Driving License in Kenya
A driving license in Kenya is an issued authority (Usually a booklet or a smart card) to allow a person to drive a motor vehicle, the holder of a valid driving license may be permitted to drive one or more classes of a motor vehicle as indicated in the Driving License.
No driving license or provisional license should be issued to any person;
- Under the age of sixteen years;
- Under the age of eighteen (18) years, except in respect of motorcycles; or
- Endorsed in respect of matatus and motor-omnibuses, unless he
- Is over the age of twenty-four (24) years; and
- Has for not less than four (4) years held a license endorsed in respect of motor-cars or commercial vehicles.
Any person driving a motor vehicle on a road shall carry his driving license or provisional license, and on being so required by a police officer, produce it for examination.
How to Renew Driving License in Kenya | Online Renewal for Kenyan License
A Kenyan license can be renewed through the online platform eCitizen, The eCitizen portal is a free online service that enables Kenyans to access government services and make payments online. With this platform, one can easily acquire a marriage certificate, search for a business name, get a passport or Visa and in this case renew a driving license.
If you do not have an eCitizen account read; How to register for an eCitizen account
- To renew your driving license you first need to login to your eCitizen account with your email address or Kenyan ID number and Password
- Select the National Transport and Safety Authority Get Service
- Then click make application in the NTSA page
- A drop-down page will appear with the first two options being One Year and Three Years Driving License Renewal
- Select the one you intend to pay for, one year costs 650 and three years costs 1450
- After selecting the one your desire you will be asked to confirm the details and issued with a way of payment.
- After successful payment which can be done via M-Pesa paybill a slip will be generated to your account
- You can then print the slip confirming you have successfully renewed your license
Digital Driving License in Kenya
The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) started rolling out the new generation of smart driving licenses in April 2018. The new NTSA smart digital driving licenses are somewhat similar to the National ID but contain personal data including your Blood Group and a secure computer chip containing the driver’s information, which will only be accessed through special electronic gadgets which are held and will be managed by NTSA officials. A key detail of the card is the points system that deducts points for every traffic offense committed. This technology will encourage good driving practices and lessen the number of accidents.
Smart Driving License in Kenya
To register for the new NTSA smartcard driving license;
- Go to tims.ntsa.go.ke and Sign In.
- Once you have, click on the “driving license” menu and select “Apply for smart DL”.
- You will be charged KES 3,050 and once you have completed the payment and it is processed, you will book an appointment with the NTSA
- At the NTSA offices, your details will be confirmed, a passport photo of you and your biometrics taken
- After you have registered, your digital driving license will be ready for collection in 5 working days. (But this is may take longer due to the large backlog they hold).
Driving in Kenya with US/Foreign Permit
You can use your current permit/driver’s license from the United States for as long as it is valid and you have had it and have driving experience of at least two years. International driver’s permits and licenses are also acceptable. When driving in Kenya, always drive on the left side of the road unless you are overtaking. Kenyan drivers can be rough so drive with caution.
Driving License Status Inquiry Kenya
One can check the status of the License easily from the NTSA app which can be downloaded from the Google Play Store. Another ideal option is the KRA driving license checker on the KRA website.
How to Get Driving License in Kenya
To get a driving license in Kenya you should enroll in a driving school
Requirements for enrolment to train as a driver are as follows;
- One should not be less than 18 years old.
- One should have obtained a Police clearance certificate.
- One should have no criminal record.
- One should have no previous dangerous driving offense record.
- One should have a medical test certificate.
- One should be able to read and write in the official languages.
Driving License Classes in Kenya
There are 7 main categories of a DL’s classes which are; A, B, C, D, E, F, G
- Class A -Allows one to ride a motorcycle
- Class B -Allows one to drive a light vehicle ( passenger car )
- Class C – Allows one to drive a heavy truck
- Class D – Allows one to drive a bus/minivan
- Class E – Special professional driving license
- Class F – Special Driving License for Persons with Disability
- Class G – Industrial construction and agricultural plant equipment
How to Validate/Verify Driving License in Kenya
There are a few ways to validate a Kenyan driving license this can be done;
- From the NTSA app which can be downloaded from Google Play Store
- Send a message of the National ID Number of the Driver to 22846 in the following format: DL 1234567111
Driver License Replacement in Kenya
If you have lost your driver’s license, you are required to file a declaration of loss before you can apply for a duplicate of this document. To replace driving license there are several methods;
- Online: Go to the NTSA website to create an account if you already have one, go to the “Add/modify an application” part and pick “Driving license” as a new request and naming “loss of title” as the reason
- At NTSA offices; First of all, find out if you need to make an appointment to file your driver’s license loss declaration by clicking on the TIMS logo
To register for an NTSA account
Enter the National ID Serial Number, KRA PIN, and your mother’s maiden name. Your password will be sent to the mobile phone number you have provided. Enter all necessary information and change your password after in order to protect your personal information and do not reveal your password to anyone. NTSA will not be responsible for any transactions made in your account.
In the above methods, you will receive a certificate of loss either directly if you went to the offices or to print if you applied online. This document must be displayed in case of a police check until you have collected your duplicate driving license.
Driving Without a License in Kenya
Driving without a valid driving license in respect of the class of vehicles could see one get a fine of Kshs 7,000 and the Failure to renew a driving license would see one fined up to Kshs 1,000.