Is this the final amount I will pay to KRA?

No. This is an estimate only. KRA and customs make the final assessment.

CRSP means Current Retail Selling Price. For this estimate, KRA's official CRSP is used as the valuation baseline for an imported used vehicle, while final customs valuation remains subject to classification, documentation and customs assessment.

Why do I need month and year of first registration?

KRA calculates vehicle age depreciation using the month and year of first registration (or year of manufacture where registration month is unverified). Vehicles over 8 years old are restricted from import under KEBS standards.

Why can the final duty differ?

CRSP version, fuel and HS classification, customs value, freight and insurance, documentation, exemptions, customs exchange rates and the final KRA assessment can affect the amount.

Car Import Duty Calculator Kenya 2026

Estimate import duty, excise duty, VAT, IDF and RDL for vehicles imported into Kenya using official KRA CRSP schedules.

Estimate only. Customs makes the final assessment.

Vehicle Parameters

Select the vehicle details. The calculator will match the KRA CRSP value.

There is a problem

Review the following fields before calculating:

Vehicle make

Search the KRA CRSP make list.

Vehicle model

Choose a make first, then search the filtered model list.

First registration month

The month validates the registration chronology; KRA's published age schedule is year-based.

First registration year

Choose from the eight most recent registration years shown in the selector.

Expected import month

Choose the month you expect the vehicle to enter Kenya.

Expected import year

Choose the expected clearing year from the available options.

Engine capacity / CC

Check your logbook for the engine capacity. A rounded value such as 2,500 CC can match the official KRA record. You can change or clear the suggested value. This electric KRA record does not specify an engine capacity.

Fuel type

Choose the fuel type shown on your logbook. When more than one is available, select the one listed on your documents.

Available engine capacities

Choose the capacity shown on your import documents.

Confirm the KRA CRSP record

KRA has more than one record matching these details. Compare technical details and select the record matching your import documents.

HS tariff code (optional)

Enter HS tariff code from customs documentation if available.

Vehicle category

Standard, ambulance and hearse categories use different duty assumptions.

Manual CRSP value (KES)

Use this only when the vehicle is not in the dataset. Enter the official CRSP value, not a calculated customs value.

Estimated Duty Payable

KRA customs assessment details below.

Total Import Tax Payable

KES 0

No vehicle selected

Select a vehicle to see your estimate

First registration -

Expected import -

Estimated age 0 months

CRSP value used KES 0

KRA CRSP conversion basis KES 0

Depreciation applied to KRA basis 0% KES 0

Breakdown

Customs value: KES 0
Import duty: KES 0
Excise duty: KES 0
VAT: KES 0
IDF: KES 0
RDL: KES 0

Formula

For the standard KRA July 2025 direct-import template above 1,500cc: (CRSP ÷ 1.25) × (1 − depreciation) ÷ (1 + duty) ÷ (1 + excise) ÷ (1 + VAT) × (1 − extra depreciation). Qualifying electric vehicles use the workbook's 25% import-duty and 10% excise row. Other vehicle categories use their applicable KRA template row.

Total taxes: import duty + excise duty + VAT + IDF + RDL.

Reference links: KRA's generic motor-vehicle procedure and customs FAQ pages currently display figures that conflict with the effective-dated July 2025 workbook, including older import-duty and levy figures. This calculator intentionally follows the July 2025 direct-import workbook and the current Miscellaneous Fees and Levies Act rates for IDF and RDL; those official pages must not be mixed into one calculation. These links are for reference only. No external source or authority is endorsed by this calculator. Motor vehicle procedure · Customs FAQ · MFL Act.

Rate set effective 1 July 2025. Valuation workbook

CRSP notice · CRSP clarification · Age schedule · Excise Duty Act · EAC tariff

This calculator provides an estimate only. Final customs duty is assessed by KRA and may vary based on vehicle classification, CRSP value, customs valuation, exemptions, documentation and clearing assessment.

How the import duty estimate is calculated

For this CRSP-based estimate, the calculator uses KRA's official Current Retail Selling Price (CRSP) as the valuation baseline for an imported used vehicle. CRSP is a valuation method agreed by KRA under the customs valuation framework; it does not mean that invoices, freight, insurance, classification or customs documentation are irrelevant to the final assessment.

KRA's July 2025 direct-import valuation template first adjusts the CRSP retail figure, applies the standardized depreciation rate based on the year of first registration, and reverses the import duty, excise duty and VAT layers to derive the template's customs-value basis. RDL and IDF are then calculated from that basis. The workbook has separate rows for engine-capacity categories, tariff exceptions, electric vehicles, ambulances and special-purpose vehicles, so the displayed formula is not universal.

