Ride-hailing drivers in Ghana using Uber, Bolt, Yango, and other platforms will face a new Value Income Tax (VIT) starting January 1, 2024, according to the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).
The tax applies to all commercial vehicle owners earning income through operation, as outlined in Section 22 of Regulations 2016, LI 2244.
The GRA has urged ride-hailing companies like Uber, Yango, and Bolt to update their systems to incorporate this new tax requirement.
Here’s what the new guidelines entail for ride-hailing companies:
- Demand a softcopy of the VIT sticker: Companies like Uber and Bolt must demand version of the VIT sticker available to drivers in Ghana.
- Validate sticker authenticity: Companies must have a system to verify the authenticity of VIT stickers attached to vehicles used by drivers on their platform.
- Submit quarterly vehicle lists: Companies must submit a quarterly list of all vehicles operating on their platform to the GRA.
The GRA emphasises strict enforcement of these requirements starting January 1, 2024.
To facilitate tax payments, the GRA encourages ride-hailing vehicle owners to register their vehicles at any GRA office. This registration enables them to pay VIT conveniently using the short code *222#.
This new tax applies to all commercial vehicles used for ride-hailing purposes, not just Uber, Bolt, and Yango.