Import guides / Kenya
Importing a car from the US to Kenya
Duty is 35% of the car, shipping and insurance (CIF), then 16% VAT and other levies.
- Shipping from the US
- $1,900 to $2,800
- At sea
- 35 to 55 days
- Arrives at
- Mombasa
- Sails from
- Baltimore, MD, Newark, NJ, Jacksonville, FL
What it costs
A car loaded at the US port for $6,000 (winning bid, auction fees and towing), shipped for $2,350. A 2.0 litre car, five years old.
| Car at the US port | $6,000 |
|---|---|
| Shipping | $2,350 |
| Insurance (1%) | $84 |
| Import duty (35%) | $2,952 |
| Excise duty (25%, 1501-3000cc) | $2,846 |
| Import declaration fee (2.5%) | $211 |
| Railway development levy (2%) | $169 |
| VAT (16%) | $2,277 |
| Landed, before port and clearing fees | $16,889 |
An estimate from published rates. Port charges, the clearing agent and registration come on top; your agent's quote is the final word.
Rules to know
- Kenya refuses cars first registered before 2019 Kenya's 8-year rule (KS 1515:2000): from 1 Jan 2026 only cars first registered in 2019 or later are allowed. Ladar goes by the model year; check the first registration date.
- Kenya bans left-hand-drive cars KS 1515:2000 bans importing and registering left-hand-drive cars, apart from special-purpose vehicles. US cars are left-hand drive, so almost none can be registered there.
Find cars worth importing to Kenya. Ladar searches US auctions every day, checks each car's photos for damage and works out its cost delivered, before you bid.
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