How much will it cost to clear that car at Mombasa port?
Free car import duty calculator for Kenya. Enter your FOB value, engine size, fuel type, and manufacture year to get a full breakdown — import duty, excise duty, VAT, IDF, RDL, and total landed cost.
Estimate only. KRA assesses duty on CRSP-based customs value, not invoice price, and official sources disagree on the exact duty band. Always verify with KRA or a licensed clearing agent before relying on this figure.
Estimated Total Landed Cost
KSh 2,040,794
$15,759 equivalent
Total Duties & Taxes
KSh 942,116
Effective Rate
85.8%
What-if — EV: the same spec as a fully electric vehicle would use a 10% excise band instead of 25.0%, saving roughly KSh 238,962 in tax.
Customs Value (CRSP-based estimate)
FOB + Freight + Insurance × KSh129.50/USD
KSh 1,098,678
Import Duty — 25.0% of customs value
25.0% × KSh 1,098,678
KSh 274,670
Excise Duty — 25.0% of (value + duty)
25.0% × KSh 1,373,348
KSh 343,337
VAT — 16% of (value + duty + excise)
16% × KSh 1,716,684
KSh 274,670
IDF — 2.5% of customs value
2.5% × KSh 1,098,678
KSh 27,467
RDL — 2% of customs value
2% × KSh 1,098,678
KSh 21,974
Total Statutory Duties & Taxes
Sum of all levies
KSh 942,116
Estimated Total Landed Cost
Customs value + Duties + Fees
KSh 2,040,794
Estimate only. KRA values used vehicles against its Current Retail Selling Price (CRSP) schedule for the equivalent new vehicle, not your invoice — the assessed customs value is often higher than CIF. Import duty band (25% vs 35%) is disputed across official sources; confirm your vehicle's exact HS code and rate with KRA before relying on this figure. Vehicle must be right-hand drive and pass KEBS pre-shipment inspection (KS 1515:2000).
Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) taxes are layered — each one compounds on the running total, not on the base value alone. This is why total tax burden often reaches 60–90%+ of customs value.
Import Duty
25–35%
of customs value — verify
Excise Duty
20–30%
of value + duty, by cc/fuel
VAT
16%
of value + duty + excise
IDF + RDL
4.5–5.5%
of customs value, combined
Verify: official KRA pages disagree on whether import duty is 25% or 35% — this may reflect an EAC-approved 2023 hike not yet reflected everywhere. Confirm your vehicle's HS code and rate directly with KRA.
Used passenger vehicles may only be imported if less than 8 years old, counted from year of manufacture (or first registration) — in 2026, that means generally 2019 or newer. Vehicles must be right-hand drive, with narrow exceptions (e.g. ambulances, fire tenders on government projects).
All used imports also require a pre-shipment roadworthiness inspection under KEBS standard KS 1515:2000, arranged before the vehicle leaves the country of origin.
Returning residents: one vehicle, personally owned and used abroad ≥12 months, shipped within roughly 90 days, no similar exemption in the prior ~4 years.
Persons with disabilities: one duty-free vehicle for personal use, with medical documentation and NCPWD registration.
Diplomats / first arrivals: broad exemptions for eligible personnel via protocol channels.
All exempted vehicles must still meet the age, RHD, and KEBS inspection rules — RDL typically still applies even when duty, excise, VAT and IDF are waived.
For exemptions, pre-apply to KRA with supporting documents before shipping — approval is not automatic at the port.
Enforcement of the 8-year rule and RHD requirement is generally strict at the port — non-compliant vehicles are typically rejected or seized. That said, some over-age or irregular vehicles do circulate domestically, often through fraudulent registration rather than legitimate import, which periodically triggers KRA crackdowns and public verification notices.
CRSP-based valuation frequently exceeds the actual invoice price, so budget for a higher-than-expected bill and possible valuation disputes. Because of this complexity, clearing through a licensed agent is close to universal rather than optional in practice.
Amina was importing a 2,000cc petrol car with a KRA CRSP-based customs value of around $12,000. At the 25% duty band, layering excise, VAT, and IDF+RDL on top brought her total tax bill to roughly $10,350 — about 86% of customs value. At the 35% band, the same car came out closer to $12,090 — nearly 101%, effectively doubling the car's assessed value in tax alone. That's an almost $1,750 swing from one disputed rate figure. She confirmed her vehicle's exact HS code and rate directly with KRA before shipping rather than budgeting off either number blind.
Reviewed by Joshua Victor, Founder. Duty structure and clearing steps checked against real vehicle sourcing and clearing experience.
Import duty is 25% of customs value per most KRA pages, though some sources cite 35%. Excise (20–30%), 16% VAT, IDF (2.5–3.5%), and 2% RDL apply on top — total effective tax often 60–90%+ of customs value.
Used passenger vehicles must be less than 8 years old from year of manufacture — in 2026, generally 2019 or newer — plus right-hand drive and KEBS pre-shipment inspection.
Current Retail Selling Price — KRA's schedule of new-vehicle prices by make/model, used with age-based depreciation to set your taxable customs value, regardless of your actual invoice.
One vehicle can be exempted from duty, excise, VAT and IDF if personally owned and used abroad ≥12 months, shipped within ~90 days, with no similar exemption in the prior ~4 years. RDL typically still applies.
Yes — EVs get a preferential ~10% excise band versus 20–30% for petrol/diesel of similar size, on top of standard duty, VAT, IDF and RDL.
KRA duties and taxes (60–90%+ of CRSP-based customs value) plus port handling, storage and clearing agent fees. Nearly all importers use a licensed agent.