Ghana import duty calculator
Estimate the total duties and taxes GRA Customs will charge on your shipment, using the same CIF-based method applied at Tema, KIA, and the land borders.
Why importers get shocked at the port
- Duty is charged on CIF — goods + insurance + freight, not just the goods
- Levies stack: ECOWAS, AU, EXIM, and Special Import Levy all add up
- VAT is charged on top of the duty, not on your invoice value
- Total taxes often reach 40–80% of CIF for consumer goods
Enter your shipment numbers and see the full breakdown before your goods arrive.
Your duty estimate
Line-by-line breakdown
Estimate only. GRA assesses your actual shipment through ICUMS using the HS code of each item and its own valuation database, so final figures can differ. Clearing agent fees, port handling, and demurrage are not included.
Use this rate in the Profit Calculator →Planning your profit too?
Once you know your duty, run the full numbers — landing cost, cost per item, and margin — in the Import Profit Calculator.
How import duty is charged in Ghana
1. Everything starts with CIF
Customs does not tax your invoice price alone. It taxes the CIF value — the Cost of the goods, plus Insurance, plus Freight to the Ghanaian port — converted to cedis at the customs exchange rate.
2. Your duty band depends on the product
Under the ECOWAS Common External Tariff, every product's HS code falls into one of five bands: 0% essential social goods, 5% raw materials and capital goods, 10% intermediate goods, 20% finished consumer goods, and 35% for goods Ghana specifically protects.
3. Levies stack on the CIF
On top of import duty, CIF-based levies apply: ECOWAS Levy (0.5%), African Union Levy (0.2%), GHS EXIM Levy (0.75%), Special Import Levy (2%), and a processing or examination fee (1%).
4. Then NHIL, GETFund, and VAT pile on
NHIL (2.5%) and GETFund (2.5%) are charged on the duty-inclusive value, and VAT (15%) is charged on that value plus NHIL and GETFund — tax on tax. The 1% COVID-19 levy was abolished from January 2026.
Vehicles & motorbikes work differently
- Customs sets the value, not your invoice. ICUMS generates a Home Delivery Value from the manufacturer's first price minus age depreciation — a cheap auction buy is still taxed at the standard market value
- Duty follows engine size: ~5% up to 1500cc, ~10% mid-range, ~20% above 2500cc; motorcycles 20%; pure EVs currently 0%
- Overage penalties hit vehicles older than 10 years (from manufacture year) — from ~12.5% of CIF up to 70%+ for very old cars
- The same levy stack (ECOWAS, AU, EXIM, SIL, NHIL, GETFund, VAT) then applies on top, and Customs issues a CCVR before you pay via Ghana.gov
Good to know
- Goods genuinely manufactured in ECOWAS countries can qualify for duty-free import under ECOWAS Rules of Origin
- GRA benchmarks declared values against its reference price database — undervaluing invoices usually backfires
- Budget separately for clearing agent fees (often 2–5% of CIF), port charges, and transport from the port