Kenya
B/L Print Requirements
Mandatory text on Ocean B/L
- • 6-digit HS Code, Importer 11-character alphanumeric KRA PIN, and IDF Number mandatory on Ocean B/L and manifest.
- • Place of Delivery must state either Port of Mombasa, ICDN (Nairobi), or ICD Naivasha.
- • Ocean freight must be prepaid.
Consignee's full legal name and mailing address must match the registered KRA PIN database exactly. Local consignees must show an 11-character alphanumeric KRA PIN in the address field. For transit cargo to Uganda, Rwanda, South Sudan, or DRC under the EAC Single Customs Territory, the transit clause ("In transit to [Country] via Port of Mombasa") must appear in the goods description.
Inspection & Certificates
Pre-loading inspection & filing
- • Mandatory pre-shipment Certificate of Conformity issued by KEBS-appointed inspection bodies prior to container loading for regulated goods.
- • Electronic IDF pre-registered on Kenya TradeNet portal prior to shipment.
- • Certificate of Origin mandatory for all commercial imports.
- • Mandatory non-intrusive radiation screening enforced at Kenyan ports of entry.
- • Motor vehicles require pre-export roadworthiness inspection certificates.
Cargo & Standards
Labeling, vehicles & packaging
- • Passenger vehicles: maximum 8 years from manufacture
- • Left-hand-drive vehicles are strictly prohibited.
- • English and/or Swahili product labeling mandatory on all retail packaging.
- • Motor vehicles must not exceed 8 years from year of first registration.
- • Left-hand-drive vehicles strictly prohibited (RHD required).
- • Official Veterinary Health Certificate and prior DVS Veterinary Import Permit mandatory for all imported meat products.
- • ISPM 15 wood packaging compliance strictly enforced by KEPHIS at Port of Mombasa.
- • ISPM 15 heat-treated stamp required on all wooden packaging.
Shipper & Consignee
Where this destination differs from standard practice
- • Foreign consignees are not accepted — a locally-registered entity must be named.
Consignee must be a registered Kenyan entity or individual holding an active 11-character alphanumeric KRA PIN. NVOCCs and licensed consolidators can be named as consignees on Master B/Ls. "To Order" B/Ls are permitted provided the Notify Party is the registered local buyer with full physical street address matching KRA records, active phone, and KRA PIN printed on the B/L. PO Box only is rejected.
Non-Compliance Risk at Destination
Regulated goods arriving without an origin KEBS CoC incur a mandatory 15% CIF penalty plus a 15% destination testing bond and sampling delays. Motor vehicles over 8 years or left-hand drive face automatic customs condemnation and destruction.
Compliance Timeline for Kenya
Follow this 3-step sequence from container stuffing through to port clearance.
Before Container Loading
- ✓ Complete pre-shipment inspection (PVoC / CoC) via KEBS PVoC Accredited Bodies (Bureau Veritas, SGS, Intertek, Cotecna, CCIC, TÜV Rheinland; QISJ/EAA for vehicles) before cargo is stuffed.
- ✓ Verify vehicle age against the applicable statutory limit (8 yrs passenger).
- ✓ Confirm vehicle is NOT left-hand drive before booking.
- ✓ Confirm consignee is a locally-registered entity — foreign consignees are not accepted at this destination.
- ✓ Verify ISPM 15 heat-treated stamp on all wooden crates, dunnage, and pallets.
Prior to Sailing
- ✓ Ensure exact consignee Tax ID / Registration Code and 6-digit HS Code are printed on B/L.
- ✓ Submit SOLAS Verified Gross Mass (VGM) to loading terminal before yard cutoff.
Port Clearance at Destination
- ✓ Present original Certificate of Conformity (CoC) to destination standards inspectors.
- ✓ Collect Delivery Order (DO) upon completing Release verification.
Download Compliance Guide for Kenya (PDF)
Generate a practical, print-ready compliance document complete with statutory B/L clauses, ECTN certificate agencies, vehicle age ceilings, and station phone contacts.