Information date: 19 August 2026. Government fees, portal fields and filing requirements can change; confirm the live eCitizen/BRS invoice and checklist at the time of filing.
Quick Answers: Company Registration in Kenya
Company registration in Kenya is the legal incorporation of a company through the Business Registration Service (BRS), using the eCitizen platform. For a standard private limited company, BRS currently lists an official registration fee of KES 10,650, the main lodged forms as CR1, CR2, CR8 and the Statement of Nominal Capital, and a registry processing time of 3–5 days for a complete application. The main registration outcome is a Certificate of Incorporation.
Who is this company registration route for?
This route suits Kenyan founders, single-member companies, SMEs, startups, contractors, investors and foreign shareholders who want to incorporate a separate Kenyan private limited company. An existing overseas company that wants to operate in Kenya as the same legal entity should instead consider registration of a branch of a foreign company in Kenya.
Cost
KES 10,650 official fee
BRS lists KES 10,650 for private limited company registration. Professional and post-registration services are separate.
Requirements
Names, founders, shares and address
Prepare three preferred names, business activity, registered office, directors, shareholders, share structure and beneficial owners.
Documents
CR1, CR2, CR8 and capital statement
BRS lists CR1, CR2, CR8 and the Statement of Nominal Capital for a standard private limited company filing.
Process
Apply online through eCitizen/BRS
Submit three preferred names with the full application, complete founder details, sign/upload the required forms, pay and track approval.
Processing time
3–5 days
BRS publishes 3–5 days for a complete private limited company application. Queries or corrections can extend the registry stage.
Key outcome
Certificate of Incorporation
Once approved, the company is incorporated and the Certificate of Incorporation is available as the principal registry output.
Company Registration Cost in Kenya
Quick answer: The official Business Registration Service fee for registration of a private limited company in Kenya is KES 10,650. BRS lists the Certificate of Incorporation as the document issued and a processing time of 3–5 days for a complete filing.
How much does it cost to register a private limited company?
| Cost item | Amount | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Private limited company registration | KES 10,650 | Official BRS incorporation fee for the private limited company filing and Certificate of Incorporation. |
| Professional company registration support | Quoted by scope | Optional support may cover structure review, document preparation, BRS filing, correction queries and post-registration coordination. |
| Post-registration setup | Separate | Tax registration, banking support, county permits, sector licences, immigration or other operational requirements are not part of the BRS incorporation fee. |
Different entity types have different BRS fees
The KES 10,650 figure is for a private limited company. It should not be confused with registration of a business name, LLP, company limited by guarantee or a foreign company branch.
| Entity / registration route | Official BRS fee | Use this route when |
|---|---|---|
| Private limited company | KES 10,650 | You want a separate Kenyan company limited by shares. |
| Business name | KES 950 | You want a simpler trading-name registration rather than a separate limited company. |
| Limited Liability Partnership | KES 25,000 | You want an LLP structure rather than a company limited by shares. |
| Foreign company branch | KES 7,550 | An existing foreign parent company wants to register in Kenya as the same legal entity. |
| Company limited by guarantee | KES 10,000 | You need a non-share-capital company structure, commonly relevant to non-profit purposes. |
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Send your proposed business activity, whether the founders are Kenyan or foreign, the number of directors/shareholders and any post-registration support you need. We will confirm the scope and professional fee separately from the official BRS charge.
Requirements and Documents for Company Registration in Kenya
Quick answer: Prepare three preferred company names, the business activity, registered office, director and shareholder details, share capital and allocation, beneficial ownership information, identification details and the BRS forms required by the application. For a standard private limited company, BRS lists CR1, CR2, CR8 and the Statement of Nominal Capital.
Company details required before filing
- Three preferred company names in order of preference.
- Nature of business / proposed business activity.
- Registered office and physical address in Kenya.
- Postal address, email address and telephone contact.
- Share capital, number/value of shares and allocation to each shareholder.
- Director and shareholder details.
- Beneficial ownership details and ownership chain where relevant.
- Company secretary particulars where the statutory threshold or structure requires one.
