Deadline to Import Cars from 2015 and Earlier is Here – What You Should Know

Tomorrow, December 31st 2022, is the last day imported vehicles older than 7 years will be allowed into the country. The Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) had earlier announced that it will not admit in the country second-hand vehicles whose first year of registration is 2015 or before, effective January 1, 2023.

Any such vehicles which arrive in the country from January 1, 2023 will be rejected at the importer’s cost. The directive applies to all importers including diplomatic staff.

In a notice issued in November, KEBS had advised importers seeking to ship second-hand vehicles whose first year of registration is 2015 or before to do so before the end of the year.

“We wish to notify all importers of used second-hand motor vehicles, including diplomatic staff, that in observance of clause 2.5 of KS 15:15:2000 on the eight-year age limit requirement, only right-hand drive motor vehicles whose first year of registration is from January 1 2016, and later shall be allowed into the country effective January 1, 2023,” the KEBS notice read in part.

Certificates of roadworthiness for vehicles whose first year of registration is 2015 or earlier will also not be available past 31st December 2022.

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KEBS had in April also published additional import restrictions for automobiles in Kenya. The move represented the implementation of the National Automotive Policy aimed at supporting locally assembled and manufactured vehicles. The restrictions are;

1. All used passenger  minibus, Midi bus, Large bus, Single-articulated and Bi-articulated buses and Double decker  buses shall not be allowed for importation into the country. However, used passenger Microbus (up to 7m overall length) shall continue to be imported  into the country provided they are not  older than Eight (8) years from the year of first registration.
2. All used rigid trucks with GVM equal to or greater than 3.5 tons and up to and including 30 tons shall not be allowed  for importation into the country.
3. Only tractor heads and Prime movers not older than three  (3) years from the year of first registration shall be allowed for importation. This shall apply up to 30th June 2023 after which NO used tractor heads and prime movers shall be allowed for importation into the country.
4. All imported new diesel powered, and petrol (gasoline) powered vehicles shall be type approved to meet the requirements of EURO IV/4 before importation into the country.

Importers and members of the public were urged to familiarize themselves with the restrictions by purchasing the standard from the KEBS library or online through the store on their website.

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