Alcohol regulations in Kenya

Licences needed

County Alcoholic Drinks Manufacturing Licence, KRA Excise Manufacturer Licence, KEBS Standardization Mark (SM), NEMA Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) License, Public Health / Food Hygiene License, and County Single Business Permit.

Authority

Respective County Alcoholic Drinks Regulation Committee, Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS), and National Environment Management Authority (NEMA).

Documents

Certificate of Incorporation / Business Registration, Form CR12, KRA PIN and Tax Compliance Certificate, physical factory site and architectural layout, flow diagrams of distillation/bottling process, NEMA EIA clearance certificate, water quality test reports, KEBS laboratory test analysis reports, and public health food handlers' medical certificates.

Fees

County manufacturing licence typically KES 50,000 to KES 250,000+ per year depending on county; KRA excise manufacturer licensing fee KES 50,000 to KES 150,000; KEBS product certification and audit fees apply.

Time to obtain

30 to 90 days following facility inspection and statutory approvals.

Who can import

Registered corporate entities or licensed business enterprises in Kenya possessing a valid KRA PIN, Tax Compliance Certificate, and an Alcoholic Drinks Import License.

Licences or registrations

NACADA Alcoholic Drinks Import License (applied via the Trade Facilitation Platform / KenTrade Single Window System) and KRA Excisable Goods Importer Registration for EGMS stamps.

Authority

National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) and Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA).

Documents

Certificate of Incorporation or Business Name Registration, Form CR12, KRA PIN and Tax Compliance Certificate, Director/Shareholder IDs or passports/foreign work permits, company GPS coordinates, and product profile schedule (brand, ABV, country of origin, HS code, expected volumes).

Fees

NACADA import license fee (approx. KES 50,000 to KES 100,000 annually) plus KenTrade processing fees.

Time to obtain

2 to 4 weeks via the online Single Window System.

Required

yes

Process

Mandatory Pre-Export Verification of Conformity (PVoC) by KEBS-appointed inspection agents (e.g., SGS, Intertek, Bureau Veritas) in the exporting country to secure a Certificate of Conformity (CoC) per shipment; importer must register product labels to acquire KEBS Import Standardization Mark (ISM) stickers and approve digital/physical stamps in the KRA Excisable Goods Management System (EGMS).

Authority

Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) and Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA).

Documents and samples

Certificate of Analysis (CoA) from accredited lab, commercial invoice, product formulation and batch test reports, sample packaging/label art depicting mandatory bilingual warnings, and PVoC Request for Certification (RFC).

Fees

PVoC inspection fees (route-dependent, approximately 0.5%–0.75% of FOB or fixed inspection charge), KEBS ISM mark fees (approx. KES 0.50 to KES 1.00 per sticker), KRA EGMS stamp fees (approx. KES 2.80 to KES 5.00 per stamp).

Renewal

PVoC CoC required per consignment; KEBS importer registration renewed annually; EGMS stamps applied on an order-by-order basis.

Time to obtain

2 to 4 weeks prior to shipment dispatch.

Importer of record must be licensed with NACADA and KRA; electronic Import Declaration Form (IDF) through KenTrade; consignment must be covered by a Certificate of Conformity (CoC) under PVoC or face a 20% CIF destination penalty and mandatory port sampling; mandatory KRA EGMS security excise stamps must be affixed at source or in an approved customs bonded warehouse prior to market release; Import Standardization Mark (ISM) must be affixed on each container; minimum spirit container size is 250 ml (sachets and bottles below 250 ml strictly banned); certificate of origin and age/analysis required.

25% (or 35% under revised East African Community Common External Tariff [EAC CET] 2022) ad valorem on CIF value for HS heading 2208, plus 2.5% Import Declaration Fee (IDF) and 2.0% Railway Development Levy (RDL).

Excise Duty on spirits of undenatured ethyl alcohol, liqueurs, and spirituous beverages of alcoholic strength exceeding 6%: KES 356.42 per litre (or specific rate under prevailing Finance Acts; spirituous drinks <=6% taxed at KES 142.44 per litre); Value Added Tax (VAT): 16% standard rate, calculated on the aggregate of CIF value + Customs Duty + Excise Duty + other statutory levies.

