What certificates do I need to export to Ghana?

Shipments to Ghana in many product categories must pass a pre-export verification of conformity before they leave the country of origin. Since 1 July 2026 this programme, called EASYPASS, is run directly by the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA); until then it was operated by Bureau Veritas on GSA's behalf (Bureau Veritas, Ghana — EasyPass Program Transition to Destination-Based Control). GSA does not offer inspection at the port of arrival — the check happens before the goods are loaded.

What is the short answer?

• GSA has run EASYPASS directly since 1 July 2026, by shipment date. The pre-shipment requirement itself did not change — only who administers it: exporters still need a Certificate of Conformity before the goods are loaded.
• There are three routes: Route A for any good with no pre-registration, Route B for registered products or line items shipped regularly, and Route C for factories whose goods GSA has already licensed.
• Goods regulated separately by the Ghana Food and Drugs Authority — food, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals — sit outside EASYPASS.
• The final document is a Certificate of Conformity (CoC); a shipment that fails is issued a Non-Conformity Report instead.

Which route applies to my shipment?

Route	Who it suits	What it requires	When and cost
Route A — any good, any trader	No pre-registration needed	Verification of the shipment itself, with no advance registration (the invoice and conformity documents are still filed with each application)	Before the goods are loaded; a share of the FOB value, with a minimum — see the rates below
Route B — registration	Regular shipments of the same product or line items	A Statement of Registration, plus a check on each shipment	Before the goods are loaded; a registration fee plus a share of the FOB value per shipment — see the rates below
Route C — licensing	Factories with goods already licensed by GSA	A Statement of Licensing and an Annual Factory Assessment, plus a check on each shipment	Before the goods are loaded; an assessment fee plus a share of the FOB value per shipment — see the rates below

GSA publishes the EASYPASS fees in its EASYPASS Programme Data Sheet (opened 28 October 2026): Route A costs 0.55% of the FOB value with a minimum of $350; Route B costs $400 a year for the first 15 product or line items and $25 a year for each extra item, plus 0.50% of the FOB value per shipment with a minimum of $300; Route C costs $1,200 per factory a year for the Annual Factory Assessment, plus 0.40% of the FOB value per shipment with a minimum of $275. GSA took the EASYPASS name in-house on 1 July 2026 rather than dropping the requirement (Pincvision, Update: Ghana EasyPass — process remains largely unchanged under GSA management). The same Data Sheet gives the timeline: a Notice to Importers published on 18 May 2026, the programme launched on 1 June 2026, and mandatory application from 1 July 2026 by date of shipment.

What products are regulated?

EASYPASS applies across a broad range of tariff chapters, including minerals, chemicals, plastics and rubber, leather, textiles, stone and ceramics, base metals, machinery and electrical equipment, optical and measuring instruments, miscellaneous manufactured articles, and vehicles and parts. Exporters of FDA-regulated goods may use EASYPASS voluntarily, but GSA does not require it for them, and used goods that are already on Ghana's prohibited import list are excluded altogether.

Who applies, and when?

Apply before the goods are loaded — GSA does not offer inspection at the port of arrival, so a shipment without a valid CoC risks delay at Ghanaian customs. Who files the application is less settled: GSA's EASYPASS Programme Data Sheet names the exporter, while its Verification of Conformity flyer and its notice following discussions with the Ghana Union of Traders Associations (GUTA) on 9 July 2026 describe importers, exporters, customs agents and freight forwarders as the parties that now deal with GSA directly. Agree with your counterparty in writing who files and who pays, and have it done before loading.

How much import duty will I pay?

Ghana charges import duty under the ECOWAS Common External Tariff, a five-band structure of 0%, 5%, 10%, 20% and 35%, administered through the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) (trade.gov, Ghana — Import Tariffs). The EASYPASS certificate does not change which band your product falls into. Check the exact rate for your tariff heading with GRA before you price a shipment.

Where do I go next?

A Market Scan is a shortlist of organizations matching your target market, with a source for each — see the pricing page for the current price and what is included. If you want distributors that have already answered four qualifying questions about their business and agreed to a call or to samples, that is our Africa Distributor Shortlist. Our data is deepest in South Africa, so for Ghana tell us the country first: we confirm whether we can deliver a Shortlist there before you pay.

What are the limits of this guide?

This is a general orientation, not legal or customs advice. It is based on GSA's EASYPASS Programme Data Sheet, its Verification of Conformity flyer and its notice following discussions with the Ghana Union of Traders Associations (GUTA), all opened on 28 October 2026, together with the public pages of Pincvision, Bureau Veritas and the U.S. Commercial Service's Ghana country commercial guide. Rules, routes and fees change; confirm the current requirement and cost with GSA or a licensed Ghanaian customs agent before you ship.