What it actually costs to clear a car in Kenya

KRA does not tax what you paid

This catches almost every first-time importer. Kenya Revenue Authority values your car using its own Current Retail Selling Price schedule — the CRSP — depreciated for the age of the unit. If you found a bargain at auction, the tax bill does not shrink with it.

So a landed-cost estimate has two independent halves: the CIF price we quote you, and the duty KRA assesses on its own valuation. Treat them separately.

The taxes, in order

Each tax is calculated on the running total of the ones before it, which is why the effective rate lands far above the headline 35%.

• Import duty — 35% of the customs value.
• Excise duty — 20% for engines up to 1500cc, 25% from 1500cc to 3000cc, 35% above that, charged on customs value plus import duty. Fully electric units are 10%.
• VAT — 16% of customs value plus import duty plus excise.
• Import Declaration Fee — 3.5% of customs value.
• Railway Development Levy — 2% of customs value.

What is not in that list

Port charges at Mombasa, your clearing agent, transport up to Nairobi, NTSA registration and number plates all sit outside the tax calculation. Budget another 80,000 to 150,000 shillings depending on the unit and where it is going.

Engine size is the lever

The jump from 1500cc to 1501cc moves excise from 20% to 25%, and 3000cc upward moves it to 35%. On a large SUV that single step is worth hundreds of thousands of shillings. If two models are close on your shortlist, check where each one falls before you decide.