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Car Importation & Clearance

Vehicle Importing, Clearance Registration of Cars should be a carefully carried out procedure, with assistance and in consultations with experts and customs clearing agents. Aeromarine Capital Group Kenya is preeminent in clearing and forwarding vehicles for Kenya’s market or transits for East Africa. Specializing in Shipping, Warehousing, Freight Clearing and Forwarding Fraternity Aeromarine also caters for larger market of Vehicle Imports, Clearance and Registration of motor vehicles.

We will help you go the entire process of considering different vehicles, sourcing, identifying the car, purchasing and transporting your car to port of loading for Shipping vehicle sourcing, vehicle importation, meeting Kenya regulations, vehicle shipping to Kenya, vehicle inspections, Kenya customs duties payments, Kenya vehicle registration, vehicle clearing and vehicle transportation modes and finally delivery of your vehicle at your door step. This will gives you confidence and peace of mind and saves your time and money.

Our bespoke, car importation services include:

CAR SOURCING

CAR SOURCING

We offer advice and help on finding the right vehicle in the right colour and specification
PRE-IMPORTATION INSPECTION

PRE-IMPORTATION INSPECTION

Pre-shipment inspections/certification of used vehicles as required
CUSTOMS DUTY PROCESSING

CUSTOMS DUTY PROCESSING

Upon arrival at the port, we liase with customs for prompt duty clearance
CAR REGISTRATION

CAR REGISTRATION

Vehicle inspection at the NTSA and issuance of number plate.
CAR DELIVERY

CAR DELIVERY

We deliver your new car to you at your home or office

The experts in quick & cost-effective door-to-door delivery

Vehicle Clearance Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS)

One of the most common questions is how the duty and related taxes of an imported car is calculated. Depreciation of the car is one of the major factors that will influence the duty; Depreciation is determined from the year and month of first registration of the vehicle you intend to import.

Imported Vehicles Duty and Taxes.

The following taxes/duties are payable for motor vehicle imports based on customs value.

  • Import Duty (25%)
  • Excise Duty varies with vehicle category:
  1. Private passenger vehicles of petrol engine whose engine capacity exceeds 2500cc (30%)
  2. Private passenger vehicles of Diesel engine whose engine capacity exceeds 3000cc (30%)
  3. All Other Vehicle Categories (20%)
  • Value Added Tax (16%)
  • Import Declaration Fees (2%)
  • Railway Development Levy (1.5%)

NB: CIF – This is the customs value of the vehicle i.e. the Cost, Insurance & Freight paid for the vehicle. However KRA uses the Current Retail Selling Price (CRSP) rather than the CIF of a vehicle but the two will give you more or less the same figure.

Clearing the vehicle through Kenya Customs, an importer will have to contract a licensed clearing agent to process their declaration in the Simba 2005 system. Aeromarine Capital has an in-house clearance and can help you on your vehicle clearance.

The clearing agent will lodge an import entry in Simba 2005 system, pay the required duties and taxes and present all the relevant documentation for Customs to pass the entry.
The documents required are:

  • Original Commercial Invoice.
  • Original Bill of Lading.
  • Import Declaration Form obtained from Customs.
  • Authentic Original Logbook from country of origin.

KRA shall not accept a Certificate of Export issued by Dubai Police or any other authority as a substitute for a foreign log book.
If the logbook is in a foreign language, an English translation issued by the respective Embassy, High Commission or a consulate based here in Kenya must be furnished to Customs to authenticate the foreign logbook.

  • Cancellation of the foreign Logbook
  • Certificate of Inspection by Japan Auto Appraisal Institute (JAAI)
  • Any other document that may be required by Customs

Note: The vehicle must meet Kenya Bureau of Standards KS 1515:2000 – Code of Practice for Inspection of Road Vehicles.

The Standard spells out three major criteria for acceptance of vehicles of importation:

A. Age Limit
All imports of used motor vehicles including returning residents or the general public are required to observe  the 8(eight) year rule, only Right Hand Drive (RHD) motor vehicles whose year of first registration is 2006 or later shall be allowed into the country as from 1st January 2013

B. Left Hand Drive
All left hand drive vehicles are not allowed for registration unless they are for special purpose i.e. Ambulances, Fire Tenders and large construction vehicles imported for projects and to be eventually donated to the Kenyan Government.

C. Road Worthiness
All used vehicles imported into Kenya shall be inspected for Road Worthiness, safety and other requirements.

All imports of used motor vehicles including those belonging to returning residents, diplomats and or public servants must meet the above requirements.

Returning resident: A person changing residence from a place outside Kenya to a place within Kenya where that person has been residing outside Kenya for a period of at least two years and has not resided in Kenya for a period(s) amounting in aggregate to ninety days or more within the two years immediately before this return to Kenya.

A returning resident may import one exempt motor vehicle “(excluding buses and minibuses of seating capacity of more than 13 passengers and load carrying capacity exceeding two tonnes)” Provided that:

i)        the person has attained the age of eighteen years;

ii)      the vehicle was used by him outside Kenya for at least three hundred and sixty days (excluding the period of voyage in the case of shipment)

iii)    the vehicle is owned and registered in his name and/or his spouse, and where the motor vehicle is purchased on hire purchase terms, the first installment in respect thereof was paid and delivery taken at least three hundred and sixty days prior to importation.

To process any documentation, make an import declaration or pay duties to Kenya Customs, you will require the services of a licensed clearing agent with authorized access to the Simba 2005 System used by Customs for clearance of cargo. Aeromarine Capital has an in-house clearance and can help you on your vehicle clearance.

The import duty rates of all commodities are set out in the EAC Common External Tariff. However, this should be read vis-a-vis the EAC Gazette Notices that incorporate any changes in the tariff rates.

Contact a licensed clearing agent to lodge an entry with Customs. Aeromarine Capital has an in-house clearance and can help you on your vehicle clearance.
Present the vehicle for inspection by Customs prior to acceptance of the entry document.

If found to conform to the required standards, the processing officer will accept payment and pass the entry upon full payment of the relevant duties and taxes.
The vehicle can then be registered or ownership transferred in the Road Transport Department.