Register as a horticulture exporter (AFA-HCD export licence)
Agriculture and Food Authority, Horticultural Crops Directorate · sources read 1 Oct 2026
Apply for a horticulture export licence on the AFA IMIS portal, with your company documents, then pay KSh 15,000 (KSh 10,000 to renew) by M-Pesa or bank. The licence runs for one financial year, 1 July to 30 June.
- Fee
- KSh 15,000Horticulture export licence (new)KSh 10,000Horticulture export licence renewal
- Deadline
- Renew at least 30 days before your licence expires on 30 June, to avoid late application fees.
- Where
- Online on the AFA IMIS portal (imis.afa.go.ke). HCD head office: Mazao Road, Nairobi.
What you need
- Certificate of incorporation (local companies) or certificate of compliance (branch of a foreign company)
- Certified list of shareholders (CR-12), for limited companies
- Company KRA PIN certificate and a valid tax compliance certificate
- A valid business permit
- Directors' ID cards (passports and work permits for foreign directors)
- Details of the produce you will export, your packhouse and how the consignment will be transported
Steps
- Register on the AFA IMIS portal and submit your export licence application with the documents.
- If you own a farm, packhouse or transport that HCD has not inspected before, HCD inspects it.
- When you get the payment notification, pay in IMIS: open 'License Payment & Appeal', then 'License Payment', click Pay Now and accept the M-Pesa prompt. For bank payments, upload the payment reference in the system.
- Download your export licence from the portal.
Watch out
- Buying from farmers? Your contract with each grower must be witnessed by an HCD officer.
- The licence is valid for one financial year only (1 July to 30 June), whenever you got it.
- The AFA licence is not enough on its own: KEPHIS asks for your export licence when you register with it for phytosanitary certificates.
Who can apply
- Companies that export horticultural produce: local companies, or branches of foreign companies with a certificate of compliance.
Official sources (3)
- Register as an exporter with the AFA Horticultural Crops Directorate (HCD) infotradekenya.go.ke · read 1 Oct 2026
- KEPHIS Service Charter (English), Revision 08 Issue 01 kephis.go.ke · read 1 Oct 2026
- AFA IMIS imis.afa.go.ke · read 1 Oct 2026