought the consultations to a halt.
They allege that the current Chief Executive has been unwilling to continue engagement.
The plaintiffs argue that without the court’s intervention they will be unfairly disengaged, leading to irreparable harm and significant financial losses. They say their members employ more than 3,000 workers whose livelihoods would be at risk if the contract is revoked.
