Importing a Car to Kenya from the UK: Age Limits, Duty and KEBS Rules

Kenya's Traffic Act restricts imported used vehicles to a maximum age of eight years from the year of first registration, calculated at the time of import rather than at the time of purchase or shipping. This means a car first registered in the UK in 2018 would have been importable to Kenya up to 2026, but the calculation is based on the calendar year, so it's worth checking the exact cut-off date rather than assuming a straightforward eight-year window from your purchase date, since Kenya Bureau of Standards updates the qualifying year each January.

This rule catches out a fair number of buyers who purchase a car assuming it comfortably meets the age limit only to find that by the time shipping, KEBS inspection and Mombasa clearance are complete, months have passed and the calendar year has changed. We always recommend checking the current KEBS age threshold before purchasing a vehicle specifically for export to Kenya, not after.

Every vehicle exported to Kenya must undergo Pre-Export Verification of Conformity inspection before it leaves the country of export, carried out by an authorised inspection agency (commonly QISJ or similar approved agents operating in the UK). This inspection checks the vehicle's roadworthiness, mileage, structural condition and confirms it meets Kenyan import standards, and results in a Certificate of Roadworthiness that must accompany the shipping documents.

Skipping this step, or attempting to ship without a valid PVoC certificate, will result in the vehicle being denied clearance at Mombasa regardless of how straightforward everything else about the shipment is. The inspection needs to be booked and completed in the UK before the vehicle is loaded for shipping, typically taking a few days to arrange, and it's a cost that should be factored into your total budget alongside freight and duty — usually in the range of £100–£200 depending on the inspection agency and vehicle type.

Kenya calculates import duty using the Current Retail Selling Price (CRSP) system, a schedule maintained by Kenya Revenue Authority that assigns a reference value to specific vehicle makes, models and years rather than relying solely on the invoice price, which prevents under-declaration. Import duty is 25% of the customs value, excise duty then applies on top at rates that vary by engine capacity (commonly 20-35%, with larger engines taxed more heavily), followed by 16% VAT calculated on the duty and excise-inclusive value, and finally a 1.5% Railway Development Levy and 2% Import Declaration Fee.

Stacked together, these charges commonly add well over 50% to the vehicle's assessed CRSP value, sometimes considerably more for larger-engined vehicles. This is one of the most important things to model before committing to a purchase specifically for export, since the total landed cost in Kenya can be substantially higher than the UK purchase price plus freight alone might suggest.

Mombasa is Kenya's primary port and receives regular RORO and container services from European ports, with UK-origin cargo commonly routed via Southampton or Tilbury. Transit time typically runs four to six weeks depending on the shipping line and whether the vessel calls at other East African or Red Sea ports en route. RORO tends to be the more cost-effective option for standard running vehicles on this route given the volume of regular used-car trade between the UK and East Africa.

Once the vessel arrives, clearance through Kenya Revenue Authority and the Kenya Ports Authority typically takes several days to two weeks depending on how complete the paperwork is and whether the CRSP valuation is disputed. Import duty must be paid before release, so having funds ready and a clearing agent engaged in advance avoids the vehicle sitting in port storage, which at Mombasa can add up quickly given the port's demurrage rates for extended delays.

The core paperwork bundle for a Kenya-bound shipment includes the original UK V5C logbook, commercial invoice or proof of purchase, the PVoC Certificate of Roadworthiness, bill of lading, and an Import Declaration Form lodged with Kenya Revenue Authority ahead of arrival through the Kenya TradeNet system. A clearing agent in Kenya, whom we can help coordinate with, will typically handle the KRA declaration and duty assessment on your behalf.

Buyers should also be aware that Kenya requires the vehicle's logbook or registration document to clearly show the first registration date, since this is what KEBS and KRA use to confirm eligibility under the eight-year rule — a missing or unclear first registration date on older UK paperwork has occasionally caused delays that could easily be avoided by requesting a replacement V5C with clear dates before shipping.