The Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) has announced that GS4510:2022, *Road Vehicles – Technical Requirements for Imported Used Motor Vehicles*, will come fully into force on October 1, 2026. All used vehicles exported to Ghana must undergo the mandatory Pre-Export Verification of Conformity (PVoC). Any vehicles failing safety and quality checks will be denied entry.
At a media briefing in Accra, the Deputy Director-General of GSA explained that enforcement of this standard had been delayed for years due to industry pushback and inadequate policy support. With joint efforts from the Presidency, government ministries and industry stakeholders, the regulation is now set for mandatory implementation. Used car exporters need to arrange inspection and certification well in advance.
Used vehicles account for around 90% of Ghana's total motor vehicle imports. Weak regulatory oversight in the past allowed large numbers of poorly maintained, unsafe used cars to enter the market, raising road accident risks.
The new regulation does **not** ban used car trade entirely. Instead, it closes regulatory loopholes, blocks non-compliant vehicles at the source, protects road safety and consumer rights, and supports the orderly development of Ghana's local automotive sector.
The standard defines prohibited vehicle categories as follows:
1. Flood-damaged, fire-wrecked cars and vehicles with damaged body structures
2. Original right-hand-drive vehicles
3. Kit-assembled / rebuilt vehicles
4. Cars without kilometre-calibrated odometers
5. Vehicles older than 10 years
Vehicles with minor cosmetic damage that is non-structural and repairable may still be imported if the whole vehicle meets all requirements.
Kingsley Domena Yeboah, a Commissioner at the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA), stated that the reform focuses on establishing vehicle technical standards, improving inspection and repair frameworks, building a transparent used-car market, and strengthening traceability and accountability.
The GSA has already finalised standards for new vehicles and certification for locally assembled cars. The next phase will roll out the mandatory Pre-Export Verification of Conformity (PVoC) for used vehicles. Third-party organisations will conduct inspections and issue certificates in the exporting country. Upon arrival at Ghanaian ports, customs clearance will only be granted after GSA verifies the valid certificates.
