Importing a used car to Kenya in 2026 starts with one date that matters more than any other: January 1, 2019. That’s the new cutoff. As of January 1, 2026, the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) is strictly enforcing the eight-year age rule under KS 1515:2000, and it is only accepting right-hand drive vehicles first registered on or after that date. A car that looked fine on paper a year ago can now be turned away at Mombasa Port entirely.

For importers, dealers, and returning residents, this isn’t a minor technicality — it’s the difference between a car that clears smoothly and one that sits at the port racking up storage and demurrage charges. Here’s what you need to know before you buy or ship.

Importing a Used Car to Kenya Under the 8-Year Rule: What Changed in 2026

KEBS has always required imported vehicles to be no older than eight years from their Year of First Registration (YoR) — not the manufacture year. What’s new in 2026 is enforcement. Certificates of Roadworthiness issued for 2018-model vehicles are no longer valid, and any vehicle first registered in 2018 or earlier that arrives after the cutoff will be rejected at the importer’s expense.

In practice, this means:

Only RHD vehicles first registered from 1 January 2019 onward qualify
A vehicle’s eligibility is judged strictly by YoR — mileage, condition, or dealer assurances don’t change the outcome
Left-hand drive vehicles are rejected outright, with limited exemptions (e.g. ambulances)

The Certificate of Roadworthiness (CoR) — Get This Before You Ship, Not After

Every used vehicle must pass a pre-shipment inspection in the country of origin, carried out by a KEBS-appointed agent. For vehicles from Japan — which supplies the vast majority of Kenya’s used-car imports — this is handled by Quality Inspection Services Japan (QISJ).

This step cannot be completed after the vehicle has already left port of origin. If you don’t have a valid CoR, your import documents, logbook, export certificate, and deregistration papers will need to be validated separately through the approved database — an added cost and delay you can avoid by planning ahead.

What You’ll Pay: Duty, Excise, VAT and Levies

KRA calculates duty on used vehicles using the Current Retail Selling Price (CRSP) schedule — a benchmark value for the model, not your purchase invoice. Typical charges stacked on the CRSP value include:

Import Duty — around 25%
Excise Duty — roughly 20–25%, depending on engine size and vehicle type
VAT — 16%
Import Declaration Fee (IDF) — 2.5%
Railway Development Levy (RDL) — 2%

Because these are calculated on CRSP value rather than what you actually paid, it’s worth getting a duty estimate from a licensed clearing agent before you commit to a purchase — not after the vehicle is already at sea.

Returning Residents: A Different Duty Path

If you’re a Kenyan returning home after living abroad for at least two continuous years, you may qualify for duty relief on one personal vehicle. The general conditions are:

At least two consecutive years of residence outside Kenya, with no more than 90 days spent in Kenya during that period
Ownership and personal use of the vehicle for at least 12 months before returning
Importing the vehicle within 90 days of your own arrival in Kenya
The vehicle must still meet the standard 8-year rule and RHD requirement

The documentation pack for returning residents differs from a standard commercial import, so it pays to work with a clearing agent who handles both regularly.

From Mombasa Port to Your Logbook: The Clearance Sequence

Pre-shipment inspection and CoR — completed in the country of origin before loading
Arrival and customs declaration — clearing agent lodges documents (invoice, logbook, export certificate, CoR, IDF) with KRA
Valuation and duty assessment — based on the CRSP schedule
Duty payment — once confirmed, KRA authorises release
NTSA registration — a further roadworthiness check, followed by Kenyan number plates and a logbook
Transport to Nairobi — by road or SGR rail

Skipping or mishandling any single step in this sequence is what turns a two-week import into a two-month ordeal.

Why Importing a Used Car to Kenya Is Not a DIY Process in 2026

With CRSP-based valuations under legal scrutiny and KEBS enforcement tightening, a small documentation error — a mismatched chassis number, an expired CoR, a valuation dispute — can now derail an entire shipment.

A licensed clearing agent registered with KRA Customs does more than push paperwork. They verify compliance before your vehicle ever leaves the country of origin, so you’re not finding out about a problem once it’s already on a ship.

At Clearon Logistics, we help importers, dealers, and returning residents confirm vehicle eligibility, prepare compliant documentation, and manage the full clearance process from Mombasa Port through to NTSA registration — so there are no surprises for you.

Planning to import a vehicle this year? Get in touch with Clearon Logistics for a duty estimate and compliance check before you buy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I still import a car registered in 2018? No. As of 1 January 2026, only RHD vehicles first registered from 1 January 2019 onward are permitted into Kenya.

Where is the Certificate of Roadworthiness issued? It’s issued by a KEBS-appointed inspection agent in the country of export — for Japan, this is QISJ — before the vehicle is shipped.

Is duty calculated on what I paid for the car? No. KRA uses the CRSP schedule, a standard benchmark value for the model and year, not your purchase invoice.

Can returning residents import a car duty-free? Returning residents may qualify for duty relief on one vehicle if they meet residency, ownership, and timing conditions — but the vehicle still must comply with the 8-year rule.