How to import a printer, photocopier or DTF machine into Ghana: the complete guide

Start with the local price. Many printers and copiers sold in Ghana are already imported by dealers, who pay the same duty and shipping you would, then add their margin, a warranty and installation. Importing only wins when that margin is big enough to cover everything you'll pay yourself.

Check our price index first: in October 2026, new DTF printers were listed at GH₵18,500 to GH₵68,000, large-format printers at GH₵26,000 to GH₵105,000 and used or refurbished office copiers at GH₵3,700 to GH₵38,000. See the DTF printer prices, large-format printer prices and photocopy machine prices.

Importing is usually worth considering when:

• The machine isn't sold locally, or only one or two sellers have it.
• Local prices are far above the factory price, which is common for DTF, sublimation, UV and banner printers.
• You're buying several machines and can fill a big share of a shipping container.

Buy locally when:

• You need the seller's warranty, installation and technician, which is most office copiers.
• The saving is small. Once duty, VAT, shipping and clearing are added, a gap of 20% often disappears.
• You need it quickly. Sea freight from China takes over a month, plus clearing.

• DTF, sublimation, UV and large-format printers: most of the DTF and sublimation machines on sale in Ghana are Chinese-made, including brands in our own price data such as Yinghe. Buying from the manufacturer or a trading company in China cuts out at least one middleman. These are the machines where importing pays most often. Our DTF vs sublimation guide helps you decide which you need first.
• Used office copiers in quantity: ex-lease copiers from offices in the UK and Europe are where much of Ghana's "foreign used" stock comes from. UK exporters ship them by the container. One copier on its own rarely beats a Ghanaian dealer's price once freight and clearing are added, but a group of buyers sharing a shipment can.
• New high-end machines nobody stocks, such as production printers or a specific large-format model, where waiting for a local dealer isn't an option.

Think twice about importing a single used copier, a cheap home printer, or anything you can't get serviced in Ghana. The money you save can go on one repair.

Ghana's own customs records back this up: see where Ghana's printers and copiers come from for import figures by country.

• China is the main source for DTF, sublimation, UV, eco-solvent and banner printers, heat presses and supplies. Prices are lowest, but quality varies a lot between factories, so the checks in the next section matter most here.
• UK and Germany are the usual sources for used office copiers (Konica Minolta, Canon, Kyocera, Ricoh, Xerox, HP). Their machines run on 230V like Ghana's, so they plug straight in.
• USA: large used-copier market, but most American office machines run on 110V, 60Hz. Ghana's mains is 230V, 50Hz. A 110V copier needs a heavy step-down transformer and some won't run properly at all, so check the rating plate before buying anything from the US.

Whatever the country, ask before you buy: are toner, ink, print heads and spare parts for this exact model sold in Ghana? If not, every refill becomes another import. Our toner, DTF supplies and printer ink prices show what's stocked locally.

Most import losses happen before the machine is shipped. Protect yourself like this:

• Write a precise order. Model, print head type and count (for DTF, for example XP600 or i3200), voltage (220–240V, 50Hz), included software (genuine RIP software for DTF), accessories, spare parts, warranty and packing. Vague orders give a supplier room to argue that what they shipped "matches".
• Pay through a protected method. On Alibaba, use Trade Assurance, which covers late shipment and goods that don't match the agreed specifications. It does not cover damage in transit or problems at customs, so you still need insurance and proper paperwork.
• See it working before it ships. Ask for a live video call of your actual machine printing, with the serial number shown. For bigger orders, pay for a third-party pre-shipment inspection.
• For used copiers, get the page counter. Ask for a printed counter report and test pages, and compare with our used photocopier checklist.
• Never under-declare the value. Some agents offer to show a lower price on the invoice to cut duty. It's illegal, customs can revalue it anyway, and you can lose the goods.
• Be wary of prices far below everyone else's. A DTF printer at half the market price usually has a weaker print head, a pirated RIP or no support.

There are three common ways:

• Sea freight (LCL): your goods share a container with other cargo. It's the cheapest for heavy machines like copiers and large printers. From China, sea transit to Tema is roughly 32 to 46 days. One forwarder quoted about US$252 per cubic metre for shared containers in September 2026; rates move, so get current quotes.
• Full container (FCL): a 20ft or 40ft container to yourself. Only worth it for several machines or a group order.
• Air freight: to Kotoka (KIA) in roughly 5 to 8 days, charged by weight. It's sensible for small, light, urgent items like print heads, but expensive for anything heavy.

