Second-hand car importers must import and clear cars registered in 2017 from the port by December 31 to avoid potential losses following a directive from the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS).
KEBS, in a notice on Tuesday, November 26, issued the timeline for imported second-hand cars older than eight years into the country. Owing to the directive, all those importing cars whose Certificate of Roadworthiness (CoR) year of registration is 2017 will not be valid after December 31.
According to KEBS, cars that fail to meet the time frame will not be permitted entry into the country and will be considered non-compliant.
In the same notice, KEBS also directed that from January 1, 2025, only second-hand cars that are Right Hand Drive (RHD) first registered from January 1, 2018, or later will be allowed into the country.
"Pursuant to the provision of KS 1515-2000, Kenya Standard Code for Inspection of Road Vehicles, and Legal Notice No. 78 of April 28, 2020—The Verification of Conformity to Kenya Standards of Imports Order, we wish to notify all importers of used/second-hand motor vehicles, including residents, diplomatic staff, and the general public, that in observance of clause 2.5 of KS 1515-2000 on the eight-year age limit requirement."
"Only Right Hand Drive (RHD) motor vehicles whose Year of First Registration is from January 1, 2018, and later shall be allowed into the country effective January 1, 2025," the notice by the KEBS managing Director Esther Ngari read in part.
Ngari has announced that all stakeholders involved in importing vehicles into the country must adhere to the Kenya Code of Practice for the Inspection of Road Vehicles.
Additionally, KEBS has mandated that vehicles imported from countries with an inspection agency must be accompanied by a Certificate of Roadworthiness issued by those agencies.
"Vehicles from countries where KEBS has an inspection agency like Japan, the United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Thailand, Singapore, and South Africa shall be accompanied by a Certificate of Roadworthiness (CoR) issued by Quality Inspection Service Inc. Japan(QISJ) which is an inspection company contracted by KEBS," the notice continued.
The government's goal is to ensure that safer vehicles are available in the country. However, in the short term, this directive will most likely require second-hand car importers to hurry the importation process to meet the strict timeline.
As a result, consumers in Kenya may face higher prices, as newer vehicles generally cost more. Importers may encounter increased expenses when purchasing these cars, which could be passed on to customers.
The new directive comes as the number of car imports dropped in the last quarter of the year. According to data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), in its Leading Economic Indicators report published on November 19, NTSA only registered 9,888 vehicles in August compared to 13,499 in July.
