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How to Import a Car to Kenya: The Complete 2026 Guide

February 10, 2026·5 min read·Import Guides

Importing a vehicle to Kenya is one of the most cost-effective ways to acquire a quality car, but it's also one of the most fraud-prone transactions in the market. This guide walks you through the complete process and shows you exactly where CarTrust protects your investment.

Step 1: Choose Your Vehicle and Source

Most vehicles imported to Kenya come from Japan, the dominant source market, with secondary volumes from the United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and Singapore.

Japanese imports dominate for good reasons:

  • Stringent domestic vehicle inspection standards (shaken) ensure vehicles are well-maintained before export
  • Comprehensive auction systems produce independently graded vehicles
  • Right-hand drive configuration matches Kenya's driving orientation
  • Abundant spare parts available locally

How to source responsibly:

  • Use a licensed clearing agent registered with the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA)
  • Work with agents who can produce the full auction sheet, not just photographs
  • Verify the agent's KRA PIN and KEBS compliance status before paying any deposits

Step 2: Understand the Age and Duty Requirements

Kenya's import regulations include:

  • Age limit (the 8-year rule): For vehicles arriving in 2026, KEBS allows only right-hand-drive vehicles first registered on or after 1 January 2019. Older vehicles are rejected at the importer's cost. Check the first-registration date on the export certificate before you pay.
  • Duty is charged on KRA's value, not the price you paid: KRA's Current Retail Selling Price (CRSP) schedule: last revised in July 2025: sets a value for each model, reduced for the car's age.
  • What you pay: import duty, excise duty (which rises with engine size), VAT at 16%, the Import Declaration Fee (IDF) and the Railway Development Levy (RDL). Rates change with Finance Acts, so confirm the final figure with your clearing agent or KRA.

Use the CarTrust Duty Calculator to estimate the duty for any vehicle before you commit to a purchase.

Step 3: Verify the Vehicle Before Paying

This is the step that separates successful importers from those who get burned.

Before transferring any payment to an overseas agent or seller:

  1. Get the chassis number (VIN) from the prospective vehicle
  2. Run a CarTrust verification to confirm:
  • The original auction grade and mileage
  • Any accident or damage history
  • Whether the VIN is valid and consistent with the vehicle description
  1. Review the auction sheet data in your CarTrust report
  2. Compare mileage: The reported mileage from the seller against the auction sheet mileage and any interim readings

Paying before verification is the most common mistake importers make. Once the money is transferred to an overseas account, recovery is extremely difficult.

Step 4: Documentation Required for Importation

Assemble the following documents before the vehicle arrives:

| Document | Source |

|----------|--------|

| Original Export Certificate | Japan Customs / auction house |

| Bill of Lading | Shipping company |

| Insurance Certificate | Your insurer |

| KRA Import Declaration Form (IDF) | KRA iCMS portal |

| KEBS Pre-Export Verification of Conformity (PVoC) Certificate | KEBS-approved inspection agency in Japan |

The PVoC certificate is a requirement introduced to ensure vehicles meet Kenyan safety and emissions standards before they board the ship. Your agent should arrange this inspection in Japan before shipment.

Step 5: Clearing at the Port of Entry

Vehicles imported via sea arrive at Mombasa port and clear through the Inland Container Depots (ICD). The process:

  1. Submit documents to your clearing agent
  2. KRA assessment: CRSP-based duty is calculated
  3. Pay duties through the KRA payment gateway
  4. KEBS physical inspection: Vehicle is examined against the PVoC certificate
  5. Release: Vehicle is released to the owner

Clearing typically takes 3–7 working days from vessel arrival if documents are complete.

Step 6: NTSA Registration

Once cleared, you must register the vehicle with the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA):

  1. Apply through the NTSA eCitizen portal
  2. Submit: ownership documents, import documents, KRA receipt, KEBS certificate, insurance certificate
  3. Book a physical inspection at an NTSA-approved inspection centre
  4. Receive your number plates and logbook

Common Import Fraud Scenarios to Avoid

VIN Fraud

An agent substitutes the VIN you verified with that of a different (lower-quality) vehicle. Prevention: Physically verify the VIN on the vehicle against your CarTrust report when the car arrives.

Document Fraud

Forged PVoC certificates, altered auction sheets, or fabricated bills of lading. Prevention: Work only with KEBS-registered inspection agents; verify PVoC certificate numbers directly with KEBS.

Mileage Fraud

Odometer is wound back between Japan and Kenya. Prevention: Compare the CarTrust report mileage at point of auction against current reading.

Quality Substitution

The vehicle in the photos is not the one shipped. Prevention: Insist on multiple physical photos at the auction yard or storage lot, taken against the lot number placard, on the day of purchase.

Why CarTrust Belongs at Every Step

CarTrust sits at the intersection of all these risk points. Before you pay, a CarTrust check reveals the vehicle's actual auction grade, authentic mileage history, and any damage record. When the car arrives, you use your CarTrust report as the reference point to verify that what you ordered is what you received.

The report costs less than a meal at a Nairobi restaurant. The fraud it can prevent costs hundreds of thousands of shillings.

Start your import with a CarTrust check at cartrust.co.ke.