| Country | Kenya |
|---|---|
| Main ports | MombasaKEMBA |
| Required documents | 12 documents, listed below |
As of 1 Nov 2026
The documents usually required for a commercial import, who normally provides each one, and points to watch. Your coordinator confirms the exact list for your goods.
| Document | Provided by | Note |
|---|---|---|
| KRA PIN | Importer | Must match the consignee on the bill of lading. |
| Import Declaration Form (IDF) | Importer, through a customs agent on KenTrade | Lodged before shipment; the IDF fee is charged on customs value. |
| Proforma invoice | Supplier | Used to lodge the IDF. |
| Commercial invoice | Supplier | Itemised with HS codes, values and origin; must match the IDF. |
| Packing list | Supplier | Packages and weights matching the invoice. |
| Bill of lading | Carrier / Nil Ocean | Consignee name and PIN must match the importer. |
| Certificate of origin | Supplier (chamber of commerce or authorised body) | Needed to claim any preferential rate. |
| KEBS PVoC Certificate of Conformity | Supplier, through a KEBS-appointed inspection company | For regulated products; issued before shipment. |
| Product permits | Importer | For example KEPHIS for plants and seeds, Pharmacy and Poisons Board for medicines. |
| Customs entry in iCMS | Licensed customs agent | Duties, VAT and levies assessed and paid. |
| Delivery order | Carrier's agent in Mombasa | Issued after local charges are paid. |
| Insurance certificate | Seller (CIF/CIP) or buyer | Only if the cargo is insured. |
KRA PIN
Provided by: Importer
Must match the consignee on the bill of lading.
Import Declaration Form (IDF)
Provided by: Importer, through a customs agent on KenTrade
Lodged before shipment; the IDF fee is charged on customs value.
Proforma invoice
Provided by: Supplier
Used to lodge the IDF.
Commercial invoice
Provided by: Supplier
Itemised with HS codes, values and origin; must match the IDF.
Packing list
Provided by: Supplier
Packages and weights matching the invoice.
Bill of lading
Provided by: Carrier / Nil Ocean
Consignee name and PIN must match the importer.
Certificate of origin
Provided by: Supplier (chamber of commerce or authorised body)
Needed to claim any preferential rate.
KEBS PVoC Certificate of Conformity
Provided by: Supplier, through a KEBS-appointed inspection company
For regulated products; issued before shipment.
Product permits
Provided by: Importer
For example KEPHIS for plants and seeds, Pharmacy and Poisons Board for medicines.
Customs entry in iCMS
Provided by: Licensed customs agent
Duties, VAT and levies assessed and paid.
Delivery order
Provided by: Carrier's agent in Mombasa
Issued after local charges are paid.
Insurance certificate
Provided by: Seller (CIF/CIP) or buyer
Only if the cargo is insured.
As of 1 Nov 2026
Facts as of 1 November 2026. Levies and procedures in Kenya change with each Finance Act and system upgrade. Confirm the current position with your coordinator and the official sources on this page before you ship.
| Item | Detail (as of 1 Nov 2026) |
|---|---|
| Main port | Mombasa (KEMBA) |
| Customs authority and system | Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), Integrated Customs Management System (iCMS) |
| Single window | Kenya TradeNet System (KenTrade) |
| Import duty | East African Community Common External Tariff, in bands such as 0%, 10%, 25% and 35%; some remissions and exemptions apply |
| VAT | 16% standard rate |
| Other levies | Import Declaration Fee and Railway Development Levy, charged as a percentage of customs value; rates are set by law and change |
| Conformity | KEBS Pre-Export Verification of Conformity (PVoC) certificate for regulated products |
| Transit | Northern Corridor to Uganda, Rwanda, South Sudan and eastern DR Congo |
Any business or individual with a KRA Personal Identification Number (PIN) can import, but the customs entry itself is lodged by a licensed customs agent.
