Country Guides
Ghana
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Guide Details
Household Goods
Documents
Documents required for importing used household goods, personal effects, and related shipments.
- Copy of valid passport with entry visa
- Packing list
- Original bill of lading (OBL), no express release / air waybill (AWB)
- Detailed valued inventory in English, signed and dated by the owner of the goods
- Letter from the employer stating the client is starting a new contract in Ghana
- PUBD form (Personal Unaccompanied Baggage Declaration), to be filled out at the airport of arrival. Failure to complete this form will attract heavy penalties and delays in customs clearance.
- Invoice for electrical and hi-fi appliances and for all items purchased less than 6 months before the shipment's arrival
Specific Information
PUBD form is critical: The Personal Unaccompanied Baggage Declaration must be completed at the airport when the owner first arrives in Ghana. This form is presented to customs when clearing the household goods shipment. Without it, the shipment faces heavy penalties and significant delays. Movers must advise clients to complete this form upon arrival even if their shipment is weeks or months away.
Diplomatic shipments: Require the exemption certificate from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Original documents (including the original AWB) must be provided to the agent at least 14 days before the shipment's arrival. The OBL/AWB must be marked "Diplomatic shipment."
Document lead time: Agents must have all customs documents at least 15 days before the shipment's arrival in Ghana.
ECOWAS membership: Ghana is a member of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The Common External Tariff (CET) applies to imports from outside the ECOWAS zone.
Currency: Ghanaian cedi (GHS).
Language: English is the official language. All documents should be in English.
ISPM 15: Wood packaging materials should comply with ISPM 15 standards.
Duties & Taxes
Duty-free conditions: The IAM guide does not explicitly state that household goods are duty-free for non-diplomatic shipments. The guide only confirms diplomatic shipments can be imported duty-free with the appropriate exemption certificate. For non-diplomatic shipments, duties may apply depending on the goods. Contact the destination agent for current duty-free eligibility and requirements for private individuals and corporate transferees.
VAT: Ghana's standard VAT rate is 15% (the Ghana Revenue Authority applies this to dutiable imports). Additional levies may apply.
Prohibited & Restricted Items
Prohibited Items
- Used refrigerators, used air conditioners, and used deep freezers (regardless of the owner's status -- this is strictly enforced and catches many relocating families off guard)
- Unlawful drugs and narcotics
- Foreign cigarettes without health warning notice
- Mercuric medicated soap
- Toxic waste and contaminated goods
- Animals, plants, and seeds infected with disease
- Foreign soil
- Pornographic, defamatory, or obscene articles and publications
- Dangerous weapons (including flick knives and paper knives)
- Firearms and ammunition without authorization (PERMIT REQUIRED)
- Protected species products (CITES)
Restricted / Dutiable Items
Alcohol within shipments: "Fond de Cave" (personal wine collection) is acceptable and duty-free, maximum 20 bottles.
Alcohol in personal luggage: Maximum 10 bottles. Duties levied on the excess.
Tobacco (traveller allowance per VisaHQ): 400 cigarettes OR 1 pound (approximately 450 grams) of tobacco.
Firearms and ammunition: Authorization from the territorial administration required.
Rough or uncut diamonds: License from the Ministry of Finance required.
Live plants and plant products: Permit from the Ministry of Agriculture required.
Poultry products: Permission from the Ministries of Trade and Agriculture required for imports from certain countries. Contact the destination agent for specifics.
Currency limits: Maximum GHS 1,000 in local currency can be exported. Maximum USD 5,000 equivalent in foreign currency can be exported without declaration.
Importing a Used Personal Vehicle
Required Documents
- Original registration card
- Copy of purchase invoice
- Certificate of ownership
- Original bill of lading
- Non-sale certificate
Specific Information
Vehicle age limit: 10 years. Cars up to 10 years old can be imported into Ghana but will be taxed. Vehicles older than 10 years may be refused entry.
Right-hand drive vehicles are banned. Ghana drives on the right-hand side of the road, and right-hand drive vehicles cannot be imported. This is strictly enforced.
Vehicle duty structure (by engine capacity):
- Engine capacity below 1,900 cc: 10% import duty on CIF value
- Engine capacity below 2,500 cc: 10% import duty plus VAT on CIF value and import duty
- Engine capacity over 2,500 cc: 10% import duty plus VAT plus special tax of 17.5% on CIF value
OBL specifications: The OBL must show chassis number, engine number, cylindrical power, cubic capacity, year of manufacture, brand, and model. This information must also appear on at least one official vehicle document (certificate of ownership, car title, or invoice).
Driving: Driving is on the RIGHT-hand side of the road.
