Maisha Namba and the Maisha card: what they are and how to get one
National Registration Bureau and Civil Registration Services · sources read 1 Oct 2026
Maisha Namba is your lifelong personal number: a baby gets it when the birth is registered, and if you already have an ID, your ID number becomes your Maisha Namba. The Maisha card is the new (third generation) national ID for Kenyans aged 18 and over; apply in person at any registration office or Huduma Centre.
- Fee
- We couldn't confirm a fee from the official page. Check it there before you pay.
- Where
- Maisha card: in person at any NRB registration office or Huduma Centre. Maisha Namba for a child: when the birth is registered with Civil Registration.
What you need
- First-time applicants: your birth certificate (original and a copy)
- A copy of either parent's ID card
- An academic certificate, so your name is captured correctly
- Replacing a lost or stolen Maisha card: a police abstract
Steps
- For a child: register the birth. The Maisha Namba (also called UPI) is assigned during birth registration.
- At 18 or over: go to any Registration Office or Huduma Centre near you to apply for the Maisha card.
- Apply in person before the Registrar with your documents. Nobody can apply on your behalf.
Watch out
- Already have an ID? You don't get a new number: your current ID number is kept as your Maisha Namba.
- Children under 18 keep using their birth certificate as their identity document.
- Lost your Maisha card or had it stolen? Report it at a police station and get a police abstract before applying for a duplicate.
Who can apply
- Maisha card: all Kenyans aged 18 and over.
- Maisha Namba: given to every child when their birth is registered.
Official sources (4)
- NRB - National Registration Bureau usajili.go.ke · read 1 Oct 2026
- Civil Registration Services usajili.go.ke · read 1 Oct 2026
- NRB - Frequently Asked Questions (New Digital Registration Technologies) usajili.go.ke · read 1 Oct 2026
- Issuance of Maisha Card IDs immigration.go.ke · read 1 Oct 2026