Your Best Freight Forwarder Agent for Customs Clearance Kenya

Customs Clearance Kenya | The Ultimate FAQ Guide

Introduction

All shipments crossing international boundaries must go through Customs in China before being delivered to Kenya.

Customs have the authority to declare a consignment undervalued.

Any cargo that is suspected of being undervalued will be revalued and will postpone the approval.

Therefore, details about customs clearance Kenya are essential to know.

This FAQ is all about the customs clearance process in Kenya.

You can get the information you need regarding customs clearance Kenya in this FAQ guide.

Table of Content

1. What Is Customs Clearance Kenya?
2. When Do I Need To Go Through The Customs Clearance Kenya Process?
3. What Are The Kenya Customs Clearance Procedure?
4. What Are The Benefits Of China Customs Brokers For Clearing And Forwarding Procedures In Kenya?
5. What Documents Do I Need For Customs Clearance Kenya?
6. How Long Does It Take To Complete The Customs Clearance Process In Kenya?
7. Who Is Responsible For Customs Clearance Kenya From China?
8. How Much Is The Custom Clearance Fee In Kenya?
9. Why Are Clearing And Forwarding Companies In Nairobi Kenya Held My Shipment?
10. What Happens If Customs Holds My Package During Clearing And Forwarding Procedures In Kenya?
11. How Long Will It Take For The Clearing And Forwarding Companies In Nairobi Kenya ​to Release My Package?
12. What Are The Responsibilities Of Customs Brokers During Custom Clearance Procedure In Kenya?
13. What Are The Incoterms Important For Kenya Customs Clearance Procedure?
14. Do All Packages Shipped From China By Customs Clearance Procedure In Kenya?
15. Where Can I Find A Customs Broker To Complete The ​customs Clearance Procedure In Kenya?
16. How To Avoid Delays During The Customs Clearance Process In Kenya?
17. What Are The Items Prohibited By Customs Clearance Kenya?
18. Can I Complete My Own Kenya Customs Clearance Procedure?

1. What Is Customs Clearance Kenya?

Customs clearance Kenya is an essential part of the cargo and transportation industries from China to Kenya.

A customs agent looks into all of the essential processes required to ship products across international boundaries, serving as a smooth mediator.

Typically, your customs broker will assist you with tax and pricing reductions, as well as assessment, paperwork, laws, tariffs, and duties.

Every country has its own set of rules and regulations regarding importing and exporting commodities from China to Kenya.

And these are constantly changing.

You need to keep up with these rules, otherwise, it might cause a lot of problems for your cargo in Kenya.

Try HART WORLDWIDE LOGISTICS LIMITED, that has a knowledgeable staff ready to assist you with customs clearance service.

2. When Do I Need To Go Through The Customs Clearance Kenya Process?

Customs clearance is essential for all overseas shipments of various products, including from China to Kenya.

The procedure will expedite if you have all of the necessary documents and utilize a facilitator to help you organize and estimate the applicable fees and taxes.

You will have to deal with customs clearance if you need to transport between China and Kenya.

Customs facilitators can help you through the customs clearing procedure, whether you’re dealing with a shipping company or a customs broker.

3. What Are The Kenya Customs Clearance Procedure?

The Customs clearance process in Kenya is sending a transport of goods through customs.

The official agency of customs is in charge of checking cargoes’ conformity with international trade rules.

Every arriving or departing product is inspected by customs authorities to ensure that it complies with the country’s rules.

The consignment is then approved for importation, exportation, and examining at any stage.

However, the concept of custom clearance is simple; the procedure itself entails numerous phases and might appear complicated at first.

Therefore, Kenya customs clearance procedures are:

Inspection of Documents

Initially, your shipment’s papers will be reviewed by a customs agent, indicating the start of the customs clearance procedure.

Calculations of Taxes and Duties

The customs broker will guarantee that the necessary taxes and duties are paid or gathered for the kind of goods in your cargo.

Even their reported cost and the importing country’s customs rules are based on the products to deliver.

Payment of Taxes and Duties

If you’ve not previously paid the taxes and duties that apply to your cargo, the customs agent will ask you to do so.

Releasing of Shipment

Customs releases the package and it can continue to its ultimate stop after any remaining taxes and fees are paid.

