The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has announced changes to its online tax filing system by introducing National Identity Card (ID) numbers as a new login option for individual users on the iTax platform.
In an update on Monday, August 4, the taxman announced that the new feature was primarily aimed at simplifying tax compliance as the authority aims to shift towards a more user-friendly and accessible tax system.
Previously, individual taxpayers were required to use their KRA Personal Identification Number (PIN) to access services from the iTax portal.
Despite the update, KRA also clarified that the PIN login remained active and valid, but taxpayers would now have the option to log in using their national ID numbers.
The rationale behind the move was that using an ID was more convenient because ID numbers are more familiar and easier to recall for most Kenyan taxpayers.
According to KRA, the move was primarily motivated by feedback from taxpayers, who noted that they consistently had trouble remembering their PINs compared to their ID numbers, which are frequently used in mobile money transactions.
“The introduction of the ID number login is a direct response to taxpayer feedback,” KRA stated.
“It’s a small but meaningful change that we believe will make it easier for more Kenyans to interact with the tax system.”
Besides filing returns, the iTax platform is used bu millions of Kenyans to acess other services, including applying for tax compliance certificates, and conducting other tax-related transactions.
The taxman believes that by simplifying the login process, the taxbase can effectively be expanded since barriers which discourage tax compliance have been removed.
The latest update comes days after KRA announced the rollout of two new systems aimed at improving how custom-related disputes are handled in the country.
On July 31, the taxman announced the rollout of the Independent Review of Objections (IRO) and the Technical Review Unit (TRU), the two systems set to take effect from August 2025, to ensure that disagreements about customs decisions are looked at fairly and transparently.
