How to check if a Kenyan lender is licensed in 2 minutes

How to check if a lender is licensed in Kenya, in 2 minutes (2026)

The five-step verification playbook. Search CBK's official register for the registered company name (not the trade name), confirm licence date, cross-check with paybillke's CBK Licence Checker, and ask the lender in writing if in doubt.

by Arnold Ochieng Reviewed by Michael Mwangi 9 min read Updated 26 August 2026Verified 26 Aug 2026

This is the checklist to run through before signing any Kenyan credit contract, whether it is a boda loan, a phone finance agreement, a short-term cash loan, or a PAYGo solar arrangement. It takes two minutes if the lender is in the register, and about ten if you need to write to them for their registered company name first.

Why the check matters

Since 27 December 2024, when the Business Laws (Amendment) Act No. 20 of 2024 came into force [Source 1], carrying on non-deposit taking credit business in Kenya without a CBK licence is a criminal offence under section 33S, punishable by up to 3 years imprisonment or KES 5 million.

For the borrower's side of the equation, dealing with an unlicensed lender means:

No CBK Code of Conduct protection against debt-shaming, third-party contact, threats, or misrepresentation [Source 2].
Limited regulator escalation route.
No standardised disclosure obligations.

For the full framing of what a CBK licence does and does not do, see why CBK licensing matters if you are borrowing.

The five-step check

Step 1: go to CBK's official register

CBK publishes the register of non-deposit taking credit providers on the Central Bank of Kenya website at centralbank.go.ke (verify against CBK's own site for the current URL). The register is a public document.

Step 2: search for the exact registered company name

This is the step that trips most people up. The CBK register lists licensees by registered company name, not by brand or trade name. For example:

Tala is listed as Inventure Mobile Ltd.
M-KOPA is listed as M-Kopa Loan Kenya Ltd.
Watu is listed as Watu Credit Ltd.
Mogo is listed as Mogo Auto Ltd.

If you search for the brand name and get no result, that is not by itself proof the lender is unlicensed. It is more likely a name mismatch. If you do not know the registered company name, that is what step 5 is for.

Step 3: check the licence date

Once you have found a matching name on the register, note the licence date. That tells you when CBK approved the licence and gives you a way to confirm the entity is the current-generation licensed operator (not a legacy entity or unrelated third party).

For the licence dates of the major asset finance and short-term lenders, see the individual pages linked from the 2024 law explainer.

Step 4: cross-check with paybillke

The paybillke CBK Licence Checker mirrors the CBK April 2026 register and returns a licence date for any matching name. Use it as a cross-check, not a substitute; the authoritative source remains CBK's own site.

Step 5: if the lender is not in the register, ask them for their licence number in writing

A legitimate CBK-licensed non-deposit taking credit provider should be able to give you their licence number in writing (email is fine) on reasonable request. Refusal to do so, or an evasive response, is a signal worth pausing on. If they cannot produce a licence number, do not sign a contract until you understand why not.

What to do with the answer

Three scenarios and what each means:

Lender in the register with a licence date. Fine to proceed. Understand what CBK licensing does and does not do (it is process protection, not price protection). See why CBK licensing matters.
Lender not in the register, but produces a licence number in writing that you can verify. Also acceptable. The register was updated at a specific date; new licences may have been added since. If in doubt, call CBK Consumer Protection at 0800 720 000 to confirm.
Lender not in the register and cannot produce a licence number. Do not sign. If you have already committed money, read what to do if an unlicensed lender takes your money.

A worked example

Say a friend tells you about a boda-financing scheme run by "QuickRider Loans". You want to verify.

Open the CBK non-deposit taking register.
Search for "QuickRider Loans". No result.
Cross-check with the paybillke CBK Licence Checker. No result.
Email QuickRider: "Please confirm your CBK non-deposit taking credit provider licence number and licence date."
If they reply with a number and date, cross-check both against the CBK register. If they don't reply, or reply evasively, treat that as the answer to your question and walk away from the deal.

Two minutes for steps 1 to 3. Twenty-four hours max for step 4 if the lender is legitimate.

Sources appendix

Business Laws (Amendment) Act No. 20 of 2024, Republic of Kenya. In force 27 December 2024. Section 33S penalties for unlicensed non-deposit-taking credit business.
Central Bank of Kenya. Digital Credit Providers Code of Conduct, extended to non-deposit credit providers under the 2024 amendments.
Central Bank of Kenya. Register of non-deposit-taking credit providers, April 2026 publication.

FAQ

Where is the CBK register of credit providers?

CBK publishes the non-deposit taking credit providers register at centralbank.go.ke. The paybillke CBK Licence Checker mirrors it in a searchable form; verify against CBK's own site before making a decision.

What if I search for the brand name and get no result?

That is usually because the register uses registered company names, not brand names. Tala is listed as Inventure Mobile Ltd. M-KOPA is listed as M-Kopa Loan Kenya Ltd. Ask the lender for their registered company name and search again.

Does the lender have to give me their licence number?

Any legitimate CBK-licensed non-deposit taking credit provider should be able to give you their licence number in writing on reasonable request. Refusal to do so is a signal worth pausing on.

What if the lender is not in the register?

That is not automatically proof of anything (the register may have been updated after the last check), but it is a factual observation that should trigger further questions and, ideally, no signed contract until resolved.