eCitizen: How to Register a Business in Kenya

Registering a company in Kenya in the digital era has been made easier via the eCitizen portal.

The platform allows individuals to carry out the entire process from name search to actual registration at your own convenience. As of October 15, 2017, manual registration was abolished.

Business Name Search

  • Log on to your eCitizen account. If you don’t have an account already, click on the signup button which will guide you on the simple process, once done, the system will send you an email verification. Click on the link shared.
  • Once done/logged in, you will be able to see the various government agencies you can interact with on display.

  • Click on the Business Registration Service button from the various options.

  • You will then be redirected to a page that will prompt you to register your business name.

  • Enter your preferred name and the relevant details.

  • You will be prompted to pay a fee of Ksh 150 per name search, with the various payment options available being M-Pesa, Debit/credit/prepaid cards or eCitizen agent.

  • Choose your preferred payment method.

  • The name search results are usually available on the portal within one or two business days.

  • Once your business name is approved, you can now move on to register your business.

Requirements

There are documents you require in order to register your business on the eCitizen portal including;

  • A completed registration form CR1 (available for download on the portal).

  • Statement of capital.

  • Memorandum and article of association.

  • Shareholders details; you will be required to upload scanned copies of ID card/passport, KRA PIN certificate and recent colored passport photographs. The directors/shareholders have to be registered on the iTax platform.

  • Physical residential address of directors.

  • Company registration fee – Ksh 10,650

Note that you can now register a company with one person as both the shareholder and director.

Registration usually takes a week and the certificate will be available on the eCitizen platform for download.

Partnership or Sole Proprietorship Registration

  • Go to the Business registration tab and click on the partnership or sole proprietorship tab.

  • You will be redirected to an empty BN2 form which you will be required to fill with the relevant details.

  • Upload ID card/passport, KRA PIN certificate and recent colored passport photographs of sole proprietor or partners.

  • Partnership and Sole proprietorship registration fee – Ksh 1,000

The registration of such also takes a week and the certificate is availed on the eCitizen platform for download.