Importing into Kenya? New Rules for Product Inspections and Compliance

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PCA NewslettersSeptember 10, 2025

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As Kenya’s import landscape rapidly evolves, we are here to keep you ahead of the curve with expert insights designed to empower importers, exporters and trade partners alike.

New KEBS guidelines

As of 2025, the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) has introduced updated inspection protocols for goods entering Kenya, including:

Stricter quality checks on regulated products
Mandatory unique consignment references (UCRs) for all import declaration forms (IDFs)
Increased focus on traceability and authenticity of origin documents

Reminder: all product conformity assessment (PCA) inspections must align with these new KEBS guidelines. We are here to help you stay compliant – from origin to clearance.

Brown sugar and other sensitive goods

Following recent enforcement actions, sensitive commodities such as brown sugar are now subject to tighter scrutiny. Importers should:

Use accurate harmonized system (HS) codes and provide complete product descriptions
Avoid declaring regulated products under non-regulated codes
Proactively submit all supporting documents ahead of inspections

Note: inaccurately declared goods risk delays at origin and penalties at destination.

Quick tip: avoid delays with complete IDF data

Inspections are increasingly delayed due to incomplete or mismatched IDF data. To prevent this:

Ensure the unique consignment reference (UCR) is included in the IDF once approved
Do not manually edit the UCR field – the system now auto-populates it
Verify that the data submitted to E-Trade matches your IDF exactly

PCA insight of the month

The best inspection starts before the shipment leaves the warehouse.

Early coordination with our teams ensures smooth clearance at the port of entry.

Need support?

Have an upcoming shipment or questions on compliance? Contact us at: +254 (0)70 9633 000

Learn more about the Kenya – PVoC Program.

This article can also be found in our PCA Newsletter (Q3/2025) – which keeps you up to date with developments in technical barriers to trade and product conformity assessment.