Import cost estimator

Work out roughly what a vehicle will cost you landed in Kenya — duty, excise, VAT, levies, port charges and all.

Your figures

Change any field and the estimate updates instantly. Nothing is sent anywhere.

Customs value of the vehicle (KSh)

KSh

This is the depreciated value KRA assigns the model — not the price you paid at auction. If you are unsure, use the retail price of the same model in Kenya as a rough proxy and we will confirm the real figure for you.

Freight & insurance to Mombasa (KSh)

KSh

Ocean freight plus marine cover. Together with the customs value this makes up the CIF figure that duty is calculated on.

Engine capacity / fuel type Excise duty is banded. Bigger engines pay considerably more; fully electric units pay the least.

Port charges, agent fees & our fee (KSh)

KSh

Port handling, clearing agent charges, transport from Mombasa, registration and our service fee. We give you the exact figure in your written quote.

This is an estimate, not a quotation

Kenyan duty and levy rates change, most often through the annual Finance Act, and KRA sets the customs value from its own schedule rather than your invoice. Treat the number below as a planning figure and ask us for a firm quote before you commit.

Estimated landed cost

Everything to get the vehicle onto Kenyan roads.

Customs value (CIF)Vehicle value + freight & insurance—

Import duty35% of CIF—

Excise duty25% of CIF + duty—

VAT16% of CIF + duty + excise—

Import Declaration Fee2.5% of CIF—

Railway Development Levy2% of CIF—

Total taxes & levies—

Port, agent & service fees—

Estimated total —

Figures are rounded. Excise bands: up to 1500cc 20%, mid-range 25%, large-capacity 35%, fully electric 10%. Import duty 35%, VAT 16%, IDF 2.5%, RDL 2%. Confirm current rates with KRA before committing funds.

Get a firm written quote

The arithmetic

How the tax bill is actually built

The charges stack. Each one is calculated on a base that already includes the one before it, which is why the total climbs faster than people expect.

Order in which Kenyan vehicle import charges are calculated
Step	Charge	Calculated on
1	Customs value (CIF)	Depreciated vehicle value + freight + insurance
2	Import duty	CIF
3	Excise duty	CIF + import duty
4	VAT	CIF + import duty + excise duty
5	IDF	CIF
6	RDL	CIF

Why a cheap auction win does not mean a cheap duty bill

KRA does not value your vehicle at the price you paid. It uses its own retail price schedule for the model, with depreciation applied for age. Two people can buy the same model for very different money and receive near-identical duty assessments. Budget from the customs value, not the invoice.

What the estimator does not include

Customs warehouse and demurrage charges — these only arise if the unit overstays at the port. Handled properly, they should be zero.
NTSA registration and number plates — a modest fixed cost, quoted separately.
Post-arrival servicing — fluids, filters, tyres and anything the vehicle needs before it goes into daily use.
Insurance in Kenya — your own motor policy once the vehicle is registered.

Get an exact quote Read the import rules