UK Car Shipping to Kenya

Cost of Shipping a Car from the UK to Kenya (Mombasa)

Mombasa is Kenya's principal port for vehicle imports, and we handle every detail with our shipping partners: just choose your vehicle and leave the rest to us. The total cost of shipping depends on the vehicle make, model and most importantly size. We work directly with all shipping lines in the UK to arrange regular and reliable vehicle exports from the UK to Kenya (Mombasa). Vehicles travel by either RoRo or container — see pricing for both below.

Approximate — call for the latest rates. These are indicative shipping rates from our published rate table for Mombasa. They move with the market and with the vehicle, and a full export quote covers the UK-side work listed below as well, so treat them as a guide rather than a final price. See the full rate table or ask us for an itemised quote.

What a full export quote covers

• Loading and lashing vehicle into ship
• UK customs export and clearance
• UK port handling charges
• DVLA documentation and export certification
• Export documentation (e.g. Bill of Lading)
• Posting of the Export Documents from UK by UPS/DHL
• Shipping of the vehicle from the UK to Destination Port

Not covered

• Pre-Export Inspection (if required)
• Marine Insurance (container only)
• Collection and/or delivery of the vehicle
• All destination country's import fees

Apart from import duty, taxes, port storage and demurrage at the destination, which the importer always pays, we can add any of these to your quotation, priced separately, along with customs clearance, registration and delivery to your door through a local agent.

We provide a clear, itemised export quote before you commit to anything — and our Kenya Import Duty Calculator lets you estimate KRA taxes for a specific vehicle before you buy.

Documentation Required for Booking

• Car Registration Document (V5 or Logbook) and Vehicle Invoice (or value).
• ID (one government-issued photo ID and one utility bill showing address).

Payment Terms / Modes

• A £1,000 deposit secures a vehicle we source or buy for you. It is part of the price, not an extra fee. If you cancel, our terms and conditions say what is refunded.
• The balance is due in full, in cleared funds, before the vehicle is loaded, unless your quotation sets out different terms.
• Bank transfer preferred. Card payments up to £5,000, with no fee on personal debit or credit cards.
• Letters of credit, cheques, money orders and cash are not accepted.

Our Other Services

Car Sourcing and Buying on your behalf

Kenya is one of our most established export destinations. UK Vehicle Exporters specialises in sourcing and exporting vehicles from the UK, with trusted shipping partners and support at every stage — from vehicle selection through to KRA clearance and registration in Kenya.

Kenya Import Duty Calculator

Estimate the customs value and taxes for a specific make and model before you commit to buying, using KRA's official Current Retail Selling Price (CRSP) schedule and depreciation rules (July 2025).

Base CRSP values and depreciation schedule sourced from Kenya's Current Retail Selling Price schedule (July 2025). This tool provides an estimate only and is not a substitute for advice from KRA or a licensed clearing agent.

Vehicle Age & Import Eligibility

Kenya generally restricts direct import of used vehicles to those no older than 8 years from the year of first registration. This is one of the first things we check when helping you select a vehicle for export to Kenya.

How KRA Values Your Vehicle

Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) doesn't use your purchase price directly. Instead, it values the vehicle using its Current Retail Selling Price (CRSP) schedule — a reference price per make, model and variant — and then applies a depreciation rate based on the vehicle's age:

1. 1Find the CRSP — the reference retail price for that exact make, model and variant
2. 2Apply depreciation — from around 20% for a 1-2 year old car up to 65% for an 7-8 year old car
3. 3Derive the customs value — the taxable base that Import Duty, Excise Duty, VAT, IDF and RDL are all calculated from

Understanding KRA Import Taxes

Once the customs value is established, KRA applies the following charges (rates in force from 1 July 2026):

• Import Duty — 35% of customs value for cars (electric included), pick-ups, lorries, buses, prime movers and trailers; 25% for motorcycles
• Excise Duty — 10-35% depending on engine size and fuel type; a flat fee on motorcycles, and none on electric motorcycles, prime movers or trailers
• VAT — 16%, on customs value plus Import Duty and Excise Duty (0% on electric motorcycles and electric buses)
• IDF (Import Declaration Fee) — 2.5% of customs value
• RDL (Railway Development Levy) — 2% of customs value

Note: KRA's own TEMPLATE 2025 tabs are marked "guideline subject to verification" — we confirm the correct duty category and current rates for your specific vehicle before quoting.

Tax-Free Vehicle Supply and UK VAT

UK Preferential Origin (Reduced Import Duty)

Some UK-built vehicles may qualify for reduced or zero import duty. That depends on the UK having a trade agreement with the destination country and on the car meeting that agreement's rules of origin. During your quote, we'll confirm whether the vehicle you're interested in qualifies.

VAT-free Supply of VAT-Qualifying (VATQ) Cars

A VAT-registered dealer can sell a new car, or a used car that carries VAT on its full price, free of UK VAT when it is exported and HMRC's conditions are met. Used cars of that kind are known in the trade as VAT-qualifying: typically ex-rental or ex-lease cars, where the hire or leasing company reclaimed the VAT when it bought them. On a VAT-inclusive price, the VAT is one-sixth. A used car sold under the second-hand margin scheme is different: VAT is due only on the dealer's margin, and HMRC does not let a dealer zero-rate it as an ordinary export. We are not VAT registered, so the saving comes off the dealer's price, not as a refund from us. We arrange the export to Kenya and give the dealer the proof of export it needs.

HMRC's Personal Export Scheme (PES)

The Personal Export Scheme lets overseas visitors and UK residents who are leaving the UK, and will stay outside it with the car for at least six months, buy a car free of VAT and use it here before it is exported. Only VAT-registered businesses can operate the scheme, so you buy from a dealer that runs it. The car must leave within 12 months of delivery for an overseas visitor, or 6 months for a UK resident, or the VAT becomes payable. It can suit anyone relocating to Kenya: we find a dealer that runs the scheme and ship the car when you are ready. How the scheme works.

Inspection & Registration

Before your vehicle leaves the UK, and once it arrives in Kenya, a few standard steps apply:

• Pre-shipment roadworthiness inspection by a KEBS-approved inspection agency
• Customs clearance and payment of duty at Mombasa
• Registration with the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA)

We'll help you understand what's required at each step, so there are no surprises once the car arrives. We can arrange customs clearance, registration and delivery to your door through a local agent, quoted separately, or work with an agent of your choice.

Arrival in Kenya: What Happens Next

Once your vehicle arrives at Mombasa:

• Customs clearance is handled by a local agent, one we arrange or one you choose
• Import Duty, Excise Duty, VAT, IDF and RDL are settled with KRA
• NTSA registration and number plates are arranged
• Insurance is arranged before the vehicle is driven away

At every stage, we're on hand to guide you — even after the car has left the UK.