Auction sourcing, RoRo versus container, age penalties and the real cost of landing a car in Tema.
Key takeaways
- Age matters: older vehicles attract a penalty on top of duty. Check the year before you bid.
- RoRo is cheaper for running vehicles; a container protects the car and lets you ship parts with it.
- Never pay an auction agent who cannot show you the auction sheet and chassis number.
Vehicles are one of the most common — and most misunderstood — imports into Ghana. The purchase price at auction is often less than half of what it costs to put the car on the road in Accra. This guide breaks the process into the parts you actually control.
1. Sourcing: auctions and dealers
Japanese auctions grade every vehicle on a published auction sheet covering body condition, interior, accident history and mileage verification. In the USA, Copart and IAAI list salvage and clean-title vehicles alike. Insist on the chassis/VIN and the auction sheet or condition report before any deposit. A grade 4 or better Japanese unit generally needs little rectification; anything below grade 3.5 should be bid as a project car.
2. Shipping: RoRo or container
| Method | How it works | Consider when |
|---|---|---|
| RoRo | Vehicle is driven onto a dedicated car carrier | Car runs and drives; cost is the priority |
| Container (sole) | One vehicle braced inside a 20ft | High-value car, or non-running unit |
| Container (shared) | 2 – 4 vehicles consolidated | Cost sharing with other importers |
3. Duties, levies and the age penalty
Ghana assesses vehicles on CIF value using a published valuation database, not simply your purchase invoice. On top of import duty you should budget VAT, NHIL, GETFund, examination and processing fees, and — critically — the over-age penalty applied to vehicles beyond the permitted age band. That penalty scales with age and engine capacity, and it is the line item that most often destroys a first-timer's margin.
4. Clearance and delivery
- 1Documents: bill of lading, purchase invoice, title/export certificate, and bill of sale
- 2Declaration lodged and valuation confirmed against the database
- 3Duty and levies paid; physical examination of chassis and engine numbers
- 4Release, DVLA registration support and delivery to you
5. Common traps
- Buying a salvage-title car without a repair quote — the fix often exceeds the saving.
- Assuming the auction price is the landed price.
- Sending funds to an individual rather than a registered exporter.
- Ignoring the age band and discovering the penalty at clearance.
Next step
Need this handled by specialists?
Talk to our procurement, freight and customs team for a shipment-specific answer — not a generic quote.
