Starting January 1, 2022, only vehicles first registered in 2015 will be allowed into the country under the eight-year rule that locks out older used cars. This is according to a statement released by the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS).
According to the law, any vehicle older than eight years is not allowed into the country and can either be destroyed or shipped back at the owner’s cost. This has led to an increase in prices for secondhand vehicles in Kenya due to the high taxes imposed.
“We wish to notify all importers of used/secondhand motor vehicles including returning residents, diplomatic staff, and the general public that… on the observance of the 8-year-age limit requirement, only Right-Hand Drive (RHD) vehicles whose year of first registration is from January 1, 2015, and later shall be allowed into the country,” said KEBS.
Here is the statement:
Importers are now rushing to beat the deadline by importing as many units as possible. There are several vessels at sea with imported vehicles expected to dock at the Port of Mombasa within the next month.
Stats show that the monthly average imports of second-hand vehicles into Kenya increased to above 10,000 units from September. The month of November is expected to record up to 13,000 units or more. The Normal average monthly import is 9,000 units.
At the same time, there are at least eight motor vehicle carrying vessels expected to dock at the Port of Mombasa in less than two weeks, the Kenya Ports Authority ship schedule shows.