ARTICLE
Importing a Car in 2026? Only Vehicles First Registered From 2019 Qualify
October 21, 2026·2 min read·Import Guides
Kenya's 8-year rule rolls forward every January. For 2026, the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) allows only right-hand-drive vehicles first registered on or after 1 January 2019.
What KEBS says
- The rule comes from clause 2.5 of the Kenyan standard for road vehicle inspection (KS 1515:2000): imported used vehicles may be no more than eight years old.
- Effective 1 January 2026, only vehicles whose year of first registration is 2019 or later are allowed in.
- Certificates of roadworthiness for vehicles first registered in 2018 stopped being valid after 31 December 2025.
- Vehicles that don't comply are rejected at the importer's expense.
Some guides describe the cut-off by year of manufacture. KEBS's notice refers to the year of first registration, the date that matters is on the vehicle's registration and export documents. Confirm with KEBS or your inspection agent if a car is close to the line.
Check before you pay
Most import losses happen when money is sent before the car is checked. Before you pay a deposit to an agent or an overseas seller:
- Get the chassis number of the exact car.
- Check its first-registration date on the export certificate, and against the registration timeline in a CarTrust report.
- Check its history: the original auction sheet, grade and mileage in the same report.
- Estimate the duty with our Duty Calculator: duty is charged on KRA's value for the model, not on the price you pay.
A car that misses the cut-off by a few months is a costly mistake: it won't clear, and the cost of sending it back is yours.