Ghana’s headline VAT rate is 15%. That is not what you pay.
Three separate levies are charged on the value of a supply before VAT is applied, and VAT is then charged on the total including them. The compounding is invisible on a receipt, and it takes the effective rate to 21.9%.
The stack
On a standard-rated supply:
| Charge | Rate | Charged on |
|---|---|---|
| NHIL | 2.5% | The value |
| GETFund levy | 2.5% | The value |
| COVID-19 Health Recovery Levy | 1% | The value |
| VAT | 15% | The value plus the three levies |
The levies add 6% to the price. VAT at 15% is then applied to that larger figure, so the total tax is 21.9% of the pre-tax price rather than 15%.
Ghana VAT and levies calculator
Add or remove Ghanaian VAT, NHIL, GETFund and the COVID-19 levy, and see why the effective rate is higher than the headline 15%.
What the levies fund
- NHIL funds the NHIS. This is why national health insurance costs so little at the point of registration — you have been paying for it all year at every till.
- GETFund funds education infrastructure, largely tertiary.
- COVID-19 Health Recovery Levy was introduced in 2021. Its removal has been repeatedly signalled in VAT reform discussions, so confirm whether it still applies before relying on the figure.
Levies change more often than the VAT rate
The COVID levy in particular has been under review for several budgets. The figures here carry verification dates and expire on a schedule, but check the GRA if the exact number matters to a decision.
Who must register
Registration is compulsory once taxable turnover exceeds ₵200,000 in a twelve-month period.
Below that you may register voluntarily, which is worth considering if your customers are themselves VAT-registered businesses that can reclaim the tax, and if you have significant input VAT to recover.
The VAT Flat Rate Scheme
Retailers within a defined turnover band may use the VAT Flat Rate Scheme, charging a flat 3% instead of the standard mechanism.
It is simpler: no input tax recovery, one rate, less arithmetic. Following amendments in recent years it is restricted to retailers, so check whether your business qualifies rather than assuming.
Zero-rated and exempt
Zero-rated supplies carry VAT at 0%, and the supplier can still recover input VAT. Exports are the main category.
Exempt supplies carry no VAT, and the supplier cannot recover input VAT. The exempt list includes many basic foodstuffs, medical services and supplies, educational services, and certain financial services.
The distinction matters enormously to a business and not at all to a consumer.
Filing
VAT-registered businesses file monthly, by the last working day of the following month.
- Output VAT is what you charged customers
- Input VAT is what you paid suppliers
- You remit the difference, or carry forward a credit
Filing runs through the GRA taxpayers’ portal. Late filing attracts penalties, and they accumulate.
Issue proper VAT invoices. A customer cannot reclaim input VAT without one, and the GRA will disallow your own claims without supporting invoices.
What this means as a consumer
Every standard-rated purchase carries 21.9% in tax. On a ₵1,000 purchase before tax, that is roughly ₵219 of tax on top.
Consumption taxes fall hardest on people who spend most of what they earn, which is most people. That is a policy argument rather than a practical one, but it is the reason VAT reform is a perennial Ghanaian political topic.
Other taxes worth knowing
- Corporate income tax: 25%
- Withholding tax on services: 7.5% — Freelancing in Ghana
- Withholding tax on residential rent: 8%
- Withholding tax on dividends: 8%
- Stamp duty at incorporation: 1% of stated capital — Registering a business
The E-Levy on mobile money transfers was repealed in 2025 and no longer applies. — Mobile money