Company registration is a very critical part of starting any business as that is what gives you the legitimacy to operate. However, there are certain things you have to know while you are preparing to register your company.

Which department register business in Ghana?

The Registrar General’s Department is the agency mandated by the Republic of Ghana to register business in Ghana.

What are the requirements for registering a company limited by shares?

To register a company limited by shares, the basic requirements are as follows;

Name of the company

Nature of business

Address of the company

Stated Capital

Email address and telephone number for the company

TIN of directors, shareholders, company secretary and auditors

Particulars of directors, shareholders, secretary and auditor

What are the requirements for registering an external company in Ghana?

Registering an external company is quite different from registering any other company.
For external companies’ registration, the requirements are;

Name of company

Address of company

Email address and telephone number

A notorized company registration documents of the parent company

Particulars of the local manager.

TIN of Local manager

What are the requirements for registering an NGO in Ghana?

Registering a company limited by guarantee requires the follow documents;

Name of company

Nature of business

Address of company

Amount guaranteed

Particulars of Executive Council members, Subscribers, company secretary and auditors

TIN of Executive Council members and Subscribers, company secretary and auditors

How do I obtain forms for business registration in Ghana?

Forms for registration of business in Ghana is purchased at the in-house bank at Registrar General’s Department. It is also downloadable from Here

How long does it take to register a business in Ghana?

Registration of business in Ghana is quite easy, however, registration can be delayed if the documents for registration are not valid or not accurate. Registration of business takes a period of 20-30days.

Can one person act as director of a company in Ghana?

Absolutely No! The law states that, the directors of every company registered under the laws of Ghana must be at least TWO. Therefore, one person cannot be the sole director of a company.

Can one person act as director and also as a Company Secretary of a company in Ghana?

With a director doubling as a Company Secretary, the Companies Code 1963 (Act 179) permitted it. However, under the new Companies Act 2019 (Act 922) a director can only act in the capacity of a Company Secretary if he meets the qualifies so specified, if not the service of a qualified person or company would be required by the company.

Must all the directors of a company be resident in Ghana?

Either all directors or at least one should be resident in Ghana.

Must the local manager of an external company be resident in Ghana?

To register an external company, the law demands that the local manager of the company be resident in Ghana. Therefore, the address of the local manager should be in Ghana.

Can a foreigner register a sole proprietor business d in Ghana?

The law does not permitforeigners to own sole proprietor businesses. It is solely for Ghanaians.

What is TIN in business registration in Ghana?

The full meaning of TIN is Taxpayer Identification Number. It is a requirement for registration of all businesses in Ghana. Ghana Revenue Authority is the agency mandated to issue TIN.

Can registration of business in Ghana be done online?

Registration can done online using the link below;
RGD Portal Web

What are the documents that are given after business registration?

After registration of business, the documents given by the Registrar is dependent on the type of company registered. For company limited by shares, the Registrar gives the following documents;

Certificate of Incorporation.

Certificate of Commencement.

Form 3 &4.

Company Regulations.

For company limited by guarantee, the following documents are given;

Certificate of Incorporation.

Certificate of Commencement.

Form 3A

Company Regulations

The ff are given for external companies

Certificate of registration

Form 20 & 21

Sole proprietor registration, the following documents are given;

Certificate of registration

Form A

Do you have to register your business with any other agency after registration with Registrar General Department?

After registration with Registrar General’s Department, the other agency or agencies one would have to register with is dependent on the nature of activity of the company. Agencies such as Ghana Investment Promotion Centre, Food and Drugs Authority, Ghana Standard Board, Environmental Protection Agency, Free Zones, Customs, etc. But registration with agencies such as Ghana Revenue Authority, Social Security and National Insurance Trust, and Municipal Assemblies are however, compulsory for all Companies.

Can a Sole Proprietor business be converted to a limited liability company?

A Sole Proprietor business, which is commonly referred as Enterprise, is the commonest type of business registration amongst Ghanaians. The main difference between Limited Liability Company is that for sole proprietor registration, it requires only one person to act as the proprietor, However, for limited liability company, at least two directors, secretary, an auditor and Shareholder(s)/Subscriber(s) are required for the registration. Moreover, for limited liability companies, there must be stated capital of which stamp duty will be paid on. It is not so in the case with Sole Proprietor registration. Therefore, to convert a Sole Proprietor, the above requirement should be met.

When do companies need to file for annual returns?

Every registered company is required to file for the first annual returns after 18 months of registration. However, is mandatory to file at end of every other year, and or Limited Liability Companies, not later than 30th April of the preceding year and should be filed together with the signed audited accounts approved at an Annual General Meeting.