Business structures, registration, compliance and basic taxes.
Search the official Constitution →Starting a business in Kenya means choosing a structure, registering it through the Business Registration Service on eCitizen, getting a KRA PIN and a county permit, and keeping up with tax and filing obligations. Most of it can now be done online.
The main choices are a business name (sole proprietorship or partnership) and a limited company. A business name is cheap and simple but makes you personally liable; a limited company costs more but is a separate legal person that protects your personal assets.
Registration is done online through the Business Registration Service on eCitizen. You search and reserve a name, then register a business name or incorporate a company by filing the required forms and paying the fee — and your certificate is issued digitally.
Registering is only step one. To operate legally you need a KRA PIN, a county single business permit and any sector licences, and you must keep filing annual returns and tax returns and renewing your permit.
A registered business deals with several taxes through KRA: income tax on profits (or turnover tax for small businesses), VAT if it crosses the registration threshold, and PAYE if it has employees. All are handled on iTax.
