CUSTOMS REGULATIONS AND INFORMATION FOR IMPORTS -Household Goods & Personal Affect to Kenya
Documents Required
· Original Passport (for returning residents, a Passport used for the last 2 years or any previous Passport other than the current Passport are also required; the Entry and Exit stamps are used by Customs to check the compliance of the regulation)
· Original Bill of Lading (OBL) / Air Waybill (AWB)
· Original Work Permit
· Packing list
· Form C-18 Declaration, signed by shipper (Baggage Claim form)
· Detailed inventory
· PRO 1B (Diplomats)
· PRO 1A (Diplomats)
Please note below points before you are moving your personal goods to Kenya
· The shipper must be present for Customs clearance.
· All shipments will be inspected by Customs.
· All cosmetics, toiletries, perfumes, alcohol and foodstuffs will be subjected to radioactive analysis which will cost Kshs 3,000 per sample per item.
· Computers are not classified as personal effects and are subject to tax and duties.
· For non-Diplomats, the goods must have been owned for more than 1 year by the shipper and must be imported within 90 days after approval of the Work Permit.
· Documents must be received by agent 15 days prior to arrival in order for shipper’s employer to obtain the Duty-Free Exemption Certificate, if applicable (Diplomats).
· Diplomatic goods are not subject to inspection with an approved PRO 1B in place (Diplomats).
· The PRO 1A is required if importing alcohol and must be approved by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Diplomats).
· Diplomats must apply for exemption from duty and value added tax (VAT) through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kenya; the approval for the exemption can take several months.
· Returning residents must have lived abroad for more than 2 consecutive years and cannot have visited Kenya for a total of more than 90 days from last date of entry in Kenya for duty-free import; shipment must be imported within 3 months of entry date.
· For the duty-free importation of personal effects, the shipper must have owned the items for at least 1 year prior to import (returning residents).
· The shipper must not have visited Kenya for a total of more than 90 days in the last 2 years prior to his last date of entry in Kenya (returning residents)
Motor Vehicles Imports to Kenya
Documents Required
· Original Passport
· Original Work Permit
· Personal Identification Number (PIN) Certificate
· Original Certificate of Registration / Logbook of the vehicle in English
· Import Declaration Form (IDF)
· Certificate of Conformity (COC)
· If a shipper wants to pay duties on the car, the following document will be required:
o Importer's PIN Certificate
o Import Declaration Form (IDF) plus IDF charges to be paid (EUR 50)
o Purchase Invoice in English
o PRO 1B form approved by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Diplomats)
· Left-hand drive vehicles cannot be imported.
· Vehicles older than 8 years cannot be imported.
· A fee of EUR 120 for processing must be paid to Kenyan Customs.
· If the IDF is not available, a penalty of 15% of the cost, insurance and freight (CIF) value of
the car will be charged by the Kenyan Bureau of Standards (non-Diplomats and expatriates).
· The Certificate of Road Worthiness must be provided by the owner of the vehicle to the
Kenya Bureau of Standards agent (JEVIC); it is required for a pre-inspection at origin to
obtain the Certificate of Conformity (COC) for cars coming from Japan / Dubai Singapore /
South Africa / UK (cars from origins than these can be inspected in Kenya by KBS for a fee of
EUR 150).
· The OBL and AWB must show the details of the motor vehicle (e.g., chassis and engine
numbers, make, model, color, etc.)
· The shipper must have owned the vehicle for at least 1 year for duty-free import or
approximately 61% of taxes will be charged.
· All shipment documentation must be sent to agent at least 1 month prior to shipment arrival to
reduce the possibility of demurrage / storage charges.
· Diplomats are allowed to import 1 vehicle or motor cycle per shipment; additional vehicles or
motorcycles will be subject to duties and taxes at the rate of 45% + value added tax (VAT) at
16%.
· Motor vehicles must be imported within 90 days after the last date of arrival of the shipper.
· A guaranty deposit can be requested by Customs of the value of the duties while waiting for
confirmation of any exemption.
· Shipper must not have visited Kenya for a total of more than 90 days in the last 2 years prior
to the last date of arrival in the Kenya.
· Only one duty-free car per returning resident in a lifetime is permitted.
· If the vehicle is older than 1 year, there is no tax provided that the vehicle is registered in the
name of the person moving.
· Vehicles imported duty free are not transferrable for a period of 1 year.
· Taxes on vehicles are based on a percentage of the local value for a similar vehicle
(approximately 55%) and the vehicle must not have a seating capacity of more than 13
people.
· All shippers must pay motor vehicle processing fees (currently USD 145 per motor vehicle).