NAIROBI, Kenya- The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) will block customs clearance for imported consignments without valid digital marine cargo insurance from November 1, 2026.
The requirement applies to all incoming consignments, according to a public notice issued by KRA on October 22.
Importers and clearing agents must obtain a policy from an insurer licensed by the Insurance Regulatory Authority (IRA).
To clear goods through Customs, the insurance certificate must be processed through the Digital Marine Cargo Insurance system and successfully transmitted to KRA’s Integrated Customs Management System (iCMS) before a customs declaration is lodged.
Consignments that do not meet the requirement will not be cleared, KRA said.
The notice was issued jointly by KRA and IRA following earlier communications on the insurance requirement.
It asks importers and clearing agents to ensure their policies are valid and that the required digital certificate has reached the customs platform before starting the clearance process.
How the digital certificate works
The IRA says the digital process applies to imported cargo and involves the authority, KRA’s iCMS, licensed insurers, the eCitizen platform and the Pesaflow payment gateway.
The digital certificate records the insurance cover for a consignment and is transmitted to KRA for customs processing.
Importers and their agents will need to arrange the insurance cover and complete the digital certificate process before lodging a declaration.
Having an insurance policy alone may not be sufficient for clearance if its certificate has not been processed through the Digital MCI system and transmitted to iCMS, according to KRA’s notice.
The requirement makes the digital transmission part of the customs clearance process.
KRA has warned that goods may be held from clearance if the system does not show a valid certificate when a declaration is submitted.
KRA did not announce a new tax or fee in the notice.
It focused on the enforcement date and the steps importers and clearing agents must complete for consignments to be cleared.
The IRA had previously published procedures for acquiring and issuing digital marine cargo insurance certificates.
Those procedures apply to imported consignments and link the insurer’s certificate with KRA’s customs system.
KRA said the measure is intended to ensure compliance and urged stakeholders to prepare ahead of the November deadline to prevent trade disruptions.
The notice was signed by the Commissioner for Customs and Border Control.
It directs importers and clearing agents to use policies issued by IRA-licensed insurers and to verify that the digital certificate has been successfully sent to iCMS before lodging a customs declaration.
Importers whose shipments arrive from November 1 will therefore need to ensure the cover and digital documentation are in order before seeking clearance.