Private sector retail via licensed liquor stores ('wines and spirits'), supermarkets, hotels, restaurants, bars, and clubs. Retail licensing is administered by County Governments under County Alcoholic Drinks Control Acts. Operating hours are strictly restricted: off-licence retail outlets are permitted to sell from 5:00 PM to 8:30 PM on weekdays and 9:00 AM to 8:30 PM on weekends/holidays (or county-specific variations such as 10:00 AM to 8:30 PM); bars/on-licence premises operate from 5:00 PM to 11:00 PM on weekdays and 2:00 PM to 11:00 PM on weekends; night clubs operate up to 3:00 AM. Retail establishments are legally prohibited within 300 metres of basic education institutions.

allowed

Mandatory particulars in English or Kiswahili: brand/trade name and generic spirit category, alcohol by volume (ABV %), net volume in metric units (minimum 250 ml; plastic sachets and small bottles banned), name and physical address of manufacturer/importer, country of origin, lot/batch identification, storage instructions, KEBS Import Standardization Mark (ISM), and KRA EGMS physical/digital excise stamp. Mandatory health warnings: must feature at least two statutory rotating health warnings in English or Kiswahili covering not less than 30% of the total surface area of the package (e.g., 'Excessive alcohol consumption is harmful to your health', 'Not for sale to persons under the age of 18 years').

Heavily restricted under Sections 43-46 of the Alcoholic Drinks Control Act. Prohibited from targeting minors or depicting alcohol consumption as an indicator of social, athletic, or sexual success. Television and radio broadcast advertising is banned between 4:30 AM and 10:00 PM (watershed hours). Outdoor advertising and billboards are prohibited within 300 metres of schools and youth-oriented facilities. All alcohol advertisements must carry health warnings covering at least 15% to 30% of the ad space. Sponsorship of youth events is prohibited.

Regulated under KEBS East African Standards (KS EAS): KS EAS 109:2018 (Potable Spirits - minimum 37.5% ABV); KS EAS 138 (Whisky - minimum 40.0% ABV); KS EAS 142:2018 (Vodka - minimum 37.5% ABV); KS EAS 145:2018 (Gin - minimum 37.5% ABV); KS EAS 139 (Rum - minimum 37.5% to 40.0% ABV); KS EAS 140 (Brandy - minimum 36.0% to 40.0% ABV). Maximum allowable limits for methanol and higher alcohols strictly enforced. Spirits packaging in sachets or glass/plastic containers under 250 ml is illegal.

No total nationwide dry jurisdictions; however, strict 300-metre alcohol-free exclusion zones surround all nursery, primary, secondary schools and places of worship. In addition, several Muslim-majority counties (such as Garissa, Wajir, and Mandera) enforce de facto or highly restrictive county regulations prohibiting or severely limiting retail liquor licenses and public consumption.

• October 2025: NACADA made it mandatory for all alcoholic beverage import and export licenses and consignment permits to be processed online exclusively via the Kenya National Electronic Single Window System (Trade Facilitation Platform / KenTrade).
• August 2026: Alcoholic Drinks Control (Amendment) Bill, 2026 was introduced in the National Assembly proposing to raise the minimum legal purchasing and drinking age from 18 to 21 years.
• Finance Act 2025 and 2026: Cut the excise duty rate on extra neutral alcohol (ENA) from KES 964 down to KES 500 and subsequently KES 80 per litre to curb illicit ethanol imports and stimulate formal local blending.
• 2024-2025: Ongoing multi-agency government crackdowns by the Ministry of Interior, KRA, and KEBS targeting illicit brews, counterfeit stamps, and retail outlets operating within 300 metres of schools.
• June 2025: Cabinet approved the National Policy on Alcohol, Drugs and Substance Abuse proposing stricter licensing caps, curbs on online alcohol sales, and bans on influencer/celebrity promotions.

Kenya presents expanding opportunities for foreign spirits exporters in the premium and super-premium segments—particularly single malt Scotch whisky, cognac, and craft gins—driven by an urban middle class and premium hospitality sector. Success requires partnering with established licensed importers adept at navigating KRA EGMS stamp compliance, PVoC pre-shipment certification, and county-level distribution networks.

• National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA)
• Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA)
• Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS)
• Kenya Trade Network Agency (KenTrade)

1. Alcoholic Drinks Control Act, Cap. 121 - Kenya Law
2. NACADA - Requirements for Importation or Export of an Alcoholic Drink
3. Kenya Revenue Authority - Excise Duty Act & EGMS Regulations
4. US TTB Kenya Alcohol Import Regulations Guide
5. East African Community Common External Tariff (EAC CET) 2022
6. Kenya Bureau of Standards - Potable Spirits Specifications (KS EAS 109, 142, 145)