A clearing agent for hotel and restaurant equipment is really managing a fit-out schedule. Kitchens, bars, laundries and guest areas are built to opening dates, and a missing oven or cold room can delay revenue for weeks. These shipments are also unusually mixed: refrigeration, cooking equipment, stainless fabrications, small appliances and furnishings often share a container. Here’s how to keep the clearance side on schedule.

Fit-Out Projects Run on Fixed Opening Dates

Hospitality owners and contractors usually have financing, staffing and marketing locked to an opening date. That makes early planning essential: confirm certification and classification before orders are placed, agree a shipping schedule that leaves time for clearance, and plan delivery to site in the order equipment will be installed.

What a Typical Fit-Out Shipment Contains

Typical items include cookers and ovens, refrigeration and cold rooms, extraction hoods, dishwashers, food preparation machines, bar equipment, stainless-steel tables and shelving, laundry machines and display units. Each can classify and be regulated differently, so describing the container as “restaurant equipment” on the invoice is a recipe for delay.

Refrigeration and Electrical Items Carry Extra Rules

Commercial refrigeration and cooling equipment generally need KEBS conformity documentation, and may also fall under EPRA energy performance registration, refrigerant-related environmental rules and EPR obligations. See our guides to the Certificate of Conformity and EPRA energy standards. Electrical items should also be checked against the issues in our conformity guide before ordering.

Split Classification, Don’t Lump It

Duty depends on each item’s HS classification, so a mixed container should be declared item by item. Lumping everything under one description risks reassessment at the highest applicable rate and slows clearance. Give your agent a full equipment schedule with model numbers and values before shipping, and read our guide to HS classification.

Operating Licences Are Separate From Customs

Clearing the equipment doesn’t license the premises. Food premises need public health licensing, covered in our food hygiene licensing guide, plus county business permits. Don’t assume any sector-specific duty relief applies to hospitality equipment; if someone suggests one, ask for it in writing and have your agent verify the current legal basis.

Staging Deliveries Around the Build-Out

Bulky equipment arriving before the building is ready generates storage cost and risk. Consider staged shipments, or LCL for smaller items, and agree with your agent how long cargo can wait at the container freight station before charges bite. Remember Kenya’s mandatory CFS nomination rules when planning where the cargo will be cleared.

Working With Clearon Logistics on Hospitality Fit-Outs

We plan hospitality shipments backwards from your opening date: equipment schedule reviewed early, certification confirmed, classification split properly and delivery staged to match construction progress. All costs are itemised so your project budget holds.

Fitting out a hotel, restaurant or catering kitchen with imported equipment? Talk to Clearon Logistics with your equipment list and opening date, and we’ll build a clearance plan around them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does commercial kitchen equipment need KEBS certification? Many items do, particularly refrigeration and electrical equipment. Confirm requirements per item before ordering.

Can I ship all my restaurant equipment in one container? Yes, but each item should be listed separately with its own description and value, since classification and regulation can differ by item.

Is there a special duty exemption for hotel equipment? Don’t assume one. If an exemption is suggested, ask for the legal basis in writing and have your agent confirm it is currently in force.

Does clearing the equipment license my kitchen? No. Food premises need separate public health licensing and county permits.