Get or renew an Embu County business permit
County Government of Embu · sources read 4 Oct 2026
Fill in the county application form, lodge it with Embu County's licensing officer and pay the yearly fee to the county revenue office; fees depend on your business and area (for example KSh 5,000 for a one-vehicle transport operator). Renew each calendar year and pay by 31 March to avoid a 5% monthly penalty.
- Fee
- KSh 5,000Independent transport operator, 1 vehicle (all areas, per year)KSh 15,000Small transport operator, 2 to 25 vehicles, Embu town CBD (per year)KSh 15,000Small transport operator, 2 to 25 vehicles, sub-urban (per year)KSh 10,000Small transport operator, 2 to 25 vehicles, other towns or shopping centres (per year)KSh 5,000LPG vendor or retailer, Embu town CBD or sub-urban (per year)KSh 3,000LPG vendor or retailer, other towns or shopping centres (per year)
- Deadline
- Renew before your licence expires; licences run for a calendar year
- Where
- County Government of Embu licensing officer and county revenue office (Embu County Revenue Authority)
What you need
- The county's trade licence application form, filled in and signed, with the documents the form asks for
- Foreign investors: a valid foreign investment registration certificate
Steps
- Fill in and sign the county's trade licence application form and lodge it with the licensing officer, with any application fee.
- Meet the health, hygiene and safety requirements for your trade, and pay the licence fee to the county receiver of revenue.
- Once granted, put the licence up where it can easily be seen during inspection.
- Before it expires, apply on the county form to renew it for the next calendar year.
Watch out
- Pay by 31 March. After that, 5% of the annual fee is added for every month it stays unpaid.
- The fee is for the whole calendar year, no matter when in the year you apply.
- A licence that is not on display counts as trading without one.
- Trading without a licence can mean a fine of up to KSh 100,000, up to six months in jail, or both.
Who can apply
- Anyone who runs a business in Embu County needs a trade licence for that business.
Official sources (2)
- The Embu County Trade Licence Act, 2015 (No. 1 of 2015) drive.google.com · read 1 Oct 2026
- The Embu County Finance Act, 2025 (No. 3 of 2025; Kenya Gazette Supplement No. 6, Embu County Acts No. 3) embuassembly.go.ke · read 4 Oct 2026