Import/Export

Import Declaration

An Import Declaration Form (IDF) is required for all shipments with an invoice value above US$1,000 and/or any with total weight exceeding 70 Kgs and/or those whose description include Spare parts. An IDF may be obtained by the consignee from the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) before arrival of shipment.

If a shipment that requires official application and an IDF arrives in Kenya and the consignee has not obtained an IDF from KRA in advance, it can be done by UPS on behalf of the importer at a cost of KES 2,320 application fee + IDF(GOK) fee - KES 5,000 or 2.25% of CIF value, whichever is higher.

Should the import shipment be less than the weight restriction of 70 kgs and value restriction of US$1,000 and not spare parts, customs will allow clearance to be processed as a direct assessment without official application documents.

There is no duty waiver whatsoever, unless the shipment has prerequisite documentation from the relevant ministry granting exemption from duty. In their absence, taxes are paid in full.

All imports into Kenya that are covered under the Pre-Export Verification of Conformity (PVoC) program should be subjected to inspection at source (e.g SGS, Bureau Veritas and Intertek testing) and issued with certificate of conformity. Imports in PVoC list which arrive at entry points without certificate of conformity (COC) shall be charged penalty at 15% of CIF value by Kenya Bureau of Standards(KEBS).

All those imports not covered under PVoC program will be subjected to destination Inspection of Conformity, which will be done by KEBS on arrival. The charges for the inspection will be as follows:

 Shipments with a value below KES 5,000 will be free of charge

 Shipments with a value above KES 5,000 up to KES 70,000 will be charged KES 500 destination inspection fee

 Shipments over KES 70,000 up to KES 175,000 will be charged KES 800

 Shipments over KES 175,000 will be charged a minimum of KES 1,200 or 0.25% of the total invoice value, whichever is the greater.

KEBS inspection charges and penalty mentioned above are only applicable if shipments are exported to Kenya without COC from the partners at origin country or territory.

Please be informed that fees will be charged to the importer in Kenya on their brokerage invoice if UPS clears shipment on their behalf.

Miscellaneous

For charges made for Export Shipments from United Kingdom to the destination country or territory, please refer to Brokerage Services and Charges-Export Shipments with United Kingdom as the destination.

Driving Licenses

Valid Driving Licenses can be shipped as documents. The description must clearly state 'driving license'. Shipping driving licenses require the approval of the UK customs authorities. A delay of minimum one day has to be calculated.

Please check the import related information if driving licenses are allowed for importation.

Mobile phones to all destinations from United Kingdom can be delayed on export due to security checks from government bodies.

MSDS-NON DG

Goods under IATA Special Provisions A67 require a MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet).

It is not required for all, however shipments can be held by local authority in United Arab Emirates after screening due to lack of MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) or NON DG (Dangerous Goods) declaration letter from the shipper resulting to misconnections and impacting end-to-end service.

It would be advisable for all shipments originating, transiting and terminating for UAE to have MSDS or NON DG declaration from shipper enclosed in the shipment and copies to be uploaded in IDIS.

Packing List

A Packing List is required.

Information needed is a detailed list of all the items being shipped as per the commercial invoice.

SED-(New Electronic Export System)

Export procedure ex United Kingdom

A formal electronic export declaration must be sent to customs authorities by the exporter or their representative. Customs authorities grant the release for export and issue an Export Accompanying Document (EAD) with a unique Movement Reference Number (MRN). UPS operated simplified procedures allowing export formalities to be completed upto 14 days after export.

Informal Declarations
An informal declaration is possible for shipments up to a national threshold. The informal declaration is based on the invoice value and is restricted to shipments not subject to prohibitions and restrictions (for example, embargo regulations) or special export procedures (for example, temporary export). The informal clearance will be done by UPS at the point of exit.

National Requirements
Shipments up to a value of 873.00 GBP can be declared informally on the basis of the invoice.

The EORI (European Union Registration and Identification) number needs to be included with the Invoice for any shipment with value exceeding 873.00 GBP. The EORI number can be obtained by the shipper using website link: www.gov.uk/EORI

UPS service
UPS offers the service to prepare export declarations on behalf of the exporter without additional fees.

Passports

Valid passports can be shipped as documents. The description must clearly state 'passport'. Shipping passports require the approval of the UK customs authorities. A delay of minimum one day has to be calculated.

Please check the import related information if passports are allowed for importation.

Duty and Taxes

Please note that not only the value(s) of the commodity/commodities have to be considered when calculating duty and tax, but also the freight charge and other fees.

Payment by Credit Card

Credit card payments are accepted upon delivery for freight and import charges by this destination. Contact UPS or the UPS service partner in the destination country or territory to determine which credit cards are accepted.

Restrictions may apply for freight collect shipments from the origin country or territory. Contact UPS or the UPS service partner in the origin country or territory prior to shipping.

Post Office Boxes

UPS cannot deliver to a P.O. Box address. All packages require a consignee's contact name and complete street address including apartment, suite or unit number if applicable. The consignee's telephone number needs to be included to facilitate delivery since postal codes are not used.

Service is provided to and from certain cities.

