Import guide · Ghana
How to Import Cars from China to Ghana
Ghana runs one of the more predictable clearance regimes in West Africa — the rates are published, the valuation is systematic, and Tema is an efficient port by regional standards. What catches importers out is the age penalty: it is not a ban, it is a surcharge, and it can quietly erase the margin on a cheap older unit.
This guide sets out what a China-sourced vehicle actually costs to land in Tema, how the over-age penalty is applied, and which models move in Ghanaian showrooms.
Sino Gear is a vehicle exporter, not a customs broker or a tax adviser. The duty, tax and age figures on this page were collected from the sources listed at the foot of the page and last checked in August 2026. They are set by Ghana's authorities and change without notice — several were revised during 2026 alone. Figures we could not confirm against a primary government source are listed explicitly below. Nothing here is legal, tax or customs advice: confirm the current position with a licensed customs broker in Ghana before you commit money to a shipment.
What the landed cost is made of
| Cost block | Indicative level |
|---|---|
| Vehicle (FOB China) | Model-dependent — see the catalog and used stock |
| Ocean freight + insurance | Roughly US$1,300–2,200 per car as a container share, South China to Tema |
| Import duty | Banded by engine capacity — broadly 5% for small engines up to 20% for large ones |
| Over-age penalty | On CIF value once past 10 years: around 5% at 10–12 years, 20% at 12–15, and up to 50% beyond that |
| VAT | 15% on the duty-inclusive value |
| Health, education & trade levies | NHIL, GETFund, COVID levy, ECOWAS levy and EXIM levy — a few percent combined |
| Processing, inspection & port | Processing fee, destination inspection and terminal handling |
Indicative as of publication. The Ghana Revenue Authority revises both the duty bands and the penalty brackets, and it values vehicles from its own schedule rather than purely from your invoice. A licensed Ghanaian broker should price a specific model before you buy it. Figures on this page are indicative as of August 2026 and are set by Ghana’s authorities, not by us — your customs broker confirms the exact charge for a specific VIN on the day of entry.
The 10-year line is a price, not a wall
Ghana does not simply ban older cars. A vehicle up to 10 years from manufacture clears on the normal duty schedule; beyond that it still enters, but carries an over-age penalty calculated on CIF value that climbs with each bracket — roughly 5% at 10–12 years, around 20% at 12–15 years, and as much as 50% for genuinely old units.
The practical consequence is that the cheapest car is rarely the cheapest landed car. Once the penalty is added, a newer unit at a higher FOB price frequently clears for less in total, and it sells faster on the forecourt. We run that comparison for you on request before you choose a model year.
Separately, Ghana prohibits the import of salvaged and accident-written-off vehicles. Every unit we ship is a running, inspected car with a clean record — we send the condition report and VIN before payment so there is no argument at the port.
Valuation, inspection and the documents Tema wants
Ghana Customs values used vehicles against its own reference schedule, so a very low invoice price does not automatically produce a very low duty — it usually just produces a query. We invoice at true transaction value and supply the supporting export declaration, which is the fastest way through valuation.
The clearance set is the Bill of Lading, Commercial Invoice, Packing List and Certificate of Origin, plus the destination inspection and the Customs classification and valuation report. We issue all export-side documents in English, and reissue any of them if your broker flags a mismatch.
The process, step by step
- 1Quote & spec
Send the model, condition (new or used), quantity and your port — Tema (or Takoradi). You get a CIF quote with the vehicle price, ocean freight and documentation listed as separate lines, plus confirmation that the unit clears Ghana's age and compliance rules before you commit.
- 2Deposit & inspection
Standard terms are a 30% T/T deposit with the 70% balance against the Bill of Lading. Before shipment you receive the VIN, a photo and video condition report, and — for EV and plug-in hybrid units — a battery state-of-health check.
- 3Shipping
Container loading (typically 3 cars per 40′ HC), with RoRo available on the Tema rotation out of Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Shanghai or Ningbo, then roughly 30–38 days to Tema (or Takoradi). Container-loading photos and the container number go to you before the vessel sails, followed by the Commercial Invoice, Packing List, Bill of Lading and Certificate of Origin.
- 4Clearance & registration
Your Ghanaian customs broker clears the unit (duty, VAT, the statutory levies and any over-age penalty) and registers it. We supply whatever document set the clearance needs — including the Certificate of Origin and export declaration that support valuation — and reissue anything customs queries.
Routing to Tema (or Takoradi)
Tema takes both container and RoRo services from China. Container is the default because it protects the unit and keeps spare keys, chargers and accessories with the car; RoRo makes sense on larger batches where the per-unit freight saving outweighs the handling exposure.
What sells in Ghana
The default family purchase in Accra and Kumasi. Mid-size Chinese SUVs undercut the equivalent Japanese import on price while offering equipment levels the used market cannot match.
See SUV catalogFuel prices make hybrids an easy sell to private buyers and corporate fleets, and neither needs charging infrastructure to be practical.
See electric & hybrid stockDouble-cab pickups for construction, farming and upcountry distribution — the body style that holds its value best in Ghana.
See pickup catalogFrequently asked questions
Ten years from manufacture is the clean threshold — in 2026 that means model year 2016 or newer. Older vehicles are not banned, but they carry an over-age penalty on the CIF value that rises with each bracket: roughly 5% at 10–12 years, around 20% at 12–15 years, and up to 50% beyond. Salvaged and accident-written-off vehicles are prohibited outright.
Import duty is banded by engine capacity, broadly 5% for small engines up to about 20% for large ones, applied to the CIF value. On top of that come 15% VAT on the duty-inclusive value, the NHIL, GETFund, COVID, ECOWAS and EXIM levies, processing and inspection fees, and any over-age penalty. Ghana Customs values from its own schedule, so ask a licensed broker to price your specific model before you buy.
Roughly 30–38 days on the water from South China to Tema, plus 5–10 working days of document preparation and port booking before the vessel sails. Budget about six to eight weeks from deposit to arrival, before clearance.
Often not. Once the over-age penalty is added to the duty, VAT and levies, a newer unit at a higher FOB price frequently clears for a lower total landed cost — and it sells faster. We will run the comparison for two model years side by side before you choose.
Sources & verification
Figures on this page were last checked in August 2026 against the sources below.
- WCS Shipping — Ghana age-based duty penalties by vehicle class
- Ghana Revenue Authority — customs and import duty
- The current duty band by engine capacity (the 5%–20% range) and the exact levy percentages. The GRA revises these and publishes them in its own schedules.
- The over-age penalty brackets trace back to the Customs Act, but we could not confirm the current schedule against a GRA publication — cars are widely reported at 5% / 20% / 50%, with lower brackets for commercial vehicles and trucks.
- Ocean freight ranges are our own commercial estimates.
We publish this list rather than presenting every number as settled. If any of it decides your purchase, have a licensed customs broker in Ghana confirm it in writing first — and tell us what they say, so we can correct the page.
Get a CIF Tema (or Takoradi) quote
Send the model, condition and quantity — you get the full cost build-up, VIN photos and the shipping schedule before any payment. Minimum order is one unit.
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