Land rent vs land rates
| Land rent | Land rates | |
|---|---|---|
| Paid to | National government (Ministry of Lands) | Your county government |
| Applies to | Leasehold land only | Almost all land in the county, leasehold or freehold |
| Amount | Fixed yearly figure in your lease | A percentage of the land's value, or a flat rate |
| Where you pay | Ardhisasa | The county portal or paybill |
| Proof | Land rent clearance certificate | Rates clearance certificate |
How to pay land rent on Ardhisasa
From the Ministry of Lands' land rent payment guide:
- Log in to Ardhisasa with your Ardhisasa ID or ID number and password, then enter the one-time code sent to your phone.
- On the dashboard, choose land rent services, then Pay land rent.
- Search the parcel by its title number. The list of land rent invoices and past payments appears.
- Click Pay on the invoice that is due.
- Choose how to pay:
- M-PESA Express: enter your phone number and approve the prompt with your PIN.
- M-PESA paybill: use the paybill and account reference shown on the invoice.
- Co-operative Bank: download the invoice and pay at the bank.
- Wait for the payment status to change to complete.
- When every invoice on the parcel is paid, download the land rent clearance certificate.
Nairobi land rates in 2026
Under Nairobi's new rates, in force from 1 January 2026 (The Star):
- Valued land, whether residential, commercial or agricultural, pays 0.115% of its unimproved site value a year.
- Flat-rate zones pay KES 2,560 a year for plots up to 0.1 hectares, rising to KES 4,800 for plots over 0.4 hectares.
- If your new rate is lower than what you paid in 2022, you keep paying the 2022 amount. If it is more than double, you pay double the 2022 amount.
Example: a plot with an unimproved site value of KES 12 million pays 12,000,000 x 0.00115 = KES 13,800 a year, subject to the floor and cap. Get your invoice on nairobiservices.go.ke, or estimate it with our land rates calculator. Outside Nairobi, see for example Kiambu land rates.
Buying land?
Ask the seller for both clearance certificates before you pay a deposit, because arrears stay with the land. Budget for stamp duty too: see the stamp duty calculator and property transfer costs.