UPS cannot deliver to a P.O. Box address. All packages require a consignee's contact name and complete street address including apartment, suite or unit number if applicable. The consignee's telephone number needs to be included to facilitate delivery since postal codes are not used.

Rest Days:

Saturday, Sunday, and official holidays.

GMT:

Spring +0300/ Fall +0300

Language:

English

Currency:

Kenyan Schilling(KES)

Shipping Charges

• Shipping charges can be billed to the shipper, receiver or a third party.
• When billing the receiver, either the shipper or receiver's account number is required.
• When billing to a third party, the third party's name, country or territory and account number are required.

Duties and Taxes

• Duties and taxes can be billed to the shipper, receiver or a third party.
• When billing a third party, the third party's name, country or territory and account number are required.
• If the duties and taxes are billed to an account outside of the destination country or territory, a "Duty and Tax Forwarding" surcharge will be applied.

Third-Party Billing

• Please note the following third party billing exceptions:
  • Shipments to and from the same country or territory (domestic shipments) cannot be billed to third party payors in other countries or territories. For example, shipments from Mexico to Mexico or Canada to Canada cannot be billed to a third party payor in the U.S. This rule does not apply to UPS domestic services in European Union countries or territories as well as to UPS domestic services in the United Kingdom.For example, shipments from Germany to Germany can be billed to a third party payor in the U.S. (as long as the payor is a business and has a VAT or Tax/EIN ID on file with UPS).

Payment Methods

• When paying by credit card, check, or cash, only the shipper can be billed the shipping charges

There are special stipulations on the following commodities when shipping to Kenya. If you plan to ship one of the commodities listed below, be sure to adhere to the following stipulations in order to avoid delays and holds at customs.

Bank Cards

Bank Cards which are requested to be sent out of the United Kingdom should be declared for referral to HMRC and await their approval to send.

CD Roms

An invoice is required on all shipments containing a CD-Rom/Disk. Invoice should indicate the value of the Recording Media (eg. CDR/DVD) & the Intellectual/statistical value of the software/data separately

Drugs (also see Medicine)

Shipments of drugs and medicines will be delayed for inspection. The Ministry of Health mandates special requirements for the importation of medicines. An Import License endured by the Ministry of Health is required for clearance. The generic or common name of the product should be included on the invoice.

Medicine (also see Drugs)

Shipments of drugs and medicines will be delayed for inspection. The Ministry of Health mandates special requirements for the importation of medicines. An Import License endured by the Ministry of Health is required for clearance. The generic or common name of the product should be included on the invoice.

Parts

If ship and aircraft spares are in transit, the invoice should be clearly marked as ship/aircraft spares in transit. A letter from the Directorate of Civil Aviation, duly signed and endorsed,will be required before clearance of Aircraft Parts can be made or transhipment of Ship Spares can occur.

Passports

Passports which are requested to be sent out of the United Kingdom should be declared for referral to HMRC and await their approval to send.

Shipment value amount:

0.00 US Dollar USD

Shipment type:

no gift exemption

Exemption rule:

no gift exemption

There are no set rules & the limits on gifts are decided by Customs after verification of the goods. Customs will charge duty and V.A.T. on gift shipments with high value items, such as computer equipment and software, or video equipment and cassettes.

In addition to a detailed description of each item, write additional comments of "gift shipment" on the invoice and in the Special Instructions box of the UPS Waybill to insure a proper assessment of duties and taxes.

Invoice

Non-document shipments to Kenya must include 1 original and 2 copies of an invoice.

Customs requires a detailed Air Waybill and an invoice with the following requirements:

Invoice must be written in English

Include a declared value

Include a harmonized tariff code

The original invoice must be on company letterhead with a company stamp or with an original signature. The only exception is for personal shipments, where invoices on blank paper are acceptable.

Shipments of documents do not require an invoice.

The consignee's telephone number, mobile number and email address if available, should appear on the invoice.

Paperless Invoice - Exports

UPS Paperless Invoice is available for small package exports from this country or territory.

Paperless Invoice - Imports

UPS Paperless Invoice is accepted by Customs for small package imports into this country or territory.

The destination country or territory considers the following items document shipments up to a maximum of 5 kgs, providing they can fit into a UPS envelope.If criteria are listed, the shipment must meet those criteria to be considered a document shipment.

Airline Tickets

Validated airline tickets are considered documents. Blank airline tickets are prohibited.

Annual Reports

Bids

Blueprints

Checks (Non-negotiable checks)

Diplomas

Drawings

Drivers License

Event Tickets

Tickets for events like stage performances, football matches or concerts can be sent as documents.

Event tickets coming from a printing company and sent to the organizer of the event or ticket sales offices can not be sent as documents.

Examination Papers

Document Limit-5 Kgs

Forms (Blank)

Graphs

Greeting Cards, Invitations

Intercompany Mail

Negotiable Bonds, Drafts

Periodicals

Price Lists

Proposals

Publications

Visa Applications

UPS can recommend which forms you need based on a few simple criteria. Forms can be completed online or printed. See which forms you need.

