Car shipping
and clearing in Ghana.

The 2026 rules in plain terms

From 1 October 2026 the Ghana Standards Authority no longer admits used vehicles more than 15 years old from their date of manufacture. Each used vehicle must be inspected in the exporting country by a GSA-approved body before shipping.

Also refused: flood, fire or salvage damaged vehicles, damaged or altered chassis, vehicles assembled from parts, vehicles built right-hand drive, and speedometers without km/h.

The age is taken from the date of manufacture, not the model year or the date of first registration. A car sold as a particular model year may have been built the year before, so check the manufacture date on the door label or the VIN before you pay. Our guide to importing a used car into Ghana covers the rules in more detail.

RoRo or container

RoRo (roll-on, roll-off) means the car is driven onto a vehicle carrier and off again at Tema. It is often the cheaper way to ship a single running vehicle. Personal effects should not be left inside, and the vehicle must start and drive.

Container shipping costs more for one car but protects it better, can carry two or more vehicles in a 40ft, and suits non-running or high-value vehicles. Spare parts and declared goods can travel in the same container if they appear on the documents.

Both options are covered on our sea freight to Ghana page. Many vehicles reach Tema through Dubai; see shipping from Dubai to Ghana, or shipping from the USA to Ghana for auction cars.

What you will pay at the port

Duty depends on engine size and fuel: petrol up to 1,000 cc at 5%, up to 3,000 cc at 10% and above that 20%; diesel up to 1,500 cc at 5%, up to 2,500 cc at 10% and above that 20%. Vehicles over 10 years old also pay an overage penalty. Then come the special import levy, ECOWAS, AU and EXIM levies, and VAT with NHIL and GETFund.

Run the numbers in the vehicle duty calculator. Customs values the car by chassis number, so send us the VIN before you buy for a firmer figure. The general principles behind the levies are explained in Ghana import duty explained.

Beyond duty, the total cost of bringing a car in includes the freight, the pre-shipment inspection, terminal handling and shipping line charges at Tema, our clearing fee, and delivery. Storage at the vehicle terminal adds up quickly if clearance is delayed.

Documents you need

• Certificate of title or registration document from the exporting country
• Purchase invoice or auction receipt showing the price paid
• Bill of lading from the shipping line
• GSA-approved pre-shipment inspection report
• Your Ghana Card number and TIN as the importer
• Any export certificate or deregistration paper issued in the country of origin

The VIN must match on every document and on the vehicle itself. A single wrong character can hold up the declaration. Our import documents checklist lists what each type of import needs.

From purchase to number plates

1. Send us the VIN, year, engine size and purchase price before you pay.
2. Arrange the pre-shipment inspection and ship in a container or by RoRo.
3. We clear the vehicle at Tema: declaration in ICUMS, valuation, duty payment, examination and release.
4. We deliver it to you, ready for DVLA registration.

The clearance is handled by our clearing agent team in Tema, who also follow up the shipping line release so the vehicle can leave the terminal promptly.

After release, registration with the DVLA is the final step. You will need the customs release documents showing the duty paid, valid motor insurance, and a roadworthiness check before number plates are issued. We hand over a complete set of clearing documents with the vehicle so the DVLA stage is straightforward. If you live outside Accra, we can arrange delivery on a car carrier or tow truck through our haulage service rather than having the car driven unregistered across the country.

Common delays and how to avoid them

• Age disputes. A vehicle close to the 15-year limit can be refused if its manufacture date is older than the seller said. Check the build date yourself.
• Valuation queries. GRA uses its own value for each chassis number. A very low auction price does not lower the duty, so budget on market value.
• Missing inspection report. Without the GSA-approved inspection the vehicle cannot be cleared. Book it before the car is loaded.
• VIN mismatches. Typing errors on the title, invoice or bill of lading cause holds. Check every document as soon as you receive it.
• Late payment of duty. Terminal storage keeps running while funds move. Plan the duty payment before the ship arrives.

Start with us

Before you buy, send the VIN and the listing to us through the quote form or contact page. We check the vehicle against the rules, estimate the duty and quote the clearance and delivery. Already shipped? Send the bill of lading and we take it from there. You can follow progress on the tracking page.

Importing several vehicles for resale? Tell us the volumes and origins and we will plan the clearance so each vehicle is declared correctly and released without waiting on the others.

Questions