Documents and particulars for directors and shareholders
| Applicant type | Prepare | Important point |
|---|---|---|
| Kenyan individual | National ID details, KRA PIN details where required by the portal, contact/address information, occupation and share allocation. | Names and identification particulars should match official records. |
| Foreign individual | Valid passport details, contact and address information, share allocation, beneficial ownership information and any additional KYC requested. | Company incorporation does not by itself grant immigration or work authorization. |
| Corporate shareholder | Corporate registration documents, authorized signatory/board authority as applicable, ownership chain and ultimate beneficial owner information. | Foreign corporate documents may need certification or other authentication depending on the filing and later bank KYC. |
Main BRS company registration forms
| Form / document | Purpose |
|---|---|
| CR1 | Application to register a company. |
| CR2 | Model memorandum for a company with share capital. |
| CR8 | Notice of residential address / change of address of a director. |
| Statement of Nominal Capital | Records the company’s share-capital structure for the incorporation filing. |
| Beneficial ownership information | Companies must maintain and lodge beneficial-owner information in the prescribed form; the live BRS workflow should be followed for the form generated or requested. |
Eligibility and structure points that matter
- At least one natural-person director: the Companies Act requires a company to have at least one director who is a natural person.
- Single-member company: Kenyan company law recognizes companies with one member, so one-person ownership is possible for an ordinary private company.
- Foreign shareholders: Kenya’s investment procedures provide an online local-company registration route for foreigners.
- Company secretary: a private company is required to have a secretary if its paid-up capital is KES 5 million or more.
- Share capital: do not present KES 100,000 as a universal statutory minimum for every private company. Choose a sensible share structure and check any sector-specific capital requirement separately.
Regulated activities—such as financial services, insurance, telecoms, health, education, construction, tourism and other licensed sectors—may impose ownership, capitalization or licensing conditions beyond ordinary BRS incorporation.
How to Register a Company in Kenya on eCitizen/BRS
Quick answer: Register online through the Business Registration Service on eCitizen. BRS has merged name reservation and registration into one process: submit three preferred names with the full application, enter the company and ownership details, sign/upload the required forms, pay the invoice and monitor the application until the Registrar approves it.
Step-by-step company registration process
1. Confirm the right entity
Choose a private limited company only if you want a separate Kenyan company. Compare the route with a business name, LLP, company limited by guarantee or foreign company branch where appropriate.
2. Prepare three preferred names
BRS asks applicants to submit three preferred names with the full application. Prepare the business activity and registered office details at the same time.
3. Prepare directors, shareholders and beneficial owners
Confirm identification details, addresses, share allocation, beneficial ownership and the company’s share-capital structure before entering the portal.
4. Start the eCitizen/BRS application
Access the Business Registration Service through eCitizen and select the appropriate private limited company registration service.
5. Complete, generate and sign the forms
Complete the portal fields and use the forms generated or required by the live application. BRS lists CR1, CR2, CR8 and the Statement of Nominal Capital for private limited company registration.
6. Upload documents, pay and submit
Upload legible signed documents, pay the live BRS invoice electronically and submit the filing for Registrar review.
7. Respond to any BRS query
Check the application dashboard and correct any issue involving the name, identification details, signatures, shares or beneficial ownership information.
8. Download the incorporation output
After approval, download the Certificate of Incorporation and retain the company file for tax, banking, licensing and future compliance.
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For a foreign-owned, multi-shareholder, corporate-shareholder or regulated-sector setup, a short structure review before filing can prevent avoidable BRS corrections and post-registration problems.
What happens after company incorporation?
The Certificate of Incorporation creates the company, but it does not complete every tax, banking or operating requirement. Depending on the business, the next steps may include:
- Company KRA PIN registration or tax-profile follow-through through iTax.
- An official company search/CR12 where requested by a bank, investor, tendering entity or counterparty.
- Corporate bank account onboarding and signatory documentation.
- County business permit or premises licensing.
- Sector-specific licences and regulatory approvals.
- Employer registrations where the company hires staff.
- Trademark registration in Kenya where brand protection is required.
- Investor permit or work permit planning where a foreign national will work or reside in Kenya.
Company Registration in Kenya for Foreigners
Quick answer: Foreign individuals can register a local Kenyan company through eCitizen. Before filing, decide whether you need a foreign-owned Kenyan private limited company or a branch of an existing foreign parent company; the legal entity, registry output and filing requirements are different.
Foreign-owned Kenyan company vs foreign company branch
| Option | Legal effect | BRS registration output | Use when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foreign-owned Kenyan private limited company | A separate Kenyan legal entity with its own directors and shareholders. | Certificate of Incorporation. | You want a new Kenyan subsidiary/company for local contracts, operations, investment or liability separation. This page covers this route. |
| Branch of a foreign company | An extension of the overseas parent company rather than a separate Kenyan company. | Certificate of Compliance. | The existing foreign parent wants to operate in Kenya as the same legal entity. |
Additional planning for foreign founders
Foreign shareholders should prepare passport and ownership information carefully and identify any corporate ownership chain and ultimate beneficial owners. After incorporation, bank KYC, KRA registration, regulated-sector approvals and immigration should be handled as separate workstreams where applicable.
