KEBS import inspection: Certificate of Conformity (PVoC) and destination inspection
Kenya Bureau of Standards · sources read 1 Oct 2026
Goods shipped to Kenya without a valid Certificate of Conformity (CoC) are inspected by KEBS on arrival, and you pay an inspection fee of 0.6% of the approved customs value. KEBS's PVoC contracts for general goods expired on 8 February 2026, so plan for destination inspection or test your goods against Kenya Standards before export.
- Fee
- The destination inspection fee is 0.6% of the approved customs value, at least USD 300 and at most USD 3,500.
- Where
- Documents are lodged online on the KenTrade National Electronic Single Window; inspection is done by KEBS at the port of entry
What you need
- Your Certificate of Conformity (CoC) or Certificate of Registration (CoR), if you have one, lodged with KEBS and KRA on the Single Window
- Test reports from an ISO/IEC 17025 accredited laboratory, done before export
Steps
- Before you ship, get the goods tested against the relevant Kenya Standard in an ISO/IEC 17025 accredited laboratory.
- Importing the same product often? Have it registered by KEBS or certified under the KEBS Diamond Mark Scheme before importing.
- Submit copies of your CoC or CoR to KEBS and KRA through the Kenya National Electronic Single Window System (KenTrade).
- If your goods arrive without a valid CoC, KEBS inspects them at the port before release and you pay the destination inspection fee.
Watch out
- KEBS's PVoC contracts for general goods expired on 8 February 2026. Goods shipped from 9 February 2026 without a valid CoC go through destination inspection.
- The destination inspection fee is 0.6% of the approved customs value, at least USD 300 and at most USD 3,500.
- Used cars, mobile equipment and spare parts are different: their pre-shipment inspection contract with QISJ is still in force.
Who can apply
- Anyone importing goods into Kenya. Goods must be certified before shipment, or they go through inspection and testing on arrival.
Official sources (3)
- Public notice on expiry of PVoC contracts for general goods and incidental arrangements thereof kebs.org · read 1 Oct 2026
- PVoC Program Operations Manual, Version 15 (19 February 2026) kebs.org · read 1 Oct 2026
- Kenya Trade Network Agency (KenTrade) kentrade.go.ke · read 1 Oct 2026