Kenya customs rules & duty-free allowances
Kenya's customs service is thorough and enforcement is real: bags are X-rayed on arrival at Nairobi, and the green channel is not a free pass. The biggest trap for visitors is the plastic bag ban — arrive with a plastic carrier bag in your luggage and it can be confiscated, with a fine issued on the spot. Non-residents get the full duty-free allowance described below; Kenyan residents returning from abroad get a smaller one.
Duty-free allowances
Prohibited — banned from import
- Narcotics and psychotropic substances (cannabis, cocaine, heroin, khat/miraa) — penalties include life imprisonment
- Plastic carrier bags and flat bags (single-use plastic bag ban enforced at all ports of entry)
- Counterfeit goods and pirated media
- Ivory, rhino horn, and any wildlife trophies or products without a Kenya Wildlife Service permit
- Pornographic material
- Unlicensed firearms and ammunition
Restricted — allowed with a permit or declaration
- Prescription medicines containing controlled substances — need a Pharmacy and Poisons Board permit
- Live animals and pets — need an import permit and veterinary health certificate
- Plants, seeds and soil — need a KEPHIS phytosanitary certificate
- Drones — require a permit from the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority
- Satellite phones and VSAT equipment — require a licence from the Communications Authority of Kenya
- Firearms for sporting use — need a permit from the Firearms Licensing Board
Arriving: red vs green channel
At Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (and Mombasa, Kisumu, Eldoret) you walk through a red/green channel after baggage reclaim. If you have nothing to declare, go green — but be ready for a random bag scan. If you are carrying cash over the threshold, commercial goods, or restricted items, go red and fill in the Traveller's Declaration (Form C34). There is no separate arrival card handed out on the plane; the customs declaration is a standalone form available at the red channel.
Tax-free shopping & VAT refunds
Kenya has no tourist VAT refund scheme at the airport. VAT (16%) paid on purchases is not refundable on departure.
Bringing medication
Bring personal prescription medicine in its original packaging with a copy of the prescription and a doctor's letter. Up to 3 months' supply is generally accepted for personal use. Codeine, tramadol, diazepam and other opioids/benzodiazepines are controlled and require a permit from the Pharmacy and Poisons Board; without it they can be seized and you can be arrested. Cannabis, khat (miraa) and its derivatives are illegal — even for medical use.
Food, plants & animal products
All plant material, seeds, fresh fruit, vegetables, cuttings and soil are prohibited or require a phytosanitary certificate from the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS). Meat, dairy, eggs and honey from most countries are banned to protect against foot-and-mouth and avian disease. Declare any food; undeclared items are confiscated and can trigger a fine.
Rules worth knowing
Plastic bag ban
Kenya bans plastic carrier bags and flat bags. If you arrive with them in your luggage, they will be confiscated and you may be fined. Pack in cloth or paper bags instead.
Green channel is not a guarantee
Customs officers can and do stop travellers in the green channel for bag searches. If you are over any allowance, go red — the penalty for undeclared goods is a fine plus seizure.
Currency declaration is mandatory
If you carry KES 1,000,000 or more (or foreign equivalent), you must declare it on Form C34. Failure to declare can lead to seizure of the cash and prosecution under the Proceeds of Crime and Anti-Money Laundering Act.
Residents have a lower allowance
The duty-free allowances above are for non-residents. Kenyan residents returning from abroad get a smaller personal allowance (KES 50,000) and must have been out of the country for at least 7 days to qualify.