4. What Are The Benefits Of China Customs Brokers For Clearing And Forwarding Procedures In Kenya?

Dealing with a customs broker is one of the simplest methods to streamline the custom clearance procedure in Kenya.

Hiring a customs broker in China will be quite beneficial to you for completing the customs clearance Kenya.

The following are some of the advantages:

• A Customs broker in China will guarantee that all of your exports are processed by Kenya’s existing rules and regulations.
• Even you won’t need to employ a professional to establish your team to provide legal guidance on customs matters for shipping to Kenya.
• In China, a customs broker makes dealing with a customs broker much more accessible than dealing with several government entities independently.
• A customs broker helps you to avoid chances of paying excess VAT or duty.
• They also eliminate the possibility of underpaying customs and VAT, resulting in fines and further costs if not completed.
• A customs broker can help you avoid obstacles and delays of customs clearance Kenya.
• A customs broker in China will provide extra services.

They include monitoring the progress of your shipment as it transits from China to Kenya.

Here is a video link about the benefits of customs brokers:

5. What Documents Do I Need For Customs Clearance Kenya?

To import any product into Kenya, an importer must hire a customs clearance  Kenya agent.

The agent will handle the import of digital documents using Kenya Customs’ Simba 2005 technology to complete the Kenya customs clearance procedure on behalf of you.

The documents are:

Import Declaration Form Conformity

An IDF must be requested for and granted by the Kenya Revenue Authority in order to import and export from China to Kenya.

Although the importer can submit this into the ORBUS system with help of clearing and forwarding companies in Nairobi Kenya, the importer must apply for the IDF.

The IDF provides the following essential information:

• For tax purposes, must indicate the cargo value.
• Quantity
• HS Code for Goods Quality

Conformity Certificate (If Applicable)

The Kenya Bureau of Standards has allowed some specific agents to perform conformity checks on products that need to be examined.

The carrier or seller will receive a Certificate of Conformity after completing the systematic processes from these agencies.

Bill of Lading

The Consignee column on the Bill of Lading must include the name and full address of the real recipient.

This information will transfer to the customs system, where it will use to identify the taxpayer.

List of Items to Bring

Must include the packaging number, summary, volume, diameter, width, height, and the cubic dimension of all products in the list.

Commercial Invoice

The invoice must include the whole CIF value of the cargo, which specifies according to the appropriate packing list.

Timely Delivery Of Papers

To prevent wasting time, all of the above papers must arrive at least seven days before the transporter’s arrival in Mombasa or Nairobi.

HART always lets you know about all the paperworks you will need during customs clearance Kenya.

Therefore, there is less possibility of missing the documents for customs clearance Kenya.

6. How Long Does It Take To Complete The Customs Clearance Process In Kenya?

Customs clearance usually takes less than 24 hours.

It requires an average of two hours from the moment the customs authorities receive Mombasa Port Release Orders (MPROs).

After customs registrations to the time, the customer receives his invoice.

Every 30 minutes, bills are delivered to the cargo area, and the customer has five hours to remove his goods.

7. Who Is Responsible For Customs Clearance Kenya From China?

Customs clearance is the responsibility of the importer or recipient of the goods from China to Kenya.

Usually, the shipping agent you hire for shipping contacts, a customs broker, arrange the clearing and forwarding procedures in Kenya.

Besides shipping agents or customs brokers, the customs clearance procedure in Kenya is also handled by carriers such as DHL, FedEx, and Utc at the customer’s request.

8. How Much Is The Custom Clearance Fee In Kenya?

A tax or charge placed on products carried across China boundaries to Kenya boundaries is known as a custom clearance fee in Kenya.

The customs clearance charge is directly paid to the customs broker or clearing agency to help cover the cost of submitting documents and handling duty payments.

Kenya uses the worldwide harmonized system (HS) for product categorization and the East African Community (EAC) Common External Tariff for custom clearance fee in Kenya.

Custom clearance fee in Kenya is charged at a rate ranging from 0% to 100%, with an average of 25%.

Imports entering Kenya are subject to a standard VAT rate of 16 percent, which is applied to the total of the CIF value, duty, and other relevant taxes.

9. Why Are Clearing And Forwarding Companies In Nairobi Kenya Held My Shipment?

There are a variety of reasons why clearing and forwarding companies in Nairobi Kenya, hold a package.

