Ghana’s institutional landscape for registration services has undergone a significant transformation since 2022, yet confusion about which body handles which function remains widespread. Understanding the distinction between the Office of the Registrar of Companies (ORC) and the Registrar-General’s Department (RGD) is now an essential piece of practical knowledge for anyone operating a business, registering a marriage, or filing a trademark in Ghana.
For decades, the RGD served as a single gateway for both commercial and civil registration, handling everything from incorporating companies to registering marriages and administering estates. While convenient in…