KRA Duty in 2026: How Much It Really Costs to Import a Car to Kenya
CRSP, excise and what foreign-used really costs.
Every foreign-used car price in Kenya hides the same math: KRA's Current Retail Selling Price (CRSP) schedule plus import duty 35%, excise duty (20–35% by engine size), VAT 16%, IDF 2.5% and RDL 2%. On a typical 1500cc car, total taxes land near 100% of the CRSP value.
Rule one: Kenya allows only cars under 8 years old from year of manufacture. Rule two: always price-shop using the CRSP, not the Japanese auction price — two identical-looking units can carry very different duty if their trim levels differ.
Cheapest route for most buyers is still buying an already-imported, duty-paid unit from a verified dealer — the duty is sunk, the logbook exists, and you can verify everything on NTSA TIMS before paying.
Watch out: 'duty not paid' deals at the port look cheap until KRA storage, clearing and compliance are added. Insist on a duty receipt for every foreign-used listing.
Key takeaways for Kenyan buyers
- Always verify the logbook on NTSA TIMS before paying.
- Insist on duty-paid proof for foreign-used units.
- Budget 10–15% above price for transfer, service and tyres.
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