Pets
- ISO 11784/11785 compliant microchip (required per PetTravel.com; not mentioned in IAM guide) Per PetTravel.com (February 2026) and the IAM guide:
- Rabies vaccination certificate (vaccination administered between 30 days and 6 months before arrival) Per PetTravel.com (February 2026) and the IAM guide:
- Additional vaccinations: dogs must have proof of vaccination against canine distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus, leptospira canicola, leptospira icterohaemorrhagiae, and parainfluenza. Cats must be vaccinated against feline panleukopenia, feline rhinotracheitis, and feline calicivirus. Per PetTravel.com (February 2026) and the IAM guide:
- Veterinary health certificate issued by a licensed veterinarian in the origin country, endorsed by the government veterinary authority Per PetTravel.com (February 2026) and the IAM guide:
- Import permit from the Veterinary Head Office in Accra (REQUIRED before travel; valid for 8 weeks after issuance) Per PetTravel.com (February 2026) and the IAM guide:
Import permit required: An import permit must be obtained from the Veterinary Services Directorate in Accra before the pet travels. This is not available on arrival. The application should be submitted after vaccinations and any blood tests are completed. The permit is valid for 8 weeks from issuance, so timing matters.
Microchip required: PetTravel.com (February 2026) states all dogs and cats entering Ghana must be identified with an ISO-compliant microchip. The IAM guide does not mention this requirement.
Rabies vaccination window: 30 days to 6 months before arrival. This is a shorter validity window than many countries (which allow up to 12 months).
No rabies titer test required for entry: Ghana does not require a rabies titer test. However, PetTravel.com notes this test will be needed to return a pet to many countries, as Ghana is classified as high-rabies risk.
Puppies and kittens under 3 months: Unvaccinated puppies and kittens under 3 months can enter Ghana only from countries classified as rabies-free (Malta, Sweden, Ireland, and the United Kingdom per PetTravel.com).
No quarantine: Pets meeting all requirements are not quarantined. Non-compliant pets may be quarantined, returned, or euthanized at the importer's expense.
No banned breeds: Ghana does not publish a list of banned dog breeds per PetTravel.com.
CDC high-risk rabies country: Ghana IS on the U.S. CDC's list of high-risk countries for dog rabies. U.S.-vaccinated dogs must have a Certification of U.S.-Issued Rabies Vaccination form completed before departing the U.S. Source: CDC High-Risk Countries List -- verified, Ghana listed.
Common mistakes: Not completing the import permit application before travel (it is not available on arrival). Missing the 6-month rabies vaccination validity window (shorter than the standard 12 months in most countries). Not having the extensive additional vaccinations required for dogs (six vaccines beyond rabies). Not completing the PUBD form at the airport on arrival (affects pet clearance as well as household goods).
Consignment Instructions
Recommended: Contact the destination agent to ensure all requirements have been met prior to import, especially for differences regarding air and sea shipments.
PUBD form: This is the single most important procedural step for any shipment to Ghana. The owner MUST complete the Personal Unaccompanied Baggage Declaration at the airport when they first arrive in Ghana. Without this form, customs clearance faces heavy penalties and delays. Movers should provide written instructions to the client about this requirement well before travel.
Document lead time: All customs documents must reach the destination agent at least 15 days before the shipment arrives. For diplomatic shipments, original documents (including original AWB) are required 14 days before arrival.
Port of entry: Tema port (near Accra) is the primary sea freight port. Kotoka International Airport in Accra handles air freight. Takoradi port handles some cargo in the western region.
Used appliance prohibition: The ban on used refrigerators, air conditioners, and deep freezers is frequently overlooked. These items must be removed from shipments before export, or they will be confiscated at customs. This applies to everyone, including diplomats.
Inventory requirements: Detailed valued inventory in English, signed and dated by the owner. Items purchased less than 6 months before the shipment require original invoices.
Cultural & Other Information
- OpenFactBook (replaces CIA World Factbook): Ghana -- verified 200
- Wikipedia: Ghana -- verified 403 to bots, works in browser
- Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA): gra.gov.gh -- verified 200 (customs and tax authority; note: the www. prefix redirects to the bare domain)
- Ghanaian Ministry of Foreign Affairs: mfa.gov.gh -- verified 200
- Ghana Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA): dvla.gov.gh -- verified 200 (vehicle registration and licensing)
Key country facts: Ghana is a West African country on the Gulf of Guinea, bordered by Cote d'Ivoire, Burkina Faso, and Togo. The capital is Accra. The official language is English. The currency is the Ghanaian cedi (GHS). Ghana is a member of ECOWAS. The economy relies on gold mining, cocoa, and oil. VAT is 15%. Driving is on the right-hand side. Ghana is one of the most stable democracies in West Africa and a major destination for international relocations in the region.
Important notes for movers: Two things make Ghana unique among West African destinations. First, the PUBD form: if the client doesn't complete this at the airport on arrival, everything downstream is more expensive and slower. This is the single most common cause of preventable delays in Ghana. Second, the used appliance ban: used refrigerators, air conditioners, and deep freezers are prohibited regardless of who is importing them. A family relocating with their kitchen refrigerator will have it confiscated. This must be flagged during the origin survey. The 6-month rabies vaccination validity window for pets is also shorter than the standard 12-month window used by most countries, and the import permit from the Veterinary Head Office in Accra must be obtained before travel (not on arrival). The IAM guide's inventory language requirement says "French" which appears to be an error -- Ghana is an English-speaking country and all documents should be in English.
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