The Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) has announced that it will begin the strict enforcement of new guidelines governing the importation of used vehicles into the country from October 1, 2026, under the National Vehicle Homologation and Conformity Assessment Programme.

According to the GSA, the move is not a ban on the importation of used vehicles but an enforcement of existing national safety, quality, and environmental standards to ensure that only roadworthy vehicles enter the country.

The Authority has therefore urged vehicle manufacturers, assemblers, importers, distributors, dealers and prospective buyers to familiarise themselves with the applicable requirements before importing vehicles into Ghana. Any vehicle that fails to meet the standards will not be cleared for entry upon arrival.

Vehicles that may not be permitted into Ghana

Under the Ghana Standard 4510 (GS 4510:2022), the following categories of used vehicles may not be allowed into the country:

• Vehicles that are more than 10 years old from the date of manufacture.
• Salvaged vehicles with major structural damage, including those involved in serious accidents, flood-damaged vehicles, burnt or fire-damaged vehicles, and those with broken, bent, cracked or twisted chassis or safety cages.
• Vehicles originally manufactured with right-hand-drive steering systems.
• Vehicles assembled from spare parts instead of complete factory-built units.
• Vehicles without speedometers calibrated in kilometres per hour (km/h).
• Vehicles that fail to meet the required safety, emissions and structural integrity standards.

The GSA noted that vehicles with only minor cosmetic or repairable damage may still qualify for importation, provided they remain roadworthy and comply with all applicable standards.

Key conformity requirements

The new enforcement requires imported used vehicles to undergo comprehensive inspections to verify compliance with national standards. These include:

• Verification of the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) and supporting documentation.
• Inspection of steering, braking systems, airbags, seatbelts, lighting and other essential safety features.
• Compliance with minimum emissions standards.
• Confirmation that the vehicle has not suffered major accident, fire or flood damage.
• Inspection of tyres, mirrors, glazing, windscreen wipers, engine condition, seats and other critical components.

A Certificate of Conformance (CoC) issued by a GSA-approved inspection body will be mandatory for every imported used vehicle. Without a valid CoC, the vehicle will not be granted clearance into Ghana.

Importers required to register

As part of the programme, importers, distributors and dealers of used vehicles will be required to register with the Ghana Standards Authority and comply with the prescribed due diligence procedures before shipping vehicles into the country.

Pre-shipment inspections will be carried out by GSA-approved third-party inspection bodies in the exporting country to verify compliance before a Certificate of Conformance is issued.

Upon arrival in Ghana, vehicles will undergo further verification before customs clearance is granted.

Improving road safety

The GSA says the National Vehicle Homologation and Conformity Assessment Programme, introduced in 2020, is intended to improve road safety, protect consumers from unsafe and environmentally harmful vehicles, reduce pollution, and promote a more regulated automotive industry.

The Authority emphasised that the policy is not a ban on used vehicle imports but a measure to ensure that all imported vehicles meet Ghana’s prescribed safety and quality standards before entering the country’s roads.

The strict enforcement of the new requirements will officially begin on October 1, 2026.