Country import guide · 🇰🇪 Kenya
Importing a Japanese Vehicle
to Kenya — Complete Guide.
The usual sequence, the real costs, and the regulatory bodies you actually deal with. Numbers itemized. No hidden margin.
At a glance
- Import duty
- 25.0%
- Consumption tax
- 16.0%
- Age rule
- 8 yr cap (strict)
- Compliance
- KEBS Pre-Shipment Inspection
- Drive side
- RHD
All-in landed cost — Nissan Leaf → Kenya
$17,625
Itemized below · no hidden lines · currency converts at the listing level
Popular vehicles imported to Kenya
Eligibility & compliance pathway
Age rule: Strict 8-year age cap from month of manufacture — past the cap the vehicle does not clear at all.
Pathway: KEBS Pre-Shipment Inspection (JEVIC or QISJ) + 8-Year Age Cap. Every Japan-origin vehicle must pass a pre-shipment inspection at the Japanese yard (JEVIC or QISJ) before vessel boarding. Cargo without the certificate is held at Mombasa. The 8-year age cap (from month of manufacture, not first registration) is strictly enforced — past the cap, the vehicle does not clear.
Typical cost: Typical inspection certificate ~US$200 plus radiation clearance ~US$100. KRA layers IDF (Import Declaration Fee) 3.5% of CIF and RDL (Railway Development Levy) 2% of CIF on top. NTSA first registration ~KES 10,000. Verify current rates with KRA and KEBS.
Required documents
The standard package for Kenya import. Missing any one of these typically holds the cargo at port until it is produced.
- Bill of Lading
- Commercial Invoice
- Japanese Export Certificate (METI deregistration)
- Marine Insurance Certificate
- Radiation Clearance Certificate
Step by step · the usual sequence
- 01Auction winBid won at a Japanese auction (USS, TAA, JU) or sourced from a dealer-direct match. Payment cleared in JPY.
- 02Export documentationMETI export certificate (deregistration) issued in Japan; commercial invoice and packing list prepared.
- 03Inland to portVehicle transported to Yokohama or Kobe and stored at the exporter's yard.
- 04Vessel boardingLoaded onto RoRo (roll-on / roll-off) or container vessel bound for Port of Mombasa.
- 05Ocean transitSea freight in transit. Bill of lading issued at departure; vessel tracked end-to-end.
- 06Port arrival + clearanceVessel berths at Port of Mombasa. Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) processes duty and tax assessment; cargo released against the import declaration.
- 07Compliance pathwayKEBS Pre-Shipment Inspection (JEVIC or QISJ) + 8-Year Age Cap. Every Japan-origin vehicle must pass a pre-shipment inspection at the Japanese yard (JEVIC or QISJ) before vessel boarding. Cargo without the certificate is held at Mombasa. The 8-year age cap (from month of manufacture, not first registration) is strictly enforced — past the cap, the vehicle does not clear.
- 08Registration + on roadNational Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) issues registration and plates. Typical 2–4 weeks at NTSA after Mombasa clearance, including KEBS verification, KRA tax assessment, and number-plate issue.
Ports of entry typically used for Japan-origin vehicles into Kenya: Port of Mombasa.
Key gotchas · first-timer traps in Kenya
- The 8-year age cap counts from month of manufacture — not first registration — and is strictly enforced. A vehicle that misses the cap by a single month does not clear.
- Pre-shipment inspection (JEVIC or QISJ) must happen before vessel boarding. Cargo arriving at Mombasa without the certificate is held until inspection is arranged retroactively, at importer cost.
- Excise duty grades by age (25 / 30 / 35%) and stacks on top of import duty + VAT. Run the full landed-cost number before bidding — total tax burden often exceeds the vehicle's hammer price.
Frequently asked · this vehicle, this destination
What does it cost to import a Japanese vehicle to Kenya?
Landed cost is the vehicle hammer price plus ocean freight, import duty, consumption tax (VAT or GST), customs clearance, and the WATTSHIP transaction fee. Kenya's rate schedule and the typical range are itemized in the breakdown above — every line shown, no hidden margin.
How long does shipping and clearing a Japanese vehicle to Kenya take?
Auction-day to keys-in-hand totals 8–14 weeks on most routes: 1–2 weeks inland to Yokohama or Kobe, 3–8 weeks ocean transit, 1–4 weeks port + compliance + registration. Lane and season shift these windows.
What documents are needed to import a Japanese vehicle to Kenya?
Standard package: original Japanese export certificate (deregistration), bill of lading, commercial invoice, and any country-specific compliance documents (see the Required Documents checklist above). Strict 8-year age cap from month of manufacture — past the cap the vehicle does not clear at all. The KEBS Pre-Shipment Inspection (JEVIC or QISJ) + 8-Year Age Cap pathway sits separately from the document pack.
How is the age-graded excise duty calculated?
Kenya grades excise by age from manufacture: roughly 25% for vehicles under 3 years, 30% for 3–8 years, 35% near the 8-year limit. The excise stacks on top of the 25% import duty and 16% VAT — total tax burden often exceeds the vehicle's hammer price. Verify current excise schedule with KRA.
What is the IDF fee and when does it apply?
IDF (Import Declaration Fee) is 3.5% of the CIF value, levied by KRA at clearance. RDL (Railway Development Levy) of 2% of CIF stacks alongside. Both apply to every vehicle import regardless of fuel type or age.
Why does Kenya require a radiation clearance certificate?
Following the 2011 Fukushima event, Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Uganda require radiation clearance for Japan-origin vehicles. The certificate confirms the vehicle is below the radiation action threshold. It is issued in Japan before export and accompanies the bill of lading.