Kenya Company Formation.
We incorporate private limited companies in Kenya through the Business Registration Service (BRS) on the eCitizen portal and set up the company's tax profile with the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA). Every director and shareholder must be registered on KRA's iTax system before the application can go in, so we sequence that work first and then complete the registrations that follow incorporation.
Typically 2–4 weeks, driven mainly by how long KRA PINs for non-resident officers take and how quickly signed and legalised documents come back. Name review and BRS processing are usually quick.
A partner — a chartered accountant or company secretary — from the first call to sign-off.
Based on your situation, and fixed in writing before any work starts.
Is this for you?
- Indian and Gulf businesses entering East Africa through a Nairobi base
- Groups that need a Kenyan subsidiary to sign local contracts or employ staff
- Foreign investors who need a company in place before applying for an investor permit
What you receive at the end.
- 01Certificate of incorporation from BRS
- 02Official search (CR12) showing directors and shareholders
- 03Company KRA PIN and iTax profile
- 04Filed beneficial ownership information
- 05Checklist of tax, employer and county obligations
Kenya Company Formation, step by step.
Typically 2–4 weeks, driven mainly by how long KRA PINs for non-resident officers take and how quickly signed and legalised documents come back. Name review and BRS processing are usually quick.
- 1
KRA PINs for officers
We obtain KRA PINs for directors and shareholders who do not have one. For non-residents, the application goes through a registered tax agent with passport and investment documents.
- 2
Name reservation
We submit three to five name options in order of preference on the BRS eCitizen portal and obtain approval.
- 3
Incorporation filing
We enter company, director, shareholder and share capital details, generate the statutory forms and beneficial ownership form for signature, and file them with BRS.
- 4
Certificate and CR12
BRS issues the certificate of incorporation, and we obtain the official search (CR12) that banks and authorities ask for. We then confirm the company's KRA PIN and tax obligations on iTax.
- 5
Local registrations
We support the county business permit, employer registrations for social security and health insurance, the bank account and work permit applications.
What we need from you.
Don't have everything yet? We send a short checklist after the first call and work with what you have.
- Passport copies and recent colour photographs of directors and shareholders
- KRA PINs, or the documents needed to obtain them through a tax agent
- Three to five proposed company names
- Registered office address in Kenya
- Shareholding and beneficial ownership details
- For a corporate shareholder: incorporation documents and board resolution, apostilled or legalised as applicable
The fee depends on your situation. After a short call, the partner who will do the work tells you what's involved and gives you a fixed fee in writing — before any work begins.
- Government fees and statutory charges are billed at actuals.
- When you pay — upfront, in stages or on completion — is agreed in writing with the fee.
Questions about Kenya Company Formation.
Ready to discuss Kenya Company Formation?
30-minute confidential call — no proposal, no commitment. A partner will write back within one business day.