The consignee on the bill of lading must match the importer's KRA PIN and name, and the same details should appear on the Import Declaration Form and the commercial invoice. Mismatches between these documents are a common reason for queries at Mombasa.
The IDF is the declaration of intent to import that is lodged through KenTrade before the goods are shipped, usually on the basis of the supplier's proforma invoice.
It is required for most commercial imports, and the Import Declaration Fee is calculated on the customs value. Lodge it early: the IDF number is needed for the customs entry, and late IDFs are a frequent cause of avoidable delay once the vessel has arrived.
Products covered by the KEBS Pre-Export Verification of Conformity (PVoC) programme need a Certificate of Conformity issued in the exporting country before shipment by an inspection company appointed by KEBS.
Goods that arrive without a required certificate face destination inspection, penalties and possible re-export or destruction. Check whether your HS codes fall under PVoC before production finishes, so the inspection can take place before loading. Other agencies issue permits for specific goods, for example the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS) for plants and seeds and the Pharmacy and Poisons Board for medicines.
Import duty is set by the East African Community Common External Tariff according to the HS code, and VAT at 16% is then charged on the customs value plus duty and any excise.
The Import Declaration Fee and the Railway Development Levy are added as percentages of the customs value, and excise duty applies to certain goods. Rates change with Kenya's Finance Acts and EAC decisions, so confirm them for your HS code with your customs agent or the KRA before you price your goods.
Plan for occasional customs-system outages and congestion at Mombasa, and keep a buffer between the expected release date and the end of free time.
In February 2026, planned iCMS maintenance of 36 hours ran beyond 72 hours, agents could not process transactions and trucks queued outside the port (Business Daily). Further maintenance windows were scheduled in April and September 2026, and KRA and the Kenya Ports Authority piloted a smart-gate system in August 2026. When an outage affects your cargo, your case shows it as an external blocker linked to an advisory, so you can see why it is waiting.
We coordinate shipments to Mombasa from Jebel Ali and JAFZA, including consolidation of goods bought in China or Dubai, and every Kenya case follows one visible checklist.
The stages are: KRA PIN confirmed → IDF lodged → PVoC certificate where required → booking and loading → arrival at Mombasa → iCMS entry and duty payment → release → delivery or onward transit. See UAE to Kenya and transit and re-export.
Only if your products are covered by the KEBS PVoC programme. If they are, the Certificate of Conformity must be issued in the exporting country before shipment; arriving without it leads to inspection and penalties.
The standard VAT rate is 16%, charged on the customs value plus import duty and any excise. The Import Declaration Fee and Railway Development Levy are added separately.
Yes, cargo can move through Mombasa along the Northern Corridor under transit procedures, and the destination country's import rules then apply. Ask your coordinator which inland destinations we currently cover.
Clearance pauses until the system is restored, and free time keeps running. We record the outage on your case as an external blocker linked to an advisory and push for release as soon as the system is back.
Yes. Goods from several suppliers in China or Dubai can be consolidated in a JAFZA warehouse and shipped to Mombasa as one LCL or FCL shipment with a single set of documents.
Official and primary sources used for this page. Rules change, so check the source for the latest version.
General information, not legal or customs advice. Requirements depend on the goods, their HS code and current regulations; confirm them with your coordinator or the relevant authority before shipping.
United Arab EmiratestoKenya
FCL and LCL sea freight and re-export from Jebel Ali and JAFZA to Mombasa, with Kenyan documents such as the IDF and KEBS certificate checked before loading, and onward transit on the Northern Corridor where we can cover it.
Next step
Send your cargo, origin and timing. A coordinator confirms the documents and sends an itemised quote.
To import into Kenya you need a KRA PIN, an Import Declaration Form lodged through the KenTrade single window, a commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading and, for regulated products, a KEBS Certificate of Conformity issued before shipment. Duties follow the East African Community Common External Tariff, VAT is 16%, and a licensed customs agent lodges the entry in KRA's iCMS system.
