Ghana Import Procedures: Vehicles

Ghana is a multi-cultural country with a widely diverse population, rich wildlife and abundant national resources. Ghana imports mainly capital, industrial supplies, foodstuffs and consumer goods from its import partners China, Belgium, USA, UK and France. Majority of Ghana’s imports are for local consumption, and include rice, cars, trucks (for delivery and large construction), and refined petroleum.

Below are the step-by-step import procedures for vehicles/trucks.

VEHICLES/TRUCKS

Purchase

• Business Registration – Get a Registration Certificate from the Registrar General’s Department
• Conclude the Sales Contract – The importer sources the trucks or vehicles and then finalizes the sale with the exporter.

Shipping

• IDF Submission – The importer/agent submits an application for an Import D
  eclaration Form (IDF).
• Application for Permit/ Exemption – First, the importer/agent collects a permit from NPA (National Petroleum Authority) if the vehicle is a tanker or trailer. The importer can also submit an application for exemption and attach supporting documents requesting an exemption via the e-MDA portal.
• Obtain a CCVR – The importer/agent submits an electronic application and attaches supporting documents via PAARS.
• Manifest Submission – The shipping line then submits the manifest to the GRA Customs Division.
• Transport the vehicle from the shed to the Safe Bind/Golden Jubilee Terminal – The terminal operator transports the vehicle to the freight station.
• Duty Payment
• Submit Customs Declaration (Bill of Entry – BoE) – The importer/agent submits the Customs Declaration (BoE) via the GCMS.

– The importer/agent makes the duty payment to the authorized dealer bank.

• Customs Document Verification and Compliance – The importer/agent submits documents to the Customs Compliance Officer for verification.
• Vehicle release by shipping line – The shipping line is free to release the vehicle if all the charges have been paid.
• Vehicle Examination – The Customs Examination Officer inspects the vehicle.
• Obtain temporary plate number from DVLA (Drivers and Vehicle License Authority) – The importer registers the vehicle and gets number plates from the DVLA office.
• Waybill Collection – The importer/agent pays all the charges and obtains the waybill from the GPHA/ Freight Station.
• Release at Preventive Gate – The Customs Preventive Officer crosschecks the documents and inspects the vehicle before release.
• Final Security check at the gate – A Security Official conducts the final checking on documentation to ensure that the actual cargo is the one that exits the port.
• Goods Payment – Once the vehicle is released, the importer pays the exporter using any of the following methods – Direct Payment, Advance Payment, Open Account or Letter of Credit.

The entire process of importing a vehicle or truck in Ghana takes approximately 28.5 days!

The above steps give you a good idea of what to expect if you decide to import rice, vehicles or any other commodity. If you follow them to the letter, importing should be a breeze!