How Long Does Company Registration Take in Kenya?
Quick answer: BRS lists 3–5 days for a complete private limited company registration. Treat this as the published registry processing time—not a guaranteed end-to-end business setup time. A BRS query, correction or incomplete filing can extend incorporation, and tax, banking and licences are separate.
Planning timeline by stage
| Stage | Planning position | What can delay it |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-filing preparation | Depends on how quickly founders provide complete information. | Missing passports/IDs, uncertain share allocation, incomplete beneficial ownership chain or unclear registered office. |
| BRS private-company review | 3–5 days published by BRS for a complete filing. | Name issues, unsigned/unclear forms, mismatched particulars or Registrar queries. |
| Certificate of Incorporation | Available after approval. | Outstanding BRS corrections or portal issues. |
| Post-registration setup | Separate from the BRS incorporation timeline. | KRA, bank KYC, county permits, employer registrations, sector licences and immigration requirements. |
Common causes of company registration delays
- Proposed names that are unavailable, restricted or too similar to existing names.
- Different spelling or order of names across IDs/passports and the portal.
- Unclear shareholding or inconsistent share-capital figures.
- Incomplete beneficial ownership information.
- Unsigned forms or poor-quality document scans.
- Missing corporate-shareholder authority or ownership documents.
- Late response to a BRS query.
- Confusing incorporation with post-registration tax, banking or licensing.
FAQs: Company Registration in Kenya
How much does company registration cost in Kenya?
The Business Registration Service fee schedule lists KES 10,650 for registration of a private limited company. This is the official registry filing fee. Professional assistance, KRA PIN follow-through, banking, permits and sector licences are separate unless included in a quoted service package.
What are the requirements for company registration in Kenya?
Prepare three preferred company names, the proposed business activity, a Kenyan registered office, director and shareholder details, share capital and allocation, beneficial ownership information, identification details and the forms generated or required by BRS.
Which documents and forms are used to register a private limited company in Kenya?
BRS lists CR1, CR2, CR8 and the Statement of Nominal Capital for private limited company registration. The filing also requires the identification, address, shareholding and beneficial ownership information requested by the live eCitizen/BRS application.
How do I register a company in Kenya through eCitizen?
Use the Business Registration Service on eCitizen, submit three preferred names with the full application, enter company, director, shareholder and beneficial owner details, generate and sign the required forms, upload clear copies, pay the live invoice and track the application until approval.
How long does company registration take in Kenya?
BRS lists 3–5 days for a complete private limited company application. This is a registry processing period, not a guarantee. Corrections, name issues, incomplete documents or BRS queries can extend the time, while KRA, banking and licensing are separate post-incorporation steps.
Can a foreigner register a company in Kenya?
Yes. Kenya's investment procedures provide a local-company registration route for foreign founders through eCitizen. A foreign-owned Kenyan company is different from registering a branch of an existing foreign company, so the correct structure should be chosen before filing.
What is the minimum share capital for a private limited company in Kenya?
An ordinary private limited company does not have a universal KES 100,000 statutory minimum for incorporation. The share structure should match the business and any sector-specific rules. A separate Companies Act rule requires a private company to have a secretary where its paid-up capital is KES 5 million or more.
Do I need a lawyer or consultant to register a company in Kenya?
Professional assistance is not mandatory for a routine online incorporation. It can be useful where the structure is foreign-owned, has several shareholders, involves a corporate shareholder, requires beneficial ownership mapping, operates in a regulated sector or needs coordinated tax, banking, licensing or immigration support.
Official sources checked
- Business Registration Service — Companies Registry Fee Schedule
- Business Registration Service — Companies Registry Forms
- Business Registration Service — Register Your Business
- Companies Act, 2015 — Kenya Law
- Companies (Beneficial Ownership Information) Regulations, 2020 — Kenya Law
- Kenya Revenue Authority — Company and Partnership PIN Registration
- KenInvest eProcedures — Company Registration
Prepared and reviewed
Prepared by: Edward Omondi, Business and Immigration East Africa, Nairobi.
Review basis: BRS fee schedule and forms, the Companies Act, beneficial ownership rules, KRA company PIN guidance and Kenya investment procedures checked on 19 August 2026.
This page is general business-registration information, not a substitute for transaction-specific legal, tax, immigration or regulated-sector advice.
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