Such as:

• More information is required by China’s or Kenya’s customs.
• The paperwork isn’t done in accordance.
• Any banned or restricted goods are included in the package.
• If an appropriate notify party is not specified on the Bill of Lading, the shipment will be delayed.
• Incomplete Commercial Invoice.

At least, the commercial invoice for entrance must include the following:

• Goods’ Description
• Buyer/Seller/Shipper/Receiver/Receiver
• Amount
• Weight \Value \Currency
• Each product’s country of origin
• The country of origin is missing.
• If HTS classification isn’t present.

According to the Codes of Federal Regulations, this must include each item on the commercial invoice.

10. What Happens If Customs Holds My Package During Clearing And Forwarding Procedures In Kenya?

When importing products from China to Kenya, there’s always the possibility that they can be held during clearing and forwarding procedures in Kenya.

Therefore, you need to do the following things:

• You must wait for customs to notify you of your cargo from China to Kenya.
• You can raise this issue with your vendor or shipper.
• You can also contact your freight forwarder to get your items sent from China to Kenya released quickly.

11. How Long Will It Take For The Clearing And Forwarding Companies In Nairobi Kenya ​to Release My Package?

If a package is transported internationally from China to Nairobi, Kenya, it will be subject to customs inspection.

The customs officials will ensure that it conforms with Kenyan rules.

But if it is not conforming, customs can stop the shipment.

The time duration of being stuck in customs varies in each situation, but it might take anywhere from a few days to a few months.

The length of time customs holds your shipment is determined by:

• Whether you have completed the taxes and fees or not,
• Supplied the needed documents
• If the box includes forbidden or prohibited products
• The mode of transit.

12. What Are The Responsibilities Of Customs Brokers During Custom Clearance Procedure In Kenya?

Customs brokers assist companies that deal with global imports and exports by completing and managing customs documentation.

They ensure taxes and duties are paid on time.

This position necessitates a deep understanding of international trade rules and correctly identifying imports using a complicated tax coding system.

Here are the responsibilities of a customs broker during custom clearance procedure in Kenya:

• A customs broker’s primary responsibility is to prepare and file customs declarations for overseas shipments.
• Customs brokers must also file these documents with the appropriate supervision, especially for Air shipping.
• Customs brokers assist transportation and reception operations by arranging and categorizing goods and preparing and submitting documents.
• Customs brokers are also responsible for keeping track of foreign goods and reaching their final destination.
• The customs broker may also aid with compensation claims for missing deliveries by providing shipping data and monitoring data to insurance agents.
• A customs broker’s other primary responsibilities include calculating and issuing tax, vat, and tariff payments for their customers’ imports and exports.
• Because international taxes and trade regulations constantly change, customs brokers must keep up with the latest laws and restrictions.

13. What Are The Incoterms Important For Kenya Customs Clearance Procedure?

The Incoterms are a series of regulations established by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC).

They outline the duties of suppliers and purchasers in international payments for the selling of goods.

It also specifies who is liable for the cost of clearing customs and other expenses.

The Incoterms 2020 regulations have been revised and divided into two groups based on modes of transportation.

There are seven guidelines about any mode of transportation and four for sea shipping, land, or inland waterway transportation.

The Incoterms 2020 guidelines for any form of transportation are as follows:

• CPT stands for Carriage Paid
• DDP stands for Delivered Duty Paid
• FCA stands for Free Carrier Association
• DAP stands for Delivered at Place
• CIP stands for Carriage and Insurance Paid
• EXW stands for Ex Works
• DPU stands for Delivered at Place Unloaded

Note that the DPU Incoterms substitutes the previous DAT, with the vendor being required to discharge the items from the incoming method of transport.

The following are the other four Incoterms 2020 regulations for sea and inland waterway or  transportation:

• CIF – Cost Insurance and Freight
• FAS – Free Alongside Ship
• FOB – Free on Board
• CFR – Cost and Freight

14. Do All Packages Shipped From China By Customs Clearance Procedure In Kenya?

Yes, all packages from China are transported via Kenya customs clearance procedures.

Customs inspects all inbound foreign mail and goods.

However, a Kenyan customs official must check the shipment to confirm that it complies with Kenyan policies, rules, and regulations.

They’ll also determine whether or not tariffs or taxes have been paid before shipment.

You may employ a customs broker or a shipping agency to assist you with all Kenya customs clearance procedures.

