The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has enforced a new regulation mandating that all goods imported into Kenya must be accompanied by a Certificate of Origin (COO) provided by importers.
On Wednesday, the KRA issued a reminder of the directive that took effect on July 1, requiring all goods imported into Kenya to be accompanied by a Certificate of Origin (COO), a compulsory requirement that applies to importers, customs clearing agents, and the general public.
According to KRA’s public notice, the COO must be obtained from an officially recognized authority in the country of export.
The Revenue Authority stated that the new import regulation aligns with Section 44A of the Tax Procedures Act, CAP. 469B, as amended by the Finance Act, 2025.
To be considered valid, a Certificate of Origin must disclose the following details: the full name and address of both the exporter and the importer, the port of origin, and a precise description of the goods. It must also specify the quantity of the items, the country where the goods originated, and the destination country.
The KRA emphasized that providing the specified details in the Certificate of Origin will support accurate tracking of goods and proper tariff application. The agency cautioned that failure to comply with the new directive will result in the seizure of imported items, and importers lacking a valid COO will be barred from clearing their consignments, which may be forfeited to the state. To facilitate a smooth transition, KRA has granted a grace period until September 30 for importers to obtain the necessary documentation.
The move follows a recent update from the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) outlining a major shift in its approach to reviewing contested Customs decisions. In a public notice dated July 3, the agency introduced a new independent review framework to improve fairness and efficiency in dispute resolution. As part of the reform, KRA is launching the Independent Review of Objections (IRO) and establishing a Technical Review Unit (TRU) to handle Customs-related issues.
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