Registering a Company in Kenya: The Complete 2026 Process

Company registration runs entirely through eCitizen / the Business Registration Service (BRS) under the Companies Act, 2015 — no office visit required, and legally no lawyer required for a standard filing. Where a lawyer earns their fee is in the decisions before you touch the portal.

Step by step

• Choose your structure — a private limited company is right once you're raising capital or want liability protection; one person can fully own it
• Reserve your name — name search and reservation are now merged into the main filing; have 3+ names ready
• Prepare documents — CR1, CR2, CR8, Statement of Nominal Capital, plus beneficial ownership disclosures
• File and pay — a government filing fee is payable on submission, shown on the live BRS invoice at the point of filing
• Receive your Certificate of Incorporation — typically 3–7 working days with complete documents

The certificate is the start, not the finish

Budget time for a KRA PIN, a corporate bank account (KYC can take weeks), a county Single Business Permit, sector licences, and NSSF/SHIF registration. A genuinely operational company usually takes three to four weeks from first filing.

Don't skip the shareholders' agreement

The Companies Act gives you default rules for co-founder disputes and exits if you don't specify your own — rarely what founders would actually choose. Drafting this alongside incorporation costs far less than untangling it after a falling-out.

This article is general information, not legal advice, and reflects the law as it currently stands. Rates, fees, and procedures are subject to change.