Get a wildlife research permit or affiliation from WRTI
Wildlife Research and Training Institute · sources read 5 Oct 2026
Anyone doing wildlife research in Kenya, in or outside protected areas, needs a WRTI research permit. The Principal Investigator applies on permits.wrti.go.ke, allows at least 60 days, and pays after approval: KSh 1,200 to KSh 12,000 for Kenyans, USD 120 to USD 700 for foreigners. The permit lasts up to 12 months and is renewed yearly.
- Fee
- KSh 12,000Doctorate research (Kenyan students/researchers)KSh 6,000Masters research (Kenyan students/researchers)KSh 1,200Diploma, undergraduate or attachment (Kenyan students/researchers)
- How long
- Allow at least 60 days.
- Where
- Online at permits.wrti.go.ke. Help: permits@wrti.go.ke. WRTI HQ, P.O. Box 842-20117, Naivasha.
What you need
- Copy of your National ID or passport bio page
- Support letter from your academic, work or other institution
- Foreigners: recommendation from your host institution in Kenya
- Full research proposal, approved and signed, with objectives, methods, sample size, location, timeframe, budget, funding and supervisors
- Grant award letter
- Your CV
- Ethics review (IACUC) report, where it applies
Steps
- Open permits.wrti.go.ke and go through the Applicant Checklist so you have every document ready.
- Log in to the WRTI Research Permitting System and fill in the application. It takes about 20 minutes.
- If WRTI asks, prepare Prior Informed Consent (PIC) and Mutually Agreed Terms (MAT) with the right holders and upload the signed PIC with your documents.
- Wait for approval, then pay the fee by M-Pesa or bank. You get a receipt.
- Renew every year: the permit lasts up to 12 months and the fee is paid again on renewal.
Watch out
- A WRTI permit is not enough on its own. Depending on the study you may also need a NACOSTI licence, a NEMA access permit, a KWS capture permit or an immigration pass.
- Foreign researchers pay in dollars: USD 700 (doctorate or postdoc), USD 500 (masters), USD 250 (undergraduate) and USD 120 for affiliation.
- Foreigners need a research pass from the Immigration Department and must submit it with the permit renewal.
- Taking wildlife samples out of Kenya needs a separate CITES or non-CITES export permit.
Who can apply
- The study's Principal Investigator applies. Undergraduates and postgraduates working with them need their own permit or letter of affiliation.
- Needed for research with or without sampling or collections, and for field schools.
- Covers protected and non-protected areas, community land and private land.
Official sources (3)
- WRTI Research Permitting System (guidelines and fees) permits.wrti.go.ke · read 5 Oct 2026
- Frequent Asked Questions wrti.go.ke · read 5 Oct 2026
- Research Permitting & Compliance wrti.go.ke · read 5 Oct 2026