In addition to the prohibited commodities listed here, it is prohibited to ship the following commodities to Kenya.

Antiques

Antique shipments are restricted from Europe, the Middle East and Africa and can only be shipped with an International Special Commodities (ISC) contract. Antiques are defined as a work of art, piece of furniture, decorative object, or silverware that is 100 years old or older.

Artwork

Artwork shipments are restricted from Europe, the Middle East and Africa and can only be shipped with an International Special Commodities (ISC) contract.

Paintings or other works of art can be accepted if the artist is still alive, the artwork is replaceable and an art dealer or gallery has appraised the artwork within the last year. If the declared value of the artwork is greater than $100.00 and there is a claim, the shipper must provide a copy of the original invoice, a bill of sale, or other proof certifying in writing the actual cost or replacement cost of the item.

Artwork includes the following: Original engravings, prints, lithographs, original sculptures, statuary.

The term "Artwork" does not apply to: architectural, engineering, industrial, topographical, commercial drawings, hand-painted or hand-decorated manufactured articles.

Batteries

Kenya Airways (used by UPS to ship to and from Kenya) have advised there is a permanent embargo on all lithium batteries (including items that have lithium batteries within the commodity) being accepted to travel on small package service as Courier. This applies to all shipments, even if they are packed in accordance to groups 965, 966, 967, 968, 969 and 970. These have to be rebooked to move as Freight mode causing additional time in transit.

Diskettes

Envelopes (Blank)

Films

Commercial films are prohibited, but promotional and training films are accepted as non-document shipments.

Knives

The consignee must have a license from the Ministry of Defense.

Labels

Paper and Gummed Backed Labels

Liquids

Kenya Airways (used by UPS to ship to and from Kenya) have an embargo on all Liquids being accepted to travel as Courier.

Lithium Batteries

Category PI 965 of Lithium Ion Batteries-Lithium cells or battery only-cannot be forwarded with commercial carriers to Kenya.

Lithium Metal Batteries

Shipments of Lithium Metal Batteries are prohibited on Emirates Airlines flights which UPS uses to this destination country or territory.

Alternative arrangements are in place, but expect transit delays if the normal planned flow of the package is via Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Time in Transit may be extended due to solution found.

Mobile Telephones

Mobile phones to all destination countries from United Kingdom can be delayed on export due to security checks from government bodies.

Personal Effects

Personal Effects cannot be shipped between these countries or territories

Stationery (Blank)

Blank Stationery

Traveler's Checks

Unused traveler's checks are prohibited, but used traveler's checks are accepted as a non-document shipment.

Wildlife Trophies

Saturday Delivery Available: No

Always check Calculate Time and Cost for details of service availability and guarantee information within a country or territory. All Service Levels may not be available to or from every address within a country or territory.

United Kingdom to Kenya

• UPS Worldwide Expedited
  ((England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland))

• UPS Worldwide Express Saver

• UPS WorldWide Express Freight

• WorldWide Economy DDU

Outward Processing (after repair)

Outward Processing Relief (goods exported from the UK for the purpose of repair)

The outward processing relief starts with the export from the UK and will be discharged with the re-importation of the repaired goods. Both steps need to be identified by UPS export or import operation. Repair Goods: Goods requiring Export from the UK for repair Invoice requirements:

• Statement stating "Goods being sent for repair under Outward Processing Relief" should be clearly marked on the commercial invoice
• Provide serial number of goods being sent for repair. If the goods are not serialized a statement to this effect must be made on the commercial invoice
• Exporters authorized to export under OPR must include their authority number on all paperwork
• Provide correct commercial value of goods as originally paid for not a nominal value for the goods.

Failure to provide any of the above information will result in shipments being delayed.

Repaired goods: Goods being re-exported returned after repair in the UK Invoice requirements:

• Invoice should clearly state "Goods have been repaired under IPR"
• Provide either IP authorization number or Import entry details
• Provide full commercial value of goods plus cost of repair

Failure to provide any of the above information will result in shipments being delayed.

Solid Wood Packing Material

New requirements have been implemented for small package shipments and are based on the International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPM) 15, which is entitled "Guidelines for Regulating Wood Packaging Material in International Trade". ISPM 15 was adopted internationally in 2002, and is gradually being introduced by countries or territories worldwide. Wood or wood products covered by ISPM 15 include items such as packing cases, boxes, crates, drums or similar packing, pallets, box pallets and other load boards, pallet collars and skids, but exclude such processed woods as orientated strand board, particle board, plywood or veneer, created using glue, heat and pressure or a combinations thereof, and, raw wood which is 6mm or less thick. It is recommended that if a question arises on this issue, please check with the authority that issues the Phytosanitary certificates in your country or territory.

Import value limits to Kenya

Deminimis Value

Private Shipments

• 0.00 US Dollar (USD)

Commercial Shipments

• 0.00 US Dollar (USD)

Maximum weight:

31.50 kg (69.4 lbs.)  per package

Maximum length:

274.00 cm (107.9 in.)  per package

Maximum dimensions:

400.00 cm (157.5 in.)  per package
Length and girth combined

Convert metric quantity for weight, length, and area.