A Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) is a means of uniquely identifying taxpayers or potential taxpayers (i.e. individuals and corporate bodies) for tax purposes. Section 10 to 12 of the Revenue Administration Act 2016, (Act 915), authorizes the Commissioner-General of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) to maintain a Taxpayer Identification Numbering System of people who are liable to register and pay tax to the state. For this purpose, from April 1, 2021, the Ghana Card Personal Identification Number (Ghana card PIN) is now being used as a form of Taxpayer Identification for INDIVIDUAL TAXPAYERS ONLY. This means that the Ghana card PIN has replaced the TIN issued by GRA to Individual Taxpayers from April 1, 2021.
Where You Need A Ghana Card PIN as a Replacement of Your TIN
The Ghana card PIN is used in all tax-related transactions and other legal transactions which require the use of an individual’s TIN. These include;
- Doing any business with the GRA
- Registering your business with the Registrar-General’s Department
- Opening a bank account
- Registering your vehicle
- Applying for/renewing a passport
- Registering land ownership
- Clearing goods from a port or airport
- Getting a drivers’ licence
How to get an Individual TIN
You must register for a Ghana Card which is issued by National Identification Authority (NIA) and use the PIN provided as your New TIN from April 1, 2021.
The NIA is being co-located at selected GRA DTRD offices namely:
- · TIN Centre, Registrar-General’s Department, Accra
- · TIN Centre, Customs Long Room, Tema
- · Taxpayer Service Centre, Spintex Road
- · Taxpayer Service Centre, Adabraka
- · Taxpayer Service Centre 1, Tema
- · Taxpayer Service Centre, Koforidua
- · Taxpayer Service Centre, Cape Coast
- · Taxpayer Service Centre, Takoradi
- · Taxpayer Service Centre, Asokwa
- · Taxpayer Service Centre, Sunyani
- · Taxpayer Service Centre, Ho
- · Taxpayer Service Centre, Bolgatanga
- · Taxpayer Service Centre, WA
to register individual taxpayers who have TIN but do not have Ghana card PIN for tax purposes.
Registration of TIN for Organisations
The GRA would continue to generate and issue TIN to organisations, companies and, all legal persons.
Organisational TIN is required for business activities conducted by companies that are liable to pay taxes to the state. TIN is also needed by organisations for identification among others.
Organisations can register for TIN only after they have been registered at the Registrar General’s Department (RGD).
GRA’s TIN Centre has co-located at the premises of the RGD, to provide a one-stop-shop office issuing TIN. This allows Directors, Shareholders, and Board Members to register and be issued the organisation’s TIN to enable them to continue with the business registration process.
Organisations not required to register with RGD
Organisations that do not require RGD registration such as; Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), Cooperatives, Foreign Missions, Trusts, Metropolitans-Municipals-Districts-Assemblies (MMDAs), Public Institutions, etc., are required to attach an introductory letter to a completed Organisational TIN Form and other relevant documents determined by the Taxpayer Identification Unit for processing at any GRA DTRD Taxpayer Service Centre. When the certificate is ready, the officer in charge will communicate to the organisation via SMS.
Organisational TIN registration applies to the under-listed required to register with the RGD:
- · Business Names
- · Companies limited by shares (Including subsidiaries)
- · Companies limited by guarantee
- · External companies
- · Partnerships
- · Subsidiary Business Names
TIN/ Ghana Card PIN Verification
The TIN/Ghana Card PIN verification portal is available when there is the need for you to verify the validity of a TIN or Ghana Card PIN that has been presented to you.
PLEASE NOTE
Companies, Corporations, and other Legal Persons are still required to use their existing TIN for all their tax-related transactions.
Special TIN Registration Arrangement for Third-Party institutions
To facilitate the compliance by mandated institutions listed in the First Schedule of the Revenue Administration Act (RAA), 2016(Act 715), a special email account (service.desk@gra.gov.gh) has been created by the Taxpayer Identification Unit to enable mandated institutions to submit duly completed TIN application forms on behalf of their clients who transact business with them.
Completed TIN Forms submitted to GRA through this special email are processed, the TIN is then generated for the applicant and communicated back to the mandated institution.
This special arrangement is currently available to only Ecobank; however, discussions are ongoing to replicate the same for all mandated institutions, to facilitate their compliance with the RAA while making TIN acquisition easy for their clients conducting business with these mandated institutions.
The Ghana Revenue Authority is the Ghana administration charged with the task of assessing, collecting and accounting for tax revenue in Ghana.