Import new and used cars from the UK to Kenya
Specialist sourcing for UK cars
Our team are