List of Car Categories to Be Affected by Ghana Standards Authority Vehicle Import Ban From October

• The Ghana Standards Authority announced strict enforcement of used vehicle import standards beginning October 1, 2026
• Vehicles older than 10 years, flood-damaged, fire-damaged, or originally right-hand-drive will not be permitted entry into Ghana
• Importers must obtain a Certificate of Conformance from a GSA-approved body before shipment or risk being denied clearance

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

In a public notice dated August 5, 2026, the GSA clarified that the move does not amount to a ban on used vehicle imports.

Instead, it marks the start of rigorous application of Ghana Standard 4510 (GS 4510), which covers safety, quality, and environmental criteria that all imported used vehicles must satisfy.

The programme itself has been operational since 2020.

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What Vehicles Will Be Barred From Entry?

Several categories of used vehicles will not be permitted to enter Ghana under the new enforcement regime.

According to the GSA notice on Facebook, these include:

1. Vehicles that are more than 10 years old from their date of manufacture — broadly, models produced before 2016.
2. Salvaged vehicles carrying major damage, including those that have been submerged in floodwater, damaged by fire, or have compromised chassis or safety cage structures, are also prohibited.
3. Vehicles originally manufactured as right-hand drive, such as certain Toyota models assembled in Japan, will not be allowed.
4. Vehicles assembled from spare parts rather than built as complete factory units are equally affected.
5. Any vehicle lacking a speedometer calibrated in kilometres per hour will also fail to meet the standard.

The GSA has advised prospective vehicle buyers to demand a valid CoC, steer clear of vehicles older than 10 years, and report any suspected fraudulent certificates.

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Importers seeking further guidance can contact the GSA Auto Team directly via email at auto@gsa.gov.gh or by telephone, or visit the authority's official website at gsa.gov.gh for updated lists of approved inspection bodies.

Source: YEN.com.gh