Government fees when you buy
| Step | Fee | Service target |
|---|---|---|
| Official search certificate | KES 1,000 | 1 day |
| Land survey and mapping search (map check) | KES 500 | Immediate |
| Land Control Board consent (agricultural land) | KES 3,000 | 30 days |
| Special Land Control Board consent | KES 10,000 | 2 days |
| Valuation for stamp duty (government valuer) | Free | 8 days |
| Stamp duty assessment | Free | Immediate |
| Stamp duty | 4% urban, 2% rural, of the property value | Paid before registration |
| Registering the transfer | KES 1,000 | 3 days |
| Title fees | KES 2,500 | With the transfer |
Worked examples
| Rural farm plot, KES 2,000,000 | Urban plot, KES 5,000,000 | |
|---|---|---|
| Search | KES 1,000 | KES 1,000 |
| Land Control Board consent | KES 3,000 | Not usually needed |
| Stamp duty | KES 40,000 (2%) | KES 200,000 (4%) |
| Transfer registration and title | KES 3,500 | KES 3,500 |
| Government total | KES 47,500 | KES 204,500 |
On top come your lawyer's fees, any surveyor, and the seller's clearances. Our property transfer guide covers legal fees and the timeline, and the stamp duty calculator works out the duty for your price.
Buying part of a plot: subdivision costs
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Approval of the subdivision scheme | KES 1,500 per sub-plot |
| Mutation forms (bought by your licensed surveyor) | KES 50 per set |
| Mutation survey by the government | KES 5,000 x H per portion, plus 3% of the land's value |
| Processing a mutation survey | At least KES 600 x H per portion |
| Registering the mutation | KES 1,000 registration, KES 1,000 to open the register, KES 2,500 title fees |
H is the square root of the area in hectares. For a 0.05 hectare plot (about an eighth of an acre), H is about 0.22, so the processing fee is around KES 134, at the KES 600 minimum rate. Agricultural land also needs Land Control Board consent to subdivide.
What the seller pays
- Capital gains tax: 15% of the net gain, paid by the seller (KRA). Estimate it with the CGT calculator.
- County land rates up to date, with a rates clearance certificate.
- Land rent on leasehold land, with a clearance certificate from Ardhisasa. See land rent vs land rates.
How the fees are paid
The Ministry does not take cash. Every fee is invoiced and paid through ArdhiPay, the payment system linked to Ardhisasa, usually by M-PESA prompt or at a bank with the invoice. Pay only against an invoice you generated yourself or your lawyer shared from Ardhisasa.