Who is allowed to collect
- PAVRISK was licensed by the Kenya Copyright Board (KECOBO) for one year from 5 November 2025 (KECOBO statement). In July 2026 the government moved royalty collection onto eCitizen with PAVRISK as the collector (The Standard).
- KAMP was licensed at the same time, but The Standard reported that KECOBO suspended its licence from 1 July 2026, with PAVRISK collecting on its behalf.
- MCSK was not licensed, and the High Court barred it from collecting in February 2026 (HapaKenya).
Matatus, buses and other vehicles (per year)
| Vehicle | Fee (KES) |
|---|---|
| 1 to 5 seats, including taxis | 4,000 |
| 6 to 14 seats | 6,000 |
| 15 to 33 seats | 10,000 |
| 34 seats and above | 15,000 |
| Small cars and minivans | 2,500 |
| Trucks, trailers and lorries | 4,000 |
| Tourist service vehicles | 200 per seat |
| Train coach, per wagon | 25,000 |
| Marine vessel | 60,000; 30,000 if attached to a hotel |
Shops, bars, hotels and other premises (per year)
| Business | Cities | Other areas |
|---|---|---|
| Bars, restaurants, cafes, lounges, lodgings, Airbnb and serviced apartments | 60% of the single business permit fee | |
| Hotels and lodges | 60% of the single business permit fee | |
| Nightclubs, discos and casinos | 60% of the single business permit fee | |
| Banking halls, gyms, showrooms, workshops (per branch) | 25,000 | 15,000 |
| Salons, barbers, spas, car washes, retail shops (per branch) | 5,000 | 3,000 |
| Supermarkets and halls above 5,000 sq ft | 200,000 | 150,000 |
| 3,000 to 4,999 sq ft | 100,000 | 75,000 |
| 1,000 to 2,999 sq ft | 45,000 | 30,000 |
| Up to 1,000 sq ft | 25,000 | 15,000 |
| Private members' clubs | 100,000 | 75,000 |
| Amusement parks and arcades | 40,000 | 25,000 |
| Resident or in-house live band | 50,000 | 20,000 |
| Clinics, chemists and pharmacies | 5,000 | |
Salons, barbers and small shops: in April 2026 Parliament's delegated legislation committee recommended annulling this tariff (CMT 17). We could not confirm the final vote, so treat the KES 5,000 and 3,000 figures as in force unless your invoice says otherwise.
Working out a bar's fee
A bar whose county single business permit costs KES 15,000 a year pays 60% of that: KES 9,000 for its music licence. Your permit fee depends on your county and business size; see Kiambu business permits for an example of how counties price them.
DJs, concerts and promotions
| Use | Fee (KES) |
|---|---|
| Mobile DJ | 30,000 a year or 1,000 per event |
| Paying concert | 50,000 per event |
| International concert | 100,000 per event |
| Promotions and activations | 20,000 per day for chains; 5,000 for SMEs |
| Roadshow truck | 50,000 per truck per event (corporate); 22,000 other vehicles |
Event and promotion fees are due immediately, not within 30 days.
How to pay
- Get an invoice from PAVRISK, from its office, an authorised inspector or the PAVRISK portal on eCitizen.
- Pay by M-PESA to the paybill shown on the invoice and on pavrisk.or.ke/licensing, with the invoice number as the account number, or by bank transfer to PAVRISK's KCB collection account.
- Check that the M-PESA prompt or message names PAVRISK before you enter your PIN.
- Keep the licence and the M-PESA message in the vehicle or on the premises for inspections.
The rules that catch people out
- The licence lasts one year from the date it is issued, not the calendar year.
- An invoice unpaid after 30 days attracts 5% a month, compounded.
- All fees exclude tax.
- Playing music in public without a licence is an offence under the Copyright Act.
Are you an artist rather than a business? The same licences fund your royalties; see our page on Skiza tunes for the caller-tune side.
Sources
- Legal Notice No. 4 of 2026: Consolidated (Music and Audio-Visual Works) Tariffs 2026 to 2028
- KECOBO: statement on CMO licensing, 14 October 2025
- PAVRISK: licensing and payment details, read 28 October 2026
- The Standard, 27 July 2026: royalties move to eCitizen
- HapaKenya, 16 February 2026: High Court bars MCSK from collecting