The theory test is the second step to a Ghanaian driving licence, after driving school and before the practical test. Since the DVLA moved it onto computers it is a multiple-choice test on road signs, traffic rules and defensive driving, and the pass mark is 70%.
Where it sits in the process
The Road Traffic Regulations, 2012 (LI 2180) set the order:
- Be 18 or over. For a commercial vehicle or a tractor, 25 (regulation 37).
- Complete at least 48 hours of basic driver training at a DVLA-certified driving school (regulation 26). This applies even if you already drive.
- Pass an eye test at a DVLA-accredited optician. The standard is 6/12, or 20/40, with both eyes, glasses allowed (regulation 29).
- Take the theory test, and an oral test, for your learner’s licence.
- Drive on the learner’s licence, accompanied, with red-on-white L plates. It lasts 3 months and is renewed if you have not passed the driving test by then.
- Pass the practical test: a test on a controlled site, then a test in traffic.
- Receive your licence. A cover note is issued while the card is made.
— How to get a driving licence
What is on the test
The questions come from the Highway Code and LI 2180, in three groups:
Road signs. The largest part. Learn them by shape and colour first, because that tells you the kind of sign before you can read it:
| Shape and colour | Kind of sign | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Red triangle | Warning | Bend ahead, pedestrian crossing, speed bump |
| Red circle | Prohibition | No entry, no overtaking, speed limit |
| Blue circle | Instruction you must follow | Keep left, roundabout, buses only |
| Octagon | Stop | Stop and give way |
| Inverted triangle | Give way | |
| Rectangle | Information and directions | Place names, hospital, parking |
Traffic rules. Who has priority at a roundabout (traffic already on it, coming from the left), speed limits in towns and on highways, overtaking, lane discipline, what the lines on the road mean, traffic lights and police signals, and the documents a driver must carry: licence, roadworthy certificate and insurance.
Defensive driving and the vehicle. Following distances, driving at night and in rain, what to do after a crash, and basic checks: tyres, lights, brakes, fluids.
How to prepare
- Your driving school teaches to the test and usually has the question bank. Ask for practice tests, not only lessons.
- Learn the signs as a set, by shape, then by symbol.
- Read the Highway Code for the rules; most failed questions are priority and overtaking.
- Take practice tests until you pass them comfortably, not just once.
Nobody can sell you a pass
Offers to “arrange” the theory test, or a licence without one, are the oldest trade around DVLA offices. The test is taken on a computer with your biometrics, and a licence obtained without it fails verification - and can leave you uninsured after a crash.
After the test: the rules for new drivers
- The P plate. For your first 12 months a new driver displays a white P on a green plate (regulation 35).
- Licence classes. LI 2180 sets six classes of licence. A first licence is Class B, for cars, unless you are licensed for a motorcycle, a tractor or road construction machinery (regulation 25). Heavier and commercial classes come later, with their own tests and the higher minimum age.
- Renewal. A licence is renewed every 2 years, from a month before it expires, and the card is replaced after 6 (regulation 33). Each renewal needs a new eye test.
A new Class B licence costs ₵565 at the DVLA’s standard rate, more at its faster service tiers. Driving school and the eye test are paid separately.