What Is Form A in Ghana? The Sole Proprietorship Registration Form
Form A is the ORC form for registering a business name owned by one person. Here is what it asks for, what it costs, and what happens after approval.
Form A is the Office of the Registrar of Companies (ORC) application for registering a business name for a sole proprietorship: a business owned and run by one individual. If you are starting alone and do not need shareholders or a separate company, Form A is usually the form you file.
What Form A asks for
- The proposed business name, ideally with back-up options in case the first is unavailable.
- The main business activity, described clearly enough for ORC to understand what you do.
- The proprietor's full legal name, Ghana Card or other valid ID details, TIN or Ghana Card PIN, phone number and email.
- The principal place of business, with a GhanaPostGPS address where available, plus the city or district.
- The proprietor's signature on the completed form.
How much Form A costs
ORC lists optional faster processing separately. Certified copies are extra. Check the current ORC fee schedule before you pay.
| Item | ORC reference fee |
|---|---|
| Form A registration (standard processing) | GHS 130 |
| Yearly business name renewal | GHS 70 |
Form A compared with the other ORC forms
| Form | Used for |
|---|---|
| Form A | Business name owned by one person (sole proprietorship) |
| Form B | Incorporated private partnership |
| Form C | Subsidiary business name for an existing company |
| Form 3 | Private company limited by shares (LTD) |
| Form 3B | Company limited by guarantee (LBG), the usual NGO route |
| Forms 20 and 21 | External company (a foreign company operating in Ghana) |
After Form A is approved
Skip the paperwork JustRegisterIt prepares Form A from your answers, checks the name against the registry first, and files it with ORC for you.
- Keep the business name certificate and registration number safe: banks, mobile money merchants and tenders ask for them.
- Renew the business name every year. Renewal is a separate filing from registration.
- Register and file with the Ghana Revenue Authority, and get any permits your sector needs.
- Remember a sole proprietorship has no separate legal shield: the owner is personally responsible for business debts.
- Start registration - Answer a few questions and we prepare and file your Form A.
- Register a sole proprietorship in Ghana - Requirements, fees and steps for a one-owner business name.
- Sole proprietorship naming rules - What ORC accepts in a business name.
- How much it costs to register a business - All ORC registration and renewal fees in one table.
- Check a business name - Search the registry before you file.