A Toyota Axio at a Japanese auction can look like a bargain until KRA assesses it, because Kenya does not tax what you paid. It taxes the CRSP, a government reference price for that exact make and model, reduced by an age allowance and then stacked with five separate charges. Two buyers who paid very different prices for the same car can end up owing the same amount at the port.
Use the free Kenya Vehicle Import Duty Calculator at MetricSuite.tools to calculate this instantly, no signup required. Enter your CRSP value or purchase price, the vehicle’s age, engine size and fuel type, and see the full KRA breakdown before you commit to a purchase.
Kenya Vehicle Import Duty Calculator
Estimate KRA duty, excise, VAT, IDF and RDL on an imported used vehicle, using the CRSP method and age depreciation.
KRA's published Current Retail Selling Price for this exact make, model, engine and trim.
This is the one figure genuinely disputed right now — confirm with your clearing agent before relying on either rate.
How to Use This Calculator
- Find your CRSP value if you can. KRA publishes a Current Retail Selling Price for thousands of vehicle variants. If your clearing agent has already given you this figure, enter it directly, it is what KRA will actually tax you on.
- No CRSP yet? Use your purchase price as a placeholder. Enter your CIF (cost, insurance, freight) value instead. KRA compares this against its own CRSP figure and taxes whichever is higher, so this route usually understates your real bill.
- Set the vehicle’s age from first registration, not the calendar year and not the day you shipped it. A car registered in Japan in 2019 is 7 years old in 2026, regardless of when it left port.
- Enter fuel type and engine size. Excise duty is the component that swings the most between vehicles, a 1500cc petrol sedan and a 3200cc petrol SUV can differ by 15 percentage points in excise alone.
- Read the full breakdown, not just the total. Each line compounds on the one above it, duty is charged on customs value, excise on customs value plus duty, VAT on all three combined.
Why This Matters
KRA does not tax what you paid for your car. For most used imports it taxes the CRSP, a government-set reference retail price for that exact make, model, engine and trim, reduced by an age-based depreciation allowance capped at 65% for vehicles at the 8-year import limit. That means the invoice from your Japanese auction will not lower what you owe. Getting the age and engine-size inputs right before you buy, rather than after your container has already left port, is the difference between a budget that holds and one that blows out by hundreds of thousands of shillings at Mombasa.
If you are comparing a general goods shipment rather than a vehicle, use the free Kenya Import Duty Calculator at MetricSuite.tools to calculate this instantly, no signup required, since vehicles follow a completely different formula from everything else you might import.
Excise Duty Rates by Engine and Fuel Type
| Fuel type | Engine capacity | Excise rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol / Hybrid | Up to 1,500cc | 20% |
| Petrol / Hybrid | 1,501cc to 3,000cc | 25% |
| Petrol / Hybrid | Over 3,000cc | 35% |
| Diesel | Up to 2,500cc | 25% |
| Diesel | Over 2,500cc | 35% |
| Fully electric | Any | 10% |
Key Takeaways
- KRA taxes the CRSP (Current Retail Selling Price), not your invoice, and uses whichever figure is higher.
- Age depreciation ranges from 0% for a car under a year old to a capped 65% at the 8-year import limit, Kenya’s oldest allowable import age.
- Five separate charges stack on top of each other: Import Duty, Excise Duty, VAT, IDF and RDL, each calculated on a running total that includes the ones before it.
- Excise duty is the biggest swing factor, engine size and fuel type can move your bill by 15 percentage points or more.
- The import duty rate itself has genuine uncertainty right now under the 2025 CRSP revision, confirm with a licensed clearing agent before you commit to a number.
- This calculator covers KRA’s charges only, budget separately for clearing agent fees, port handling, inspection and NTSA registration.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is CRSP and why doesn’t KRA just use my invoice price?
CRSP stands for Current Retail Selling Price, KRA’s own reference price for a specific vehicle variant, used because import invoices from overseas auctions are easy to under-declare. KRA compares your invoice to its CRSP figure and taxes you on whichever is higher.
How is my vehicle’s age calculated?
From the date of first registration in the country of origin, not the manufacture date and not the shipping date. A vehicle first registered in Japan in March 2019 is treated as roughly 7 years old for a 2026 import, regardless of when it left port.
Can I import a car older than 8 years?
No. Kenya bars import of vehicles more than 8 years old from first registration. Vehicles that miss this window are typically rejected at the port, and repatriation is expensive.
Why does the calculator ask me to choose between a 25% and 35% duty rate?
Because there is genuine, current disagreement on this point. The standard published rate is 25%, but the CRSP schedule revised in mid-2025 has drawn conflicting reports of a 35% band being applied to high-cc and luxury imports, and parts of that revision have faced legal challenge. Confirm the applicable rate with a licensed clearing agent before you commit to a purchase.
Are electric vehicles really cheaper to import?
Yes, on the tax side. Fully electric vehicles attract a preferential 10% excise duty versus 20 to 35% for petrol and diesel, though import duty and VAT still apply in full.
Does this total include clearing agent and port fees?
No. This calculator covers only the five taxes KRA itself assesses: import duty, excise duty, VAT, IDF and RDL. Clearing agent fees, port handling, pre-shipment inspection, transport from Mombasa, and NTSA registration are all separate.
Internal Tool Recommendation
If you’re importing general goods rather than a vehicle, use the free Kenya Import Duty Calculator at MetricSuite.tools to calculate this instantly, no signup required, the tax formula for ordinary cargo is entirely different from what applies to cars.
Moving back to Kenya and bringing a vehicle with you as a returning resident? Try the free Repatriation Cost Calculator at metricsuite.tools/repatriation-calculator/ to budget the rest of your move alongside this duty estimate.
Need a Clearing Agent or Import Consultant?
Find verified import, export and logistics freelancers on Fiverr.
Comparing vehicle import costs across African markets rather than committing to Kenya specifically? Use the free Zambia Vehicle Import Duty Calculator to calculate ZRA’s fixed Specific Duty schedule instantly, no signup required. Use the free Zimbabwe Vehicle Import Duty Calculator to calculate ZIMRA’s cascading duty, surtax and VAT instantly. Or use the free SACU Vehicle Import Duty Calculator for Botswana, Namibia or South Africa.
Sources
Kenya Revenue Authority
- What You Need to Know When Importing a Motor Vehicle, KRA’s own stated rates: 25% import duty, 20% or 25% excise by 1500cc threshold, 16% VAT, 2% RDL, 3.5% IDF
- Procedures for Motor Vehicle Import
- Current Retail Selling Price (CRSP) for Used Motor Vehicles, Public Notice
- Clarification on Implementation of Revised CRSP List
- Everything About Customs, KRA FAQ, includes the returning-resident duty-free vehicle exemption, directly useful for the Returning-Resident Vehicle Duty Exemption Checker on the roadmap
- Motor Vehicle Import Duty