Shipping and Removals in Kenya

Expats moving to Kenya must decide whether they’d like to ship their household items there, and what form this shipment should take.

Shipping items to Kenya, by plane or by boat, can be a long and expensive process.

If bringing minimal goods across, it may be cheaper and more efficient to check items as excess luggage; prices vary with each airline. Items that accompany an expat as airline baggage are not subject to taxes.

In most cases, airline shipping is sent to the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport freight department, and boat shipping arrives at Mombasa Port Customs. Expats need to ensure they consider travel time and the cost of transporting the shipped items from the arrival point to their accommodation.

A few recommended shipping companies include Fastlaneshipping.com and Removalgroup.com.

Customs and Import Duty

Expats need to be aware that all items imported into Kenya, whether by airline freight or ocean shipping, must be cleared through customs on arrival and the appropriate duty import taxes must be paid.

For first-time expats in Kenya, all household goods and personal effects are duty-free within 3 months of issue of their work permit. For items imported outside of the 3-month period, goods are duty-free only if they have been in the owner’s possession for at least one year prior to import. All items outside of these requirements will be assessed for duty payable on each individual item. Most items have set rates for import, i.e. CDs and DVDs have a per-item duty rate, irrespective of the price originally paid for them, or the amount or type of content thereon.

Expats should note that after shipping and duty costs on some items, it may be cheaper to buy all household items new in Kenya. Most furniture, household goods and other electrical items are inexpensive and readily available.

Customs regulations in Kenya

To pick up shipping, the following regulations must be met:

• The owner of the items must be present at customs clearance. It is not possible to send someone to pick up shipping on your behalf
• The owner must bring their original passport (if issued within the last two years the old passport is also required), with a valid entry-permit
• Baggage declaration form C-18 (obtainable at customs), signed by the customer
• An itemised inventory of each package, approximate value in US dollars, and total number of packages must be presented. Luggage insurance certificates must also be provided and the information should match the inventory details
• All electrical items must be accompanied by their original invoices and serial numbers
• The owner must be able to provide evidence of their address in Kenya and proof of expatriate relocation

Import Restrictions

 
The following items have restrictions on the amount allowed to be imported:

• Tobacco: 1½ lb of tobacco, or 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars
• Alcohol: 1 bottle
• Perfume: 1 pint

Items that incur duty:

• Alcoholic beverages
• New items
• Fabric pieces
• Trade goods or goods for sale
• Aircraft and vessels of all kinds
• Used machinery
• All computers, whether new or old, unless imported by a student who is studying computer studies.

Prohibited items:

The following items are forbidden for import unless accompanied by permits and approval letters from appropriate government departments.

• Weapons, silencers, ammunition, toy guns, explosives and tear gas
• Meat and milk products
• Psychotropic substances
• Medicines (unless for a specific medical condition and accompanied by a letter from a G.P)
• Plants, seeds, bulbs, fresh fruit and vegetables (unless a permit is obtained from the Ministry of Agriculture stating that the plants are free from disease)
• Pornographic material
• Drugs
• Political literature

Importing motor vehicles

Importing a personal vehicle is highly restricted and time-consuming, but often significantly cheaper than purchasing a vehicle locally.

Expats may import their personal vehicle from outside Kenya without paying duty provided that:

• The vehicle is more than three months old but less than 8 years old, and has been registered in the owner’s name for more than three months
• The vehicle is less than 2,500 cc
• The vehicle is not sold within 12 months of import
• The owner is a first-time expatriate in Kenya and has a valid work permit
• The owner is 18 years of age or older
• When clearing customs, the following documentation is required:
• Import declaration form, clean report, and clean report certificate
• Authority to import vehicle letter
• Log book and service history
• Certificate of registration (from own country) indicating engine and chassis number, first date of registration, engine capacity, and history of vehicle ownership
• Certificate of local value (from own country)
• Passport and valid work permit
• C-15 form (available from customs)

Duty payable on the importation of a motor vehicle is as follows:

Import Duty:   25% of the CIF value of the vehicle
Excise Duty:   20% of the CIF value = import duty = excise duty
VAT:         16% of the CIF value + excise duty
IDF:         2.25% of the CIF value or 5,000 KES, whichever is higher.
Note: CIF = customs value of the vehicle, i.e. the cost, insurance and freight paid for the vehicle. The CIF value is also deduced from the current retail selling price of the vehicle.

Importing pets

An import permit must be obtained from the Veterinary Department at Kabete in Nairobi prior to shipping.

• Up-to-date vaccination certificate from country of origin must be provided
• Dogs and cats are exempt from value-added tax, but do incur duty
• Birds and bird eggs are prohibited