Shipping a car from the USA to Ghana

Are you shipping a car from the USA to Ghana and don’t know where to start? Don’t worry, we’re here to help. We’re giving you a breakdown of everything you need to know to export a car from the USA to Ghana.

Ghana formerly was the biggest importer of the used and salvage cars from the USA to the African continent. The second-hand car market share is nearly 70% out of all vehicles sold, a significant number of which are cars imported from different American salvage auto auctions.

What you need to export a car from the USA

When you’ve won a car at auction, you’ll have to order shipping. EasyHaul takes care of US Customs clearance and all of the paperwork related to exporting a car. As long as you have a valid passport or government-issued ID and a valid certificate or title for the vehicle, we’ll take care of the rest.

Shipping methods

Two of the most popular options include container consolidation and a single container shipping. If you’re shipping a rare or expensive car, or just want extra protection for it, you can also ship your car in a single container. That is the safest option for international shipping, although it can be considerably more expensive. 

What you should know about shipping a car to Ghana 

Before importing a car to Ghana, make sure you’re aware of taxes and documents needed to pass Ghanian customs. According to the Ghana Revenue Authority website, vehicles older than 10 years from the date of manufacture are subjected to additional taxes and duties. In general, tax rates heavily depend on the age of the car, its engine displacement, and its fuel type. Not to mention, all damaged cars undergo the same taxation as brand new ones. Right hand drive cars cannot be imported. Vehicle import tariff rates are available on the Ghana Revenue Authority official webpage.

The documents required to import a car to Ghana

You’ll need to provide the following documents after the car’s arrival to the port: 

• Ghana Customs ‘Form C’
• Driver’s license issued in Ghana or an International Driver’s ID
• Original Copies of Purchase Invoice and Insurance
• Certificate of Title
• Original Bill of Lading Copy (including vehicle type; both chassis and engine numbers; date of production, NOT sale date)
• The Home Delivery Value (HDV) of the vehicle.

Take into account that HDV merely depends on the Cost-Insurance-Freight (CIF) tax, calculated separately for each imported car according to its age and motor size. That is why importing a 10-year-old car can be expensive. 

The Customs Excise and Preventive Service (Ghana CEPS) officer is responsible for inspecting the car after shipping to Ghana. Once your car completed the inspection, you can take it from the port and register the vehicle with the help of The Driver and Licensing Authority. Please note: if the car remains in the port for whatever reason longer than 60 days, the state confiscates the vehicle.

Ports and sailing times

There are two major ports in Ghana that accept container shipments. The first of them is Tema, located only 16 miles east of Ghana’s capital city, Accra. This port is the largest and the safest one in the country, and cargo ships usually arrive there. The second port is Takoradi, which handles approximately 50% of Ghanian exports.  Shipping rates to Takoradi can be a little more costly. On average, it takes 16-20 days after the vessel departs for your vehicle to arrive from the USA. Use our Vehicle Shipping Calculator to get a shipping quote as well as estimated sailing times.

Engage EasyHaul team to ship your car

EasyHaul can help you ship your vehicle to any destination worldwide. No matter if it’s the first time you’re shipping a car, or the eleventh, we’re ready to help. Getting started with EasyHaul is simple: start with your instant free shipping quote just by adding your destination and the vehicle’s year, make, and model or VIN/stock number. If you have any other questions, do not hesitate to contact us or give us a call at +1 (360) 776-3596 from 6:00 AM to 4:00 PM PST, Monday through Friday.