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Guide

How to Register for M-PESA in Kenya 2026: Free at Any Agent, ID Required

Full registration walkthrough for Kenyans, foreign passport holders, and refugees. Agent vs shop rules, timing, and the first login.

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by Reviewed by Michael Mwangi 7 min read Updated 30 August 2026Verified 30 Aug 2026

To register for M-PESA, visit any Safaricom agent (there are more than 170,000 nationwide) or Safaricom Shop with a Kenyan National ID or Kenyan Passport. Registration is FREE. You receive your 4-digit M-PESA PIN by SMS within minutes.

What you need to register

ID typeWhere you can register
Kenyan National IDAny agent or Safaricom Shop
Kenyan PassportAny agent or Safaricom Shop
Foreign PassportSafaricom Shop only
Military IDSafaricom Shop only
Foreigner Certificate / Alien IDSafaricom Shop only
UNHCR Refugee MandateSafaricom Shop only

You also need an active Safaricom SIM registered in your name. If your SIM is new, buy it at the same agent, they can register the SIM and M-PESA together.

Step-by-step: agent registration

  1. Walk into any Safaricom-branded agent (green sign, M-PESA logo).
  2. Say “I want to register for M-PESA”.
  3. Hand over your ID and Safaricom SIM (or the phone with the SIM).
  4. The agent enters your details into the M-PESA agent tool.
  5. Sign the printed registration form. You keep a copy.
  6. Within 5 to 30 minutes you receive two SMS: one confirming registration, one with your default 4-digit PIN.
  7. Dial *334#, choose My Account → PIN Change, and change to a private PIN you will remember.
  8. You are done. Send yourself a test 10 shillings to confirm it works.

Agent registration works for Kenyan National IDs and Kenyan Passports. For any other ID, go to a Safaricom Shop.

Safaricom Shop registration

Required for foreign passports, military IDs, Foreigner Certificates, and UNHCR mandates. Book a slot at a Safaricom Shop:

  1. Take your ID and Safaricom SIM.
  2. Queue at customer care. Tell them you want to register for M-PESA.
  3. Fill the registration form and, for non-Kenyans, provide a proof of address.
  4. They will scan your ID document and verify it against source records.
  5. You receive a default PIN by SMS the same day, sometimes within an hour.
  6. Change the PIN as above.

The default PIN, and why you must change it

The default PIN sent by SMS is generated by Safaricom. It is temporary. Any second person who reads that SMS (a family member with your phone, a shared handset) could access your account before you notice. Change it in the first 10 minutes.

  1. Dial *334#.
  2. Choose My Account.
  3. Choose PIN Change.
  4. Enter the default PIN, then your new 4-digit PIN twice.

Rules: do not use 1234, your birth year, or the last 4 digits of your phone number. A stolen phone plus a common PIN is how most M-PESA takeovers happen.

Under-18 registration

M-PESA is available to Kenyans aged 18+ (matching the National ID age). Under-18s can hold a Safaricom SIM but cannot register for M-PESA directly. Parents can use M-PESA GO, a parent-controlled sub-wallet linked to their own M-PESA account. See our M-PESA GO guide.

Everything that is free

  • Registration (agent or shop)
  • Deposits at any M-PESA agent
  • Buying airtime for yourself
  • Balance enquiry
  • PIN change

Charges apply to sending, withdrawing, and paying paybills. See our M-PESA charges 2026 guide.

Your first 15 minutes after registration

  1. Change the default PIN.
  2. Deposit KES 100 at the agent to prove the flow.
  3. Send yourself a test transaction (or send 10 to a friend and get it back).
  4. Dial *234# → M-PESA Info → Email Statement to add your email for statements.
  5. Download My OneApp if you have a smartphone (Android 7+ or iOS 13+).

Registration mistakes and fixes

  1. “SIM is not registered to your name”. Your SIM was registered under someone else's ID (family member). Go to a Safaricom Shop with your ID to transfer ownership before you can register M-PESA.
  2. Wrong PIN entered three times. M-PESA locks after 3 wrong PINs. Dial 100 or 200 and follow the PIN reset flow. Or visit any Safaricom Shop.
  3. ID number captured wrong. Your account will fail future KYC checks. Return to a Safaricom Shop with your ID to correct.

Frequently asked

Is there a fee to register?

No. Registration is free, at any agent or shop.

How long does it take?

10 to 30 minutes at an agent (mostly waiting for the PIN SMS). Same day at a Shop for foreign IDs.

Do I need a smartphone?

No. M-PESA works on any phone via *334#. My OneApp is optional.

Can I have two M-PESA accounts?

Each ID can register only ONE M-PESA account. You can hold multiple Safaricom SIMs but only the one linked to your ID has M-PESA.

What if I lose my SIM?

Visit a Safaricom Shop with your ID. They will suspend the line, issue a replacement SIM, and re-link your M-PESA. Your balance is safe (it lives on Safaricom's side, not on the SIM).

Source: Safaricom M-PESA registration policy and tariff page, verified 30 August 2026.

Related reading

Curated external sources we cite. Open in a new tab.