Standard KRA Depreciation Schedule:

• Up to 1 year: no rate is listed in KRA's published notice; the calculator asks you to confirm the current treatment
• Over 1 to 2 years: 20% depreciation
• Over 2 to 3 years: 30% depreciation
• Over 3 to 4 years: 40% depreciation
• Over 4 to 5 years: 50% depreciation
• Over 5 to 6 years: 55% depreciation
• Over 6 to 7 years: 60% depreciation
• Over 7 to 8 years: 65% depreciation

Taxes & Levies Breakdown

This estimate contains five core tax and levy components. Some are calculated on the cumulative sum of prior taxes:

1. Import Duty (35%) This calculator uses 35% because it is pinned to the July 2025 direct-import workbook. KRA's generic procedure page currently shows 25%; that legacy figure is not combined with this workbook profile. The final rate remains tariff-, origin-, exemption- and date-dependent under the applicable EAC and Kenyan rules.
2. Excise Duty (20% to 35%) Calculated on Customs Value + Import Duty. For the current standard schedule, petrol vehicles are 20% up to 1,500cc, 25% above 1,500cc up to 3,000cc, and 35% above 3,000cc. Diesel vehicles are 25% up to 2,500cc and 35% above 2,500cc. Hybrids, tariff-specific codes and qualifying 100% electric vehicles have separate applicable rates.
3. Value Added Tax / VAT (16%) Charged at 16% on the cumulative sum of Customs Value + Import Duty + Excise Duty.
4. Import Declaration Fee / IDF (2.5%) A processing fee of 2.5% calculated directly on the Customs Value under the current Miscellaneous Fees and Levies Act profile used here.
5. Railway Development Levy / RDL (2%) A national infrastructure fee of 2.0% calculated directly on the Customs Value.

The KRA workbook has a dedicated ambulance row using 0% import duty and 25% excise duty. Hearses use 0% import duty under the applicable EAC tariff line; their excise treatment remains classification-dependent because the workbook does not provide a dedicated hearse row.

The 8-year age limit

Under Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) KS 1515:2000 standard, road motor vehicles imported into Kenya must be less than 8 years old from the year of first registration.

For imports cleared in 2026, the oldest standard first-registration year is generally 2019. A vehicle first registered earlier may fail the less-than-eight-year requirement and may be rejected at the importer's expense. KEBS also checks that the manufacture and first-registration years do not differ by more than one year.

Standard vehicles must be Right-Hand Drive (RHD) and meet KEBS inspection requirements. Vehicles from countries with an appointed KEBS inspection agent, including Japan, require the applicable pre-export inspection and Certificate of Roadworthiness; destination inspection may apply elsewhere. Special-purpose LHD or older vehicles require a specific KEBS waiver and supporting evidence.

Why the final amount can differ

The result uses the selected schedules. KRA makes the final assessment at the port. Differences may come from:

CRSP Version: Changes or adjustments made by KRA to specific make/model trims.
Exchange Rates: KRA publishes customs exchange rates weekly. Changes can affect foreign-currency invoice, freight, insurance or other customs-value components; a KES CRSP record does not automatically change with every exchange-rate update.
Accessories & Classifications: Custom features, body types, or specific HS codes applied during inspection can alter the duty rate.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions regarding KRA customs valuation and importing rules.

Compare with the PAYE calculator

No. It is an estimate based on the selected KRA rates and depreciation rules. KRA makes the final assessment using your documents and the vehicle inspection.

CRSP means Current Retail Selling Price. For this estimate, KRA's official CRSP is the valuation baseline for an imported used vehicle. It does not remove the importance of invoices, freight, insurance, classification or customs documentation in the final assessment.

The month and year establish that the registration date is not after the expected import date. KRA's published depreciation schedule applies the year of first registration, while the month helps validate the chronology.

Standard road vehicles must be less than 8 years old from the year of first registration. For imports in 2026, 2019 is generally the oldest standard first-registration year. Earlier vehicles may be rejected at the importer's expense, subject to applicable KEBS requirements and special-purpose waivers.

Yes. Petrol, diesel, hybrid, plug-in hybrid and qualifying 100% electric vehicles follow different applicable excise bands. Petrol above 3,000cc and diesel above 2,500cc can attract 35%; qualifying 100% electric vehicles can attract 10%. Enter the HS tariff code when available.

In addition to KRA taxes and levies, budget for freight, marine insurance, KEBS inspection or destination-inspection charges, shipping-line and port handling fees, clearing-agent commission, storage and registration costs.

If the specific vehicle is missing from the July 2025 CRSP schedule, use the manual field only with an official CRSP or customs value. Do not guess from a comparable model; consult KRA or a licensed clearing agent when the official value is unavailable.

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