How to Start Exporting from Kenya: A Guide for Manufacturers

To learn how to export from Kenya, begin with a registered business and a tax PIN, meet the quality marks your product needs, agree the sale with a buyer, and then clear the goods through Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) customs systems. The export promotion agency KEPROBA can help with market links, and trade inside the East African Community (EAC) uses its own origin rules. This guide explains the steps, and clearly marks what we could not verify.

This is general information. Confirm current requirements with KRA, KEBS, KEPROBA and your clearing agent before you ship.

Start with your business and tax setup

Register your company and get a KRA PIN. Export records now connect to tax reporting. KRA announced that, from 1 May 2026, export data in its customs system (iCMS) would be linked to VAT returns filed on iTax. A news report did not describe in detail what exporters must do, so read the KRA public notice or ask your tax adviser. In practical terms, your export entries and your VAT records should match. Keep clean files.

What KEPROBA does for exporters

KEPROBA is Kenya's export promotion agency. Public statements from its leadership say the agency works with exporters to build market links, share trade information and promote Kenyan products abroad. The government has also announced a platform and quarterly forums where exporters can raise problems, especially non-tariff barriers. We could not verify a current KEPROBA registration process or fees, so ask KEPROBA directly what support is open to a manufacturer like you, and whether you need to register.

KEBS standardization mark and export

Many people ask about the KEBS standardization mark export link. Here is what KEBS says about its marks:

Standardization Mark (S-Mark): a mandatory certification scheme for locally manufactured goods that fall under it. You must meet the Kenyan standard and show the mark and permit number on the label. Permits last two years. Fees depend on enterprise size.
Diamond Mark of Quality (D-Mark): a voluntary scheme for high manufacturing quality. Permits last four years, and D-Mark holders qualify for the S-Mark without extra payment.
Fortification Mark: for fortified foods such as wheat flour, dry milled maize products and vegetable fats and oils, and you must already hold an S-Mark or D-Mark.

KEBS says permits depend on factory inspection and product sampling, and firms must keep in-house testing and quality control records. Even if the mark is mainly about the local market, buyers abroad often like to see it as proof of quality. Whether your export product needs a mark is a question for KEBS. Our article on product certification for African manufacturers gives the wider picture.

Kenya export documents

The exact set depends on the product and destination, but most Kenya export documents include:

Commercial invoice and packing list
Customs export entry, usually filed by your clearing agent
Product certificates or permits (for example KEBS papers or plant health certificates for farm products)
Certificate of origin when your buyer or trade scheme asks for one
Transport document such as a bill of lading or airway bill

Ask a licensed clearing agent to confirm which papers your product needs. Agents know the daily practice at the port of Mombasa, at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and at border posts.

EAC export Kenya: selling to partner states

Kenya is an EAC Partner State. Goods that meet EAC rules of origin get Community tariff treatment when traded between Partner States. We read the EAC rules manual published by KRA, and it describes these ideas:

Wholly produced goods qualify directly.
Other goods need enough working or processing in the EAC, using tests such as a change in tariff heading or a cap on the value of imported materials.
Simple packaging, bottling and basic assembly do not give origin.
Proof is an EAC Certificate of Origin, issued by the competent authority of the Partner State, or an origin declaration in some cases.

The manual does not name Kenya's issuing authority, so ask KRA or the Ministry of Trade who issues the certificate for your product, and confirm the duty position under the EAC common external tariff. For the wider AfCFTA picture, read AfCFTA rules of origin and certificates explained. For regional selling tips, see selling across African borders.

Choose export products from Kenya and get paid

When you pick export products from Kenya, begin with items where you can match quality batch after batch and where you have your own cost records. Before any shipment, agree the payment method. Safe options and red flags are in our guide on how African exporters get paid by foreign buyers. We did not verify any Kenyan export incentive schemes for this article, so ask KEPROBA and KRA what duty or tax relief applies to your business.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need the S-Mark to export? The S-Mark is mandatory for locally manufactured products under the scheme. Ask KEBS whether your product is covered and what your buyer needs.

How long is an S-Mark permit valid? KEBS says two years.

Do I need to register with KEPROBA? We could not verify this. Ask KEPROBA.

Is trade inside the EAC duty-free? Goods that meet the origin rules receive Community tariff treatment. Confirm the exact duty with KRA for your product.

Getting started

With your papers and quality marks in order, look for buyers. Ready to reach buyers? Apply as a supplier on Comilmart — there are no listing fees to get started.