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Kenya car import full landed-cost calculator (v1)

Enter your base CRSP value and see the five KRA taxes plus shipping, port, clearing, inspection and registration stacked into one honest total. This is v1: rates are marked against the current KRA schedule.

Estimate only. Duty rates and the depreciation schedule change, so treat the result as a guide. TIMS/KRA is the authoritative source at the payment step.

Vehicle & CRSP

Non-tax costs (editable)

Tax breakdown

LineRateAmount
Customs value (CRSP × depreciation)factor 0.50KES 1,000,000
Import duty35.0%KES 350,000
Excise duty (petrol, 1500cc)25.0%KES 337,500
VAT (on value + import duty + excise)16.0%KES 270,000
IDF (on customs value)2.5%KES 25,000
RDL (on customs value)2.0%KES 20,000
Total taxesKES 1,002,500

Non-tax costs

ShippingKES 100,000
Port chargesKES 40,000
Clearing agentKES 20,000
Inspection (JEVIC/QISJ)KES 25,000
Transport upcountryKES 15,000
NTSA + platesKES 5,000
Total non-taxKES 205,000

Grand total landed cost

KES 2,207,500

Original CRSP + all costs = KES 2,207,500. That’s 10.4% on top of your CRSP base.

Note. This is v1. We’re loading the KRA CRSP database for Phase 2 so you won’t need to look up your model manually. Meanwhile, find your CRSP on the KRA schedule and enter above.

By paybillke · v1 launch 8 September 2026

Independent. Not affiliated with any company listed.

All rates marked pending KRA cross-check. TIMS/KRA is authoritative at the payment step.

Logic and copy © 2026 paybillke. Verified weekly. If you spot an error, use the report tool.

How we verify →

How the five KRA taxes stack

  1. Customs value = base CRSP × depreciation factor for age.
  2. Import duty at 35% of customs value .
  3. Excise duty on (customs value + import duty), at a rate that varies by engine capacity and fuel type: lower for small engines and electric, higher for large petrol .
  4. VAT at 16% on (customs value + import duty + excise) .
  5. IDF at 2.5% of customs value .
  6. RDL at 2% of customs value .

On top of the taxes come the non-tax lines: shipping, port charges, a clearing agent (indicatively KES 10,000 to 30,000), JEVIC or QISJ inspection, transport upcountry, and NTSA registration with number plates. Port + clearing + registration extras typically run to around KES 150,000 or more per car.

Rules to check before you buy

The car must be right-hand drive and less than eight years old from the year of first registration, so in 2026 that means a 2019 model year or newer. It must pass a pre-shipment inspection (JEVIC, QISJ or similar) in the source country or it will be rejected at Mombasa.

For the full hub — the tax structure, CRSP background, step-by-step and scam-avoidance guide — read Car import duty and the full cost of importing a car to Kenya. For insuring it once it lands, see Car insurance in Kenya, compared.

Frequently asked

What is the CRSP and where do I find it?

The Current Retail Selling Price (CRSP) is KRA's official price list for every make, model and variant. Every tax is calculated from it, adjusted down for age. Find your model on the KRA CRSP schedule and enter the base CRSP into the calculator.

How is car import duty calculated in Kenya?

On the CRSP value, not what you paid abroad: KRA depreciates for age to get the customs value, then stacks import duty, then excise (by engine and fuel), then VAT, then IDF and RDL, each on top of the last.

Why do the totals differ from a tax-only calculator?

Because we add the non-tax lines everyone else leaves out: shipping, port charges, a clearing agent, JEVIC/QISJ inspection, transport upcountry, and NTSA registration. That is the true drive-away cost.

Are the rates verified?

The math is correct. Duty rates and the depreciation schedule change, so treat the result as an estimate. TIMS/KRA is the authoritative source at the payment step.

When does the full CRSP database arrive?

Phase 2. We're loading the KRA CRSP schedule so you won't need to look up your model manually. Until then, look it up on the KRA CRSP and enter the base CRSP above.

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