MetEx House, 496a Great West Road, Hounslow, Middlesex, TW5 0TE  ·  Shipping since 1998
0800 096 38 39
🗻 & ✈ Shipping to Ghana • UK’s Ghana specialists • Since 1998

Shipping to Ghana from the UK
Luggage, personal effects & household goods — by air or sea

Everything you need to ship to Ghana in one place. We collect from your door anywhere in the UK, handle the customs paperwork, and deliver to Accra, Kumasi, Takoradi and beyond. Air freight in 4–7 working days, or economical sea freight in roughly 3–6 weeks, subject to space and flight availability with the carriers. These sea transit times are approximate — the actual time depends on when your LCL container finishes loading and consolidating, the vessel’s sailing date and route, any transhipment hub before the final destination, and customs clearance, so please allow a week or two either side. Shipping to Ghana since 1998.

Get a quote 📞 0800 096 38 39
Sending a barrel or drum to Ghana? See our Barrel & Drum Shipping to Africa page.

Ghana is a steady diaspora route, and its returning-resident relief is generous — but it hinges on a declaration made within 48 hours of arrival. This guide brings together everything that actually matters for a UK–Ghana shipment, drawn from our Heathrow-side operation and 25+ years on this lane.

Every way we ship to Ghana

Not sure which service you need? Start here — each links to full details, transit times and what’s included.

How shipping to Ghana works, step by step

1
Quote & book

Tell us what you’re sending and where. We’ll give you a clear quote up front.

2
Door collection

We collect from your address anywhere in the UK. No depot or airport drop-off needed.

3
Pack & document

Goods are export-packed and we prepare your itemised inventory and the customs declaration.

4
Ship by air or sea

Air freight from Heathrow, or consolidated sea freight to the Port of Tema.

5
Customs clearance

The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) Customs Division assess your shipment. Clearance runs on ICUMS; unaccompanied effects are declared within 48 hours of arrival.

6
Delivery

Your goods are delivered to your Ghana address, or ready to collect from the arrival depot.

Returning Resident relief — how removal articles clear free of tax

Ghana lets returning residents bring their removal articles in free of tax — provided the move is genuine and the goods are used.

The relief: Ghanaians who have lived outside Ghana for more than 12 continuous months and are moving residence can import their removal articles free of tax — personal belongings, domestic appliances, household goods, collectors’ pieces and the tools of their trade.
📅
Ownership & use: the items should have been owned and used for at least 6 months. The relief doesn’t cover new items, goods for sale, or vehicles.
📋
The Unaccompanied Baggage Declaration: effects shipped separately must be declared on this form, immediately on arrival or within 48 hours — miss it and you can forfeit the concession. We prepare it with you.
👤
Proof of the move: your passport showing 12+ months abroad, and evidence you’re returning to live in Ghana. A detailed inventory is essential.
💵
New items are dutiable. Anything new or for resale is assessed on its CIF value at standard rates.

Moving-to-Ghana shipping guide ›

What you can’t ship — and what slows shipments down

Some items are prohibited in freight and others need a permit. Packing sensibly and clearing promptly keeps costs down.

🚫
Prohibited in freight: aerosols, perfumes and aftershaves, loose batteries, and tobacco. Leave them out.
🌱
Plants, soil and agricultural items need a permit from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture — best kept out of a household shipment.
📋
List everything clearly. Clearance channels (green/yellow/red) move faster with a complete inventory. Number boxes to match.
📦
Clear promptly. Demurrage at Tema starts after a few free days — ready paperwork avoids charges.

What we see most often — and how to avoid it

Most UK–Ghana shipments clear without drama. The ones that don’t nearly always come down to the same short list:

📅
The 48-hour declaration. Unaccompanied effects must be declared within 48 hours of arrival — miss it and the tax-free concession can be lost.
👤
No proof of 12 months abroad. The relief hinges on it — passport stamps and evidence of your move make it straightforward.
💵
Mixing in new items. New goods are dutiable and complicate the whole clearance.
📦
Slow clearance = demurrage. Tema charges build after the free days; ready paperwork keeps costs down.

What a shipment to Ghana actually looks like

An illustrative example of a common scenario — your quote is always to your exact shipment.

🏠
A Ghanaian returning to Accra after years in the UK would typically send a home’s contents by sea freight to Tema, with us collecting from their UK door, export-packing, and preparing the Unaccompanied Baggage Declaration and inventory. Used furniture, appliances and belongings clear free of tax as removal articles. Transit is usually 3–6 weeks. Urgent items go ahead by air.

Door-to-door across Ghana

We deliver nationwide. Here are our most popular destinations — each with local delivery detail and transit times:

Which is right for your shipment?

Air freight suits a few boxes or anything urgent — 4–7 working days, priced on weight and size. Sea freight suits volume — a room, a family’s contents or a whole home — at a fraction of the per-kilo cost, over roughly 3–6 weeks door-to-door. Many customers split the two: air for the essentials, sea for the rest.

Shipping to Ghana — your questions answered

Should I ship or pay the airline for extra bags? +
For more than a bag or two, shipping is usually cheaper than airline excess-baggage fees — and you’re not carrying the weight through the airport. We collect from your door and deliver across Ghana.
How long does it take? +
Air freight is typically 4–7 working days. Sea freight is typically around 3–6 weeks door-to-door, plus customs clearance.
Will I pay duty? +
Ghanaians who've lived abroad 12+ continuous months and are moving residence can import their used removal articles free of tax (owned 6+ months). New items, goods for sale and vehicles are dutiable.
What paperwork do I need? +
Passport showing 12+ months abroad, proof you're returning to live in Ghana, a detailed inventory, and the Passengers Unaccompanied Baggage Declaration (within 48 hours of arrival). We prepare these with you.
Can I send electrical items and furniture? +
Yes — used domestic appliances and electricals qualify as removal articles. Ghana uses 230V; plug types vary, so some items may need adapters.
Is my shipment insured? +
We offer marine transit cover — we’ll explain the options and cost when we quote, and we always recommend cover for a long-haul shipment.
👤
Lak Kharod, Director
Excess Luggage Co. • overseeing UK–Ghana shipping since 1998 • MetEx House, Hounslow, next to Heathrow

Excess Luggage Co. has shipped personal effects, luggage and household goods from the UK to Ghana for over 28 years — through our own Heathrow-side warehouse and collection fleet. We know this route and exactly what Ghana customs looks for. For a quote or advice on your paperwork, call us on 0800 096 38 39.

Ready to ship to Ghana?

Tell us what you’re sending and where it’s going. We’ll come back with a quote and a realistic transit-time estimate — before you commit to anything.