Export Licensing in Kenya: KEBS, EPC and Export Trade Regulatory Requirements

Export licensing in Kenya is not a single licence. What an exporter needs depends on the product, the destination and where the goods are made. A manufacturer shipping processed food, a flower grower and a company exporting from an Export Processing Zone face different regulators and different paperwork. This guide maps the main authorities and laws that apply, and notes where the position has changed in recent years. Confirm each requirement with the relevant agency before the first shipment, because a consignment held at the border costs more than a delay in applying.

Customs declaration for exports

Every export must be declared to customs. Customs control is governed by the East African Community Customs Management Act, 2004, and declarations are made through the Kenya Revenue Authority’s customs system. The usual supporting documents are the commercial invoice, the packing list, the transport document and a certificate of origin where the buyer or a trade preference needs one. Add any sector permit or certificate that the commodity requires. Check the current document list on the KRA customs portal before each new product line, because customs procedures and systems change.

Standards and the Kenya Bureau of Standards

The Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) operates under the Standards Act (Cap. 496). The Act’s definition of “sell” includes exporting or possessing for the purpose of export, so a product that falls under a compulsory standard or a permit requirement cannot safely be treated as outside KEBS control just because it is going abroad. Whether a particular product needs a KEBS mark or certificate depends on the applicable compulsory standard and the importing country’s own rules, so confirm both with KEBS and your buyer before shipment.

Plant and horticultural exports: KEPHIS

Fresh produce, flowers and other plant material usually need a phytosanitary certificate from the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS). KEPHIS was established by the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service Act, 2012 and states on its website that it issues phytosanitary certificates and e-phytos for exports. Start the application early, because inspection can be required before a certificate is issued and the importing country may add its own conditions.

Export promotion

Export promotion support is delivered by the Kenya Export Promotion and Branding Agency (KEPROBA), formed from the merger of the Export Promotion Council and the Brand Kenya Board. We have not confirmed KEPROBA’s statutory mandate from a primary source, so treat it as a trade-promotion and market-information body, and confirm any specific service, certificate or permit directly with the agency before relying on it.

Other commodity regulators

Tea, coffee, timber, wildlife and minerals each have their own regulator and permit rules, and those regimes can change. Confirm the current statute, regulator and permit for your commodity before you contract to sell it. Our guide to manufacturing licences covers the licensing that applies upstream of export.

Export Processing Zones and Special Economic Zones

The Export Processing Zones Act (Cap. 517) provides for export processing zone enterprises, developers and operators, each licensed by the Export Processing Zones Authority. Under the Act’s incentive provisions, an enterprise is exempt from income tax for the first ten years from the date of first sale, with income tax then limited to twenty-five percent for the following ten years. The same provision exempts such enterprises from registration under the Value Added Tax Act and from excise duty. Special economic zones are governed by the Special Economic Zones Act, 2015 (Act No. 16 of 2015); the Act was amended in 2026 by the Special Economic Zones (Amendment) Act, 2026, so confirm the current incentives before you choose a location. Our article on pharmaceutical manufacturing licensing and EPZ incentives shows how this works in one sector.

Trade remedies

Anti-dumping and countervailing measures in Kenya are dealt with under the Kenya Trade Remedies Act, 2017 (Act No. 32 of 2017), which establishes the Kenya Trade Remedies Agency and sets investigation procedures, including for alleged dumping and subsidised imports. Complaints and investigations are handled by that Agency under the Act. A Kenyan exporter whose goods are subject to an investigation abroad should seek specialist advice early.

A practical export licensing checklist

Before the first shipment, work through the same short list for every product line. Identify the commodity code and whether any compulsory standard, permit or certificate applies to it. Confirm the importing country’s product, labelling and plant-health rules with your buyer in writing. Decide whether a zone structure would help, and take advice on the licence conditions before you commit capital. Make sure the sale contract allocates the risk of a rejected consignment, an import-side inspection failure and a change in either country’s rules. Keep copies of every declaration, certificate and inspection report, because a customs or standards query can arrive long after the goods have left. Treat export licensing in Kenya as a project with an owner and a timeline, not as a last-minute task for the shipping agent.

Frequently asked questions

This article is general information on Kenyan law as at its publication date, not legal advice. Reading it does not create an advocate and client relationship.