In Ghana, it is essential to check if a company is registered in the country before you initiate any form of deal or transact business with them. This will help you assess how legal the entity is and how long they have been in business.
Over the years, people have been duped by entities that were not registered in Ghana and this has created a bad image of the country to others, especially foreign investors.
In this article, we will discuss how to check if a company is registered in Ghana, who is in charge of company registration, and how to write a business or company in Ghana.
Who Is In Charge of Registering Businesses In Ghana?
The Registrar General Department is the agency responsible for registering and licensing companies in Ghana. The Registrar General Department is a government agency under the Ministry of Justice and Attorney General.
The department is also in charge of the following;
- Business Name Registration
- Company Registration
- Partnership Registration
- Estate Administration
- Intellectual Property
- Marriage Registration
How To Check If A Company Is Registered In Ghana
Anyone can check if a business in Ghana is registered or not. One does not have to go to the office or the Registrar’s General department to check if a business is registered in the country because one can always check online to verify the information.
Below are the steps involved in checking if a company is registered in Ghana;
- Visit the official website of the Registrar General’s Department at https://rgd.gov.gh
- Click on the ONLINE REGISTRATION
- The RGD Portal will pop up in a different tab
- Click on the Name Search
- Enter your Entity Name (Business Name)
- Select the drop-down button from the Search Type (Exact Match, Starts With, Contains, Ends With, Sounds Like)
- Enter the Captcha code
- Click on Search
Always make sure to cross-check every detail to the last to make sure the exact business you are looking for is the one shown on the site. This is because some businesses have similar names and details.
How to Register A Company In Ghana
One can register a business in Ghana by either walking into the office of the Registrar General department or visiting their website to initiate and complete the process.
Walk-in procedure
- Provide 3 business/company names for search for availability of a name
- Buy or download the required Entity Registration form>
- Complete the Entity Form
- Pick a ticket per the Entity Type
- Wait till your ticket number is called
- Submit the completed form with all the supporting documents for validation by the inspector
- A payment slip is generated for payment to be made
- The document is left at the in-house Bank for onward process
- A decision is made to Approve, Query, or Reject
- Certificates and other supporting documents are issued when approval is given
Online procedure
- Go to www.rgdeservices.com
- Search for the availability of your Business Name by clicking on Name Search
- Download forms of the Entity Type you want to register
- Print, fill, sign, and scan the form and other supporting documents
- Create an account as a portal user
- Log in with the username and password given after the account creation
- Select the Entity Registration link on the welcome page
- Select the Entity Registration link again on the left pane
- Click on the ‘Create New’ button if the name has not been reserved or click on the ‘Create From Name Reservation’ button if the business name has been reserved
- Select entity type from the dropdown list
- Type the business name under Entity Name and click on Proceed button
- Certificates and other supporting documents are issued when approval is given
- Input data, upload scanned and signed documents, and follow the instructions
- Pay online by clicking on the ‘make payment online’ link
- The status of the registration will be communicated via SMS
- Click on the eCertificate link to save or print the certificate and other supporting documents after approval is given
How Long Does It Take To Register A Business In Ghana?
It takes five (5) to fifteen (15) working days for a business to be registered in Ghana. The number of days specified is based on the time the payment of fees required for registration has been made.
Conclusion
Before you commence any business in Ghana or transact with any business entity in Ghana, it is essential to ensure that the companys is registered in the country.
The steps and procedures stated above can serve as guidelines that can help anyone check and also register a business in Ghana.
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