Import Duty Calculator
See what it costs in taxes to bring a used car into Kenya. Pick the car from KRA's Current Retail Selling Price list and the year it was made.
- Import duty, excise, VAT, IDF and RDL, step by step
- From KRA's own list and worked examples
- Free, no sign-in, shareable on WhatsApp
How the estimate is worked out
- 1
Start from KRA's price
KRA lists a Current Retail Selling Price (CRSP) for every model it values. That is the starting point, not what you paid.
- 2
Take off depreciation
KRA reduces the CRSP for the car's age (up to 65% at 8 years) and works back to a customs value.
- 3
Add each tax
Import duty on the customs value, excise on value plus duty, 16% VAT on all three, then IDF (2.5%) and the Railway Development Levy (2%).
Deciding between importing and buying a car already in Kenya? Read Import vs buy locally, or check a local asking price with Is this price fair?.
Questions people ask
- How is import duty on a used car calculated in Kenya?
- KRA starts from the car's Current Retail Selling Price (CRSP), takes off depreciation for its age, and works back to a customs value. On that it charges import duty (35%, or 25% for a fully electric car), then excise duty on the value plus duty, then 16% VAT on all three, plus the Import Declaration Fee (2.5%) and the Railway Development Levy (2%) on the customs value.
- What excise duty applies to my car?
- It depends on the engine: 20% up to 1,500cc, 25% above that, and 35% for petrol cars over 3,000cc or diesel cars over 2,500cc. Fully electric cars pay 10%.
- How old can an imported used car be?
- Kenya lets in used cars up to 8 years old, counted by calendar year, and they must be right-hand drive. In 2026 that means 2018 or newer.
- How much depreciation does KRA allow?
- For a direct import: 20% at 2 years, 30% at 3 years, 40% at 4 years, 50% at 5 years, 55% at 6 years, 60% at 7 years, 65% at 8 years.
- Is this the exact amount I will pay?
- It is an estimate. It follows KRA's own worked example and its published CRSP list, but which list KRA applies has been before the courts, and KRA counts age from exact dates. Shipping, clearing, port charges and registration are not included. Confirm the figure with your clearing agent before you buy.
- Where do the figures come from?
- From KRA's CRSP list of July 2025, which Garisea checks for a new edition every month. The tax rates are read from KRA's own worked examples in the same file.