How to Import a Car into Kenya

Importing directly can save money, and it can just as easily cost more than buying locally once duty, delays and a bad auction sheet are accounted for. The difference is almost entirely preparation.

The eight-year rule

Kenya does not permit the import of vehicles more than eight years old from the year of first registration. The year of manufacture is not the relevant date — first registration is. A vehicle that falls outside the window cannot be cleared, and no amount of negotiation at the port changes that. Confirm the first registration date in writing before you bid on anything.

How duty is calculated

Duty is assessed on the Current Retail Selling Price of the model, depreciated for age, rather than on what you paid at auction. Getting a bargain does not reduce your duty. The components stack in sequence, each calculated on the running total:

1. 1 Import Duty at 25% of the customs value
2. 2 Excise Duty, which varies by engine capacity, on the value plus import duty
3. 3 VAT at 16% on the value plus import duty plus excise
4. 4 Import Declaration Fee and the Railway Development Levy

As a working figure, expect total taxes to land somewhere between 70% and 100% of the customs value. Larger engines sit at the top of that range because excise scales with capacity.

Read the auction sheet properly

Japanese auction sheets are the most reliable condition record available anywhere in the used-car trade, and most buyers barely read them. The overall grade matters, but the interior grade and the diagram of noted panel damage matter more.

• Grades 4 and above are generally sound; grade 3.5 needs a closer look
• R or RA denotes a repaired vehicle — accident history, disclosed
• The panel map marks scratches, dents and corrosion by location and severity
• Interior grades run A to D; C and below usually means visible wear you will want to address

Pre-shipment inspection

Kenya requires a roadworthiness inspection at origin from an appointed agent before shipping. Budget for it, and treat it as useful rather than bureaucratic — a vehicle that fails at origin is a vehicle you have not yet paid to ship.

Realistic timelines and costs

From winning an auction to driving the vehicle, six to ten weeks is normal: two to four weeks of shipping, then clearance, port charges and registration. Budget for marine insurance, port handling, clearing agent fees and NTSA registration on top of duty.

Import when you want a specification that is not available locally. Buy locally when you want the same car without the wait or the risk.

If the process sounds like more than you want to manage, our sourcing team handles it end to end and quotes the landed cost — duty included — before any money moves.