Many Ghanaian traders use door-to-door agents who collect from the supplier in China and deliver to Accra. Check the terms: DDP means the agent's price includes duty and taxes, while DAP means you pay duty on arrival. Get it in writing, and make sure the goods are declared correctly in your name or the agent's.

Pack copiers and printers on a pallet, ask for ink and toner to be removed or sealed before shipping, and insure the cargo.

Ghana charges import taxes on the CIF value: the cost of the goods plus insurance plus freight to Ghana. So the shipping cost is taxed too.

• Import duty: Ghana uses the ECOWAS tariff bands of 0%, 5%, 10%, 20% and 35%. Printers, copiers and printing machines fall under HS heading 8443, but the exact band depends on the sub-code (for example, a networked multifunction copier and a standalone printer are classified differently). Ask a licensed customs broker to confirm the HS code and duty band before you order. Plan for 10% or 20% until they do.
• VAT and levies: since 1 January 2026, VAT is 15% with the NHIL (2.5%) and GETFund levy (2.5%) charged on the same base, about 20% effective, and the 1% COVID-19 levy has been abolished. These are charged on the CIF value plus duty.
• Smaller charges: the ECOWAS levy (0.5%), AU levy (0.2%) and processing fees, plus the broker's fee and port, terminal and shipping-line charges.
• Used electronics: importers of used electrical and electronic equipment must register with the EPA, get a permit and pay the eco levy under the e-waste law (Act 917). Missing it can cost a penalty of twice the levy.

Customs can also revalue goods if the invoice looks too low, which is another reason to declare the real price.

Here's an illustration of how the costs stack up. These are example figures to show the method, not a quote.

Say a DTF printer costs GH₵15,000 from the factory and freight plus insurance to Tema adds GH₵3,000. Its CIF value is GH₵18,000.

• If the duty band is 10%: duty GH₵1,800. VAT and levies at about 20% of GH₵19,800 add GH₵3,960. ECOWAS and AU levies add about GH₵126. That's about GH₵23,900 before the broker, port charges, processing fees and delivery.
• If the duty band is 20%: duty GH₵3,600. VAT and levies at about 20% of GH₵21,600 add GH₵4,320. That's about GH₵26,000 before the same extras.

Add the broker's fee, port and terminal charges, transport from Tema and installation, and this GH₵15,000 machine can easily land at GH₵26,000 to GH₵29,000, around 1.7 to 1.9 times its factory price. Compare that with what Ghanaian sellers ask (DTF printers were GH₵18,500 to GH₵68,000 in October 2026) before deciding. Our cost of starting a printing business guide and DTF cost per shirt calculator help you check whether the machine will pay for itself.

Clearing is done through ICUMS, the Ghana Revenue Authority's customs system. In practice:

1. Hire a licensed customs broker (clearing agent). Self-clearing is possible but needs GRA registration, ICUMS access and time at the port.
2. Have your documents ready: the bill of lading (sea) or air waybill, the supplier's commercial invoice, the packing list, your TIN or Ghana Card PIN, the import declaration your broker files, and any permits (such as the EPA permit for used electronics). Descriptions, quantities and values must match on every document.
3. Declaration and assessment: the broker declares the goods, customs confirms the HS code and value, and the shipment goes to a channel: green (released), yellow (documents or scan checked) or red (physically examined).
4. Pay the duties and taxes at an authorised bank, then pay port and terminal charges.
5. Release and delivery: ICUMS issues the release and the goods leave the port.

A clean shipment usually clears in about 3 to 14 days. Mismatched documents and valuation queries are the main causes of delay, and storage charges (demurrage) build up every day goods sit uncleared, so have your money and papers ready before the ship arrives. Goods flown into KIA go through the same customs process.

• Power: a stable supply and a voltage stabiliser rated for the machine. Power surges damage boards and print heads.
• Installation and training: DTF and large-format printers need setting up, ink loading and RIP software configuration. Agree with the supplier on video support, or find a local technician in advance.
• Consumables: confirm where you'll buy ink, film, powder, toner and print heads in Ghana, and at what price. Our printing supplies prices show what's available.
• Warranty: a factory warranty from China or a seller in the UK is hard to use from Ghana. Ask what they'll actually do if a part fails: send a replacement, and who pays the shipping and duty on it?