Thousands of Kenyans who risked being locked out of the tax filing now have a reason to smile after the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) announced a 24-hour extension.
The deadline that was set to expire at midnight on Monday, 30 June, has now been extended to midnight on Tuesday, 1 July.
According to the KRA, this is to give more Kenyans time to file their returns following technical challenges experienced with the iTax system on the last day of filing (June 30).
''We have opened the service lane! 24-hour extension up to tomorrow, July 1, 2025, midnight to file and pay your returns!'' the taxman shared in a statement.
Additionally, Kenyans seeking assistance at the KRA contact centre will be able to access services between 7am and 8pm on Tuesday.
Furthermore, tax offices at service centres across the country will remain open for an extended 12-hour period, from 8am to 8pm, to facilitate last-minute filing and offer support to taxpayers.
According to the KRA, filing annual tax returns is a mandatory legal obligation for all eligible taxpayers, not just salaried employees. This includes business owners, landlords, farmers, and even individuals with no income during the year, who are required to file a NIL return.
KRA emphasises that filing must be done even if one's employer already deducts and remits Pay As You Earn (PAYE).
For the self-employed, those earning rental income or engaging in farming activities, declaring all sources of income is compulsory under the law.
Failure to meet the filing deadline attracts penalties. KRA imposes a fine of 5 per cent of the tax due or Ksh2,000—whichever is higher—for late filing.
In addition, if tax remains unpaid after the deadline, a further penalty of 5 per cent of the unpaid tax is charged, along with a 1 per cent monthly interest until the amount is settled.
Meanwhile, earlier in May, the taxman had taken similar steps to ease the pressure on taxpayers by extending its working hours. On Tuesday, May 20, KRA announced that all its service centres and Huduma Centres would operate for extended hours to accommodate the high number of Kenyans filing their 2024 income tax returns.
The move was part of the authority’s broader effort to ensure compliance ahead of the June 30 deadline, targeting all Kenyans with active KRA PINs. It aimed to reduce last-minute congestion and technical difficulties that often occur as the deadline approaches.
