Registrar-General issues 6-month grace period for filing tax returns

The Registrar-General’s Department (RGD) has given some respite to business and other entities in the wake of the COVID-19 by extending the deadline for filing returns.

The initial deadline was scheduled for July 31, but the department has extended the exercise to December 31 to offer companies some flexibility.

Additionally, the non – compliance penalty of GHS 400-GHS 450 for defaulters of the August 31 deadline has been scrapped.

“The Registrar-General’s Department (RGD), wishes to inform all its cherished clients that due to the continuous spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and the inability of Companies to hold their Annual General Meetings, it has further extended the deadline for the filing of Annual Returns from July 31 to December 31, 2020,” Head of Public Relations, Constance Adomaa Takyi, said in a statement.

The RGD has also served notice that it would serve only 200 clients daily at its offices beginning Wednesday, July 15 using a coupon.

Persons who are not able to have access to services between 8 am – 4 pm for a particular day despite having a coupon can do so the following day.

The RGD has also ruled out the filing of returns via mobile money indicating that it “does not have a mobile money account number”.

Subsequently, the RGD has asked the public to disregard any requests by any person who requests mobile money for the purpose of annual returns or renewal of businesses.

“There is no Cancellation Unit at RGD mandated to call clients to file Returns and the Legal and Audits Units at Registrar-General’s Department have not been tasked to strike out any Company/ Business Names. Renewal fee for Business Names is GH25 Cedis for each year. This service does not attract any penalty and Filing of Annual Returns for all Companies attracts a fee of GH50 Cedis,” it added.