Importing a car to Ghana

Should you import a car at all?

Bringing a car to Ghana — a familiar vehicle, or a good deal spotted abroad — is a common diaspora plan, and it can make sense. But the single most important thing to do before you ship anything is to work out the full landed cost, because Ghana's import duties are high and routinely astonish people: the taxes alone can approach, or even exceed, what the car is worth. Many who run the numbers decide to buy locally instead.

So treat this guide as a cost-and-process reality check. It sits alongside our shipping a container guide (for personal effects) and the wider moving back to Ghana checklist.

How the shipping works

Cars are shipped to Ghana in one of two ways. RoRo (roll-on/roll-off) — where the car is driven onto a dedicated vessel — is the common, usually cheaper method for a single vehicle. Alternatively, a car can travel inside a container, which offers more protection and lets you pack belongings around it, but costs more. Most vehicles arrive at Tema port, near Accra (Takoradi is the other main port).

You arrange shipping through a freight or car-shipping company at the origin, who will advise on the method, timeline and paperwork for sending it. The sea journey is only the first half of the story, though — the costs and effort really land when the car reaches port.

The duties and taxes

This is the part to understand clearly. When the car arrives, Ghana Customs (under the Ghana Revenue Authority) assesses import duty and taxes based on the vehicle's value, engine size and age. Crucially, there is a significant penalty on older vehicles — broadly, cars beyond about ten years old attract heavy additional charges — which is designed to discourage importing very old cars.

Left-hand drive, and clearing the car

Two practical points. First, steering: Ghana drives on the right, so left-hand-drive vehicles are correct. Importing a right-hand-drive car is problematic and best avoided — check your vehicle's configuration before you ship. Second, clearing: you don't collect the car yourself; you'll engage a licensed clearing agent at the port to handle Customs, duties and release, which can be a slow, bureaucratic process.

You'll need documents including the vehicle's title/registration, the bill of lading, and your identification. A good agent is worth their fee here — they know the process and save you repeated trips. Once cleared, you'll register the car locally, and you'll need to be road-legal yourself: see our Ghana driver's license guide.

Is it worth it?

Sometimes yes — for a specific, newer, left-hand-drive vehicle you already own or can buy well abroad, and where the total landed cost still beats the local price. But very often the honest answer is no: between shipping, high duties, the age penalty and clearing costs and hassle, importing can end up more expensive and far more stressful than buying a suitable car in Ghana, where there's an active market for used vehicles.

Questions people ask