Register an M-PESA Till 2026 (Lipa na M-PESA Buy Goods)

Registering a Lipa na M-PESA Buy Goods till takes 1 to 3 business days once Safaricom has a complete set of KYC documents. The single biggest cause of delay is a name mismatch between the KRA PIN and the county permit. Get those matching before you visit a shop and the till lands within the week. Safaricom reported 3.13 million registered M-PESA merchants at the end of FY26 (Source: Safaricom PLC Annual Report FY2026), so the process is well-worn.

Requirements at a glance

A registered Kenyan business (sole proprietor or limited company).
A valid KRA PIN certificate.
A current county business permit in the trading name.
A Kenyan bank account to receive settlement.
A Safaricom line in the applicant name (director for companies, proprietor for sole traders).

Documents Safaricom asks for

Sole proprietor

Original national ID plus one clear copy.
KRA PIN certificate (personal, matches the ID name).
County business permit in the trading name.
Bank account settlement letter on bank letterhead, or a stamped cheque leaf with the account number and branch code visible.
One passport-sized photo (some shops accept a phone photo; most still ask for a printed one).

Limited company

Certificate of incorporation.
CR12 issued within the last 6 months.
Company KRA PIN.
National IDs and personal KRA PINs of each listed director.
County business permit.
Company bank account settlement letter.
Board resolution authorising the M-PESA business account (some shops require it, some do not; carry one just in case).

Two routes: Business App or Safaricom Shop

Business App (soft start)

Download the M-PESA Business App from the Play Store or App Store.
Register with your Safaricom line and PIN.
Start a new Buy Goods till application. Upload photos of each KYC document.
The app validates the upload set and generates a reference number.
Take the reference number and the originals to a Safaricom Shop for sign-off.

The Business App route is faster because compliance can pre-validate the uploads while you travel to the shop. The shop visit then becomes a 15-minute confirmation instead of a fresh application.

Safaricom Shop only (walk-in)

Print the Lipa na M-PESA application form (Safaricom hands out copies at the shop).
Fill it in (typed, not handwritten, for company applications).
Walk in with the completed form, originals of every KYC document, and copies.
The shop scans, validates and submits to Safaricom compliance.
You leave with a submission reference.

Approval timeline

Day 0: Documents submitted at the shop and pass initial validation.
Day 1 to 3: Compliance review at Safaricom head office.
Day 3 (typical): SMS with your till number and Business Portal credentials.

Enterprise paybills and multi-shortcode setups take longer, up to 10 business days. A single sole-trader till usually clears in 48 hours if documents are clean.

Activation fee

Safaricom does not charge an activation fee for a Buy Goods till in 2026. Costs to budget for:

County business permit: KES 3,000 to KES 30,000 depending on trade and county.
KRA PIN: free (issued via iTax).
Company incorporation (if you do not have one): KES 10,650 via the eCitizen BRS portal.
Optional QR-code countertop print or POS device: KES 500 to KES 20,000 depending on hardware.

Post-activation setup

Log into the M-PESA Business Portal with the credentials Safaricom SMS you.
Change the default password.
Add staff roles: operator, checker, admin, viewer as needed.
Print your QR code and place it at the counter, next to the till number.
Set the settlement schedule (T+0 same-day, T+1 next-day, or manual).
Test with a KES 10 payment from your personal M-PESA to confirm the till is live and settlement is set up correctly.

The most common rejection reasons

Name mismatch (KRA PIN vs county permit). This is the top reason. Correct it at the KRA iTax portal (update taxpayer details) or at the county revenue office before re-applying.
Expired county permit. Renew via the county eRevenue portal, then re-apply.
Missing directors' KRA PINs on a company application. Every director on the CR12 needs their personal KRA PIN on file.
Handwritten application form. Since 2024, Safaricom requires typed forms for new business accounts. Fill and print, do not write in pen.
CR12 older than 6 months. Request a fresh CR12 from the eCitizen BRS portal, KES 300.
Bank settlement letter without a signatory stamp. Ask the bank for a letter on official letterhead, signed and stamped, confirming the account and branch.

Living with a till

Once live, your till number becomes your customer-facing brand identifier. Print it clearly, put the QR code next to the point of payment, and train staff to check the M-PESA confirmation SMS on the till operator phone before releasing goods. A common scam pattern is a fake confirmation SMS from a spoofed sender; the real SMS comes from Safaricom (sender ID MPESA).

For the merchant tariff detail, see M-PESA for Business charges 2026 and the forthcoming M-PESA till charges for businesses 2026.

Related business guides

FAQ

How long does it take to get an M-PESA till?

One to three business days from the moment Safaricom receives a complete application. The clock starts when documents are validated at the shop, not when you submit online. Rejections restart the clock, so name-match your documents beforehand.

What documents do I need to register a Buy Goods till?

For a sole proprietor: original national ID, KRA PIN certificate in your name, county business permit in the trading name, a bank account settlement letter or a stamped cheque leaf, and a passport photo. For a limited company: certificate of incorporation, CR12 issued within the last 6 months, company KRA PIN, directors' IDs and personal KRA PINs, county business permit, and company bank account settlement letter.

How much does it cost to register?

Safaricom does not charge an activation fee for a Buy Goods till in 2026. The costs to budget for are the county business permit (varies KES 3,000 to KES 30,000 depending on trade and county) and, optionally, a POS device or QR-code printout for the counter.

Can I register from the M-PESA Business App or do I have to visit a Safaricom Shop?

You can start the application in the M-PESA Business App (KYC upload, business details) and complete it with a documents-visible sign-off at a Safaricom Shop. Some Safaricom retail partners handle the shop-side sign-off, ask your nearest shop before travelling to a Safaricom-branded location. Full remote onboarding is limited to Safaricom-approved enterprise partners.

What are the most common reasons an application is rejected?

Name mismatch between the KRA PIN certificate and the county permit. Expired county permit. Directors' KRA PINs missing on a company application. Unsigned or unwitnessed bank settlement letter. CR12 older than 6 months. Handwritten application form (Safaricom requires typed forms for new business accounts since 2024).

What fees does the business pay after activation?

0.55 percent of each Buy Goods transaction, capped at KES 200 above KES 36,363, free below KES 500. Settlement to your bank is KES 0 to KES 100 per settlement depending on the bank rail. There is no monthly account fee.

Can I have a till and a paybill on the same business?

Yes, if the till and paybill serve different products or channels. A school might use a paybill for term fees and a till for the school shop. Safaricom flags duplicate use of one business under two rails as fraud, so keep the split legitimate.

Verified 1 September 2026. Merchant count from Safaricom PLC Annual Report FY2026. KYC and application-flow detail from the Safaricom Lipa na M-PESA merchant on-boarding pack and current M-PESA Business Portal help centre.