15. Where Can I Find A Customs Broker To Complete The ​Customs Clearance Procedure In Kenya?

A customs broker is a specialist who arranges for Kenya customs clearance procedures to complete for you during shipping.

A customs broker might be a person, a business, or an organization, but they must all be registered and authorized.

The shipping agency you use to transport your products will determine where you may find a customs broker.

Some transportation companies only offer shipping services and processing and are unable to assist you with clearing customs.

In addition, several companies, such as FedEx and UPS, have in-house customs brokers. However, if you’re seeking a minor transport service, it won’t be a suitable fit.

Finally, it’s preferable to engage with freight shipping providers.

They can either provide you with the choice of working with a customs broker or refer you to a reputable one.

Some shipping agencies also work as customs brokers like HART.

Hart Logistics is a major customs agency and shipping company in China that offers global clearing and transportation services.

You can import goods from China to Kenya with our facility.

16. How To Avoid Delays During The Customs Clearance Process In Kenya?

You’ll have to handle the clearing customs if you’re shipping between China and Kenya.

With the clearance problems in international trade activities, it is necessary to have a complete logistical understanding of the processes.

Therefore, here are the ways of avoiding delays during the customs clearance process in Kenya:

Arrange The Items Into The Appropriate Categories

It is essential to accurately categorize all items for shipping and inspection during custom clearance procedure in Kenya.

If the classification is incorrect, all goods will be detained at customs and fined if the category is erroneous, potentially putting all final logistical expenses at risk.

Complete The Import Declaration Completely

If the Import Declaration is incorrectly filled, the import will be subject to corrections. It may cause substantial delays in clearing and forwarding procedures in Kenya.

Ensure That Compliance Is Appropriate

Compliance is used in the field of international commerce to describe the examination of norms and regulations.

It applies to all import and export operations required for customs clearance in Kenya.

It entails determining if the products are allowed at each level.

Keep Your Management System In Good Condition

Without a robust management framework, miscommunication, a loss of control over import deadlines, and transportation implementation and scheduling issues may all arise.

Verify The Imported Products Physically

Though an intelligent management system can align all import requests, shippers must still physically inspect cargoes to guarantee that there are no problems.

Here is a video about how to avoid delays during the customs clearance:

17. What Are The Items Prohibited By Customs Clearance Kenya?

Some goods importation is now prohibited and restricted under the Kenya Revenue Authority Act during customs clearance Kenya.

Here are the prohibited items:

• Fake currency includes counterfeit notes and coins and any money that does not meet the stated size and purity standards.
• Inappropriate or vulgar pornographic goods in all mediums, such as printed artworks, books, cards, reproductions, etc., are also rejected.
• White phosphorous usually is used in the manufacturing of fireworks.
• Armed equipment without government authorization.
• Health-hazardous alcoholic drinks containing essential oils or chemical substances
• Narcotic drugs are filled with controversy on a global scale.
• Hazardous wastes and their treatment by the basic rules
• Mercury-containing soaps and cosmetics are prohibited
• Tires for lightweight commercial trucks and private automobiles that have been used previously.
• Chemicals for agriculture and chemicals for industry.

18. Can I Complete My Own Kenya Customs Clearance Procedure?

Yes, you can do your own Kenya customs clearance procedure.

Although customs brokers are still not required by law, they may be essential.

Not all shipments need the assistance of a customs broker.

Therefore, you may handle the customs clearance Kenya process for your goods and assure appropriate custom clearance fee in Kenya.

It may take a little more time, but it is also true that it will deliver the effort to guarantee your cargo on schedule.

A customs broker might be beneficial since it can assist you in avoiding errors that you are not aware of.

But in this system, you need to pay all import fees and taxes in advance, either when selecting a cross-border delivery service or individually.

To put it another way, choose Delivery Duty Paid delivery alternatives.

Final Words

Once customs clearance confirms the imported goods, they are regarded to reach Kenya.

As a result, customs clearance Kenya knowledge is far more than required.

To provide you with the greatest insight, this FAQ guide focuses on appropriate customs clearance Kenya procedures.

You may also look at HART Logistics’ customs service.

When you choose to use our services, you are entrusting us with your customs clearance Kenya.

So, if you’re exporting products from China to Kenya, don’t worry about customs clearance.

Simply get a quote!