Importing Goods into Kenya
Expats who are moving to Kenya can bring their household goods either through shipment by plane or boat. However, shipping goods to Kenya can be laborious and expensive so think of the pros and cons before you decide on this matter.
To save on costs, it would be more practical to bring minimal items with you during your trip to Kenya as they will not be subjected to taxes when entering Kenya as an airline baggage. The fees incurred for checking them as incurred baggage can however vary depending on what airline you use.
Generally, items shipped by air are sent to the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport freight department while those sent by boat arrive through the Customs at Mombasa Port. You should however be aware that whether you send your household items and personal effects to Kenya by air or sea, they must all pass through Customs upon arrival and imposed the appropriate duties and import taxes before they are cleared.
If you’re arriving in Kenya as an expatriate for the first time, you will be able to enjoy duty-free importation of all your household goods and personal effects within three months of your work permit issuance. If you fail to import your items within the said period, you can still enjoy duty-free importation to Kenya provided the items have been in your possession for a period of at least one year prior to the shipment. All items shipped by an expat to Kenya that does not fall within the said category will be subjected to duties following the set importation rates for each item regardless of their purchase price. If you consider the duties, taxes and shipping costs of furniture and other household items, you would realize that it would be cheaper to get them in Kenya.
Make sure that the electrical household items being shipped to Kenya come with the original invoices and their serial numbers. Be prepared to show evidence of your expatriate relocation and your address in Kenya.
If you are arriving in Kenya for the first time or if you are a Kenyan citizen who has resided outside the country for at least two years, you are allowed a duty-free importation of a vehicle once you return provide you are 18 years old or older. However, the vehicle should be registered in your own name prior to the shipment, it is over three months old and the vehicle has an engine displacement of not more than 2,500 cc.
If you’re bringing in vehicles to Kenya then you need to prepare the following documents: Passport; Work Permit; Certificate of registration indicating when the vehicle was first registered, chassis number and the engine capacity; Clean Report of Findings (CRF); Certificate of local value; Customs C15 forms; Clean Report (IDF); supplier’s invoice with chassis and engine numbers for new vehicles; Import Declaration Form (IDF); Certificate of Registration.
If you have used the vehicle under your own name for the past 12 months outside the country then you can bring your vehicle to Kenya duty-free. This is allowed for only one car. However, the vehicle will not be transferable for the next 12 months and in case you transfer ownership after the restricted period, the necessary duty and sales tax will have to be paid.
If your vehicle does not fall under the duty-free category then you have to take note of the following duties and fees: Import Duty which is 25% of the vehicle’s CIF (Cost, Insurance and Freight) value, Excise Duty which is 20% of the CIF value, VAT which is 16% of the CIF value plus the excise duty and the IDF which is 2.25% of the CIF value or 5,000 KES, whichever amount is higher.
The ordeal is not yet over even after the shipment has been cleared by the Customs in Kenya because you cannot just send someone to pick up your shipment since they require that the owner of the items personally claim the items at the customs clearance. When claiming your items, bring your original passport and a valid entry permit. Obtain form C-18 or the baggage declaration form from Customs and submit the form together with an itemized inventory of the shipment. The inventory should indicate the total number of package, luggage insurance certificates and the approximate value of the items in US dollars.