Import duty & customs calculator for Kenyan traders

Kenya applies the East African Community Common External Tariff, which generally uses 0% for raw materials, 10% for intermediate goods, 25% for finished goods, and 35% for a list of sensitive items. The exact rate depends on your product's HS code classification - check with KRA or a clearing agent to confirm.

Most imports also attract 16% VAT, a 2.25% Import Declaration Fee (minimum KSh 5,000), and a 2% Railway Development Levy, all calculated on or from the CIF value. Some goods also attract excise duty. Port handling, clearing agent fees, and inland transport are separate and not included in this estimate.

Import VAT in Kenya is charged at 16% on the CIF value plus import duty plus excise duty (if any) - not on the CIF value alone. This means VAT is calculated after duty is added, which often surprises first-time importers.

The IDF is a processing fee charged at 2.25% of the CIF value, subject to a minimum of KSh 5,000 per declaration, regardless of how small the shipment is.

No. This calculator gives a planning estimate only. Actual duty depends on your goods' correct HS code classification, and clearing an import requires KRA customs declaration through a licensed clearing agent. Confirm exact figures before committing to an order.

At the 25% finished-goods band, import duty on a KSh 50,000 CIF value is KSh 12,500. VAT at 16% is then calculated on the CIF value plus duty, so it is KSh 10,000 (16% of KSh 62,500), on top of the duty itself. Duty depends on your goods' HS code band, which you can pick in the calculator.

The Railway Development Levy is charged at 2% of the CIF value of imported goods. On a KSh 100,000 CIF value it comes to KSh 2,000. It is added to import duty, VAT, and the Import Declaration Fee, and appears as a separate line in this calculator's landed-cost breakdown.

The Import Declaration Fee is 2.25% of the CIF value, with a minimum charge of KSh 5,000 per declaration. That minimum means even a small shipment pays at least KSh 5,000, which is why low-value imports often cost proportionally more to clear than large ones.

A list of sensitive products under the East African Community Common External Tariff attracts the top 35% rate, covering items such as some foodstuffs, textiles, and sugar-based goods. The exact classification depends on your product's HS code, so check with KRA Customs or a clearing agent to confirm whether your goods fall in this band.

Start with the CIF value, add import duty, then VAT at 16% on the CIF value plus duty (plus excise if it applies), then the 2.25% Import Declaration Fee and 2% Railway Development Levy. The total is your estimated landed cost before port handling, clearing-agent fees, and inland transport. This calculator runs that full chain from one CIF value.