More than 18,000 vehicles in the United Kingdom are reportedly registered to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency’s (DVLA) own address, indicating that the actual locations of their owners are unknown. This issue of "ghost owners," as described by Labour MP Sarah Coombes, raises concerns about accountability for driving offences and broader road safety.

The figure emerged from a freedom of information request submitted to the DVLA, highlighting a growing problem where drivers cannot be easily traced or held responsible for their actions on the road. Coombes, who has long campaigned on issues related to vehicle registration and number plate regulations, argues that lax oversight has created an environment where cloned and untraceable number plates can be acquired with relative ease.

The DVLA explained that many vehicles registered to the agency’s address were linked to car traders and are therefore not considered part of the problem. However, the British Parking Association (BPA), which made the FOI request, suggested that the actual scale of untraceable vehicles could be significantly larger. BPA members reported that between 10% and 20% of requests for ownership data returned no valid results, attributing this to issues such as vehicles registered without a proper address and cases involving cloned plates assigned to different cars.

Coombes has called for tighter regulation of number plate suppliers. Currently, more than 34,000 businesses are registered with the DVLA to produce official plates after paying a £40 fee and undergoing no criminal or background checks. Another method contributing to the problem is the increasing use of “ghost plates”—number plates treated with reflective coatings that evade detection by police speed cameras.

"Failing DVLA systems are allowing dangerous driving and criminality to flourish unchecked on our roads," Coombes said, warning that weak vehicle number-plate control facilitates illegal activities ranging from car racing to drug trafficking and even violent crime. She further noted the rise in vehicles without a registered keeper means offenses such as speeding and hit-and-run collisions frequently go unpunished, ultimately driving up insurance costs for all motorists.

In response, a Department for Transport spokesperson emphasized the government's commitment to addressing these concerns through its road safety strategy. Measures under consideration include harsher penalties for the use of illegal plates, revisiting standards for number plates, and implementing stricter inspections during MOT testing to identify non-compliant vehicles.