- Remote setup
- Visit needed
- Visit, notary or lawyer
- Depends
- Local director
- Resident director
- Registered address
- Required
- Minimum capital
- US$200,000+ (foreign)
- Yearly upkeep
- GHS 175 a year
- EU member
- No
- IWG business address
- 6 centresfrom $47/mo
What the registry requires
| Company type | Private company limited by shares (Companies Act 2019, Act 992) |
|---|---|
| Registry | Office of the Registrar of Companies (ORC) |
| Government filing fee | GHS 585 — Registration of company, constitution, Form 3 and beneficial-ownership profile GHS 585 plus capital duty of 1% of stated capital; optional VIP service GHS 1,885; name search GHS 30. |
| Registration time | ORC states no standard time; its prestige service delivers within 48 hours / 24 hours. |
| Resident director | Act 992 s.171(1): at least two directors, one ordinarily resident in Ghana. |
| Visit, notary or lawyer | ORC runs a 24-hour electronic registration portal, but each director files a statutory declaration and consent letter and an auditor's consent is required. |
| Registered address | Act 992 s.122: registered office and principal place of business in Ghana within 28 days of incorporation. |
| Minimum capital | US$200,000+ (foreign) |
| Corporate tax | GRA: general corporate income tax rate 25%; sector and location rates range from 5% to 35%. |
| Every year | Annual returns with financial statements after 18 months and then yearly, GHS 175. |
What it costs
- Government filing fee
- GHS 585
Registration of company, constitution, Form 3 and beneficial-ownership profile GHS 585 plus capital duty of 1% of stated capital; optional VIP service GHS 1,885; name search GHS 30.
- Every year
- GHS 175 a year
Annual returns with financial statements after 18 months and then yearly, GHS 175.
- Not included
- Provider fees
Registered agent or address, notary fees, accounting and bank onboarding vary by provider — ask for a quote in the request form.
How to register a company in Ghana, step by step
- Run a name search at the ORC.
- Appoint at least two directors, one ordinarily resident in Ghana, plus a company secretary and an auditor.
- Complete Form 3C with the constitution and beneficial-ownership information.
- File statutory declarations and consent letters for directors, secretary and auditor, and pay GHS 585 plus 1% capital duty.
- Set up a registered office in Ghana within 28 days and obtain the incorporation certificate and Form 3.
- Register the company with GIPC with the ORC documents and proof of the minimum foreign capital.
Corporate tax in Ghana
25%. GRA: general corporate income tax rate 25%; sector and location rates range from 5% to 35%.
Rates are the headline figures published by the tax authority; your effective rate depends on residence, activity and treaties. This is not tax advice.
Common mistakes
- Naming only foreign directors, which breaches the resident-director requirement in s.171.
- Setting stated capital below the GIPC threshold for the ownership structure.
- Missing the first annual return due 18 months after incorporation.
Compare Ghana with alternatives
| Yearly upkeep | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 GhanaPrivate limited | GHS 585 | Not stated | 25% | Resident director | Depends | Required | GHS 175 a year |
 AlgeriaSARL | DZD 4,000 | 2-3 weeks | 26% (19-26%) | Conditional | Notary | Required | Not stated |
 EgyptLLC | EGP 250 | 1 business day | Not stated | Unclear | Depends | Unclear | Not stated |
 KenyaPrivate limited | Varies | Not stated | 30% | Unclear | Not required | Unclear | Not stated |
4 of 4 · official sources, checked September 27, 2026. Government fees only; agent and address costs are extra.≈ USD at ECB reference rates of September 25, 2026.
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Sources
- GHS 585 fee, VIP GHS 1,885, two directors, consents, annual return GHS 175 after 18 months — orc.gov.gh, checked September 27, 2026
- Fee schedule: GHS 585, 1% capital duty, GHS 175 annual return, GHS 30 search — orc.gov.gh, checked September 27, 2026
- Act 992 s.171 resident director, s.122 registered office within 28 days — orc.gov.gh, checked September 27, 2026
- GIPC Act s.28: US$200,000 JV, US$500,000 wholly foreign, US$1,000,000 trading — orc.gov.gh, checked September 27, 2026
- Two-step: ORC incorporation then GIPC registration; 24-hour premium service — gipa.gov.gh, checked September 27, 2026
- General CIT rate 25% — gra.gov.gh, checked September 27, 2026
- 24-hour electronic registration service — orc.gov.gh, checked September 27, 2026