Bring in prescription medicines for your own use (PPB prescription import permit)
Pharmacy and Poisons Board · sources read 3 Oct 2026
To bring in prescription medicines for your own treatment, a licensed pharmaceutical wholesaler applies to PPB for a free prescription drug import permit for you, using your doctor's prescription. It covers up to a 3-month supply.
- Fee
- FreePrescription drug import permit (PPB fee)
- How long
- About 8 working days to evaluate a permit
- Where
- Through a licensed pharmaceutical wholesaler, who applies online to the Pharmacy and Poisons Board
What you need
- Prescription from a registered doctor, or a doctor's duty-of-care letter, or a compassionate use authorisation letter
- Proforma or commercial invoice for the medicines
- The applying company's wholesale dealer's licence (or business registration certificate for things like custom medical devices)
Steps
- Get a prescription (or duty-of-care letter) from a registered doctor for the medicines you need.
- Appoint a pharmaceutical company with a wholesale dealer's licence to apply for the permit. You, your doctor or the hospital can do this.
- The company applies online to PPB with the invoice, prescription and its licence.
- The medicines must come in through a gazetted port of entry, such as JKIA, Kilindini or Namanga, where PPB inspectors check them.
Watch out
- The permit is normally limited to a 3-month supply of the medicine.
- You can't apply yourself. A licensed pharmaceutical wholesaler must make the application for you.
- For blood meant for your own use, a serology report is also needed.
Who can apply
- Patients returning from treatment abroad, or on long-term treatment, who need refills based on their doctor's review.
Official sources (4)
- Guideline on Import and Export of Health Products and Technologies (Rev. 2, February 2026) web.pharmacyboardkenya.org · read 3 Oct 2026
- Ports of Entry web.pharmacyboardkenya.org · read 3 Oct 2026
- Customer Service Delivery Charter (Rev. 04, July 2026) web.pharmacyboardkenya.org · read 3 Oct 2026
- PPB products / import permits portal products.pharmacyboardkenya.org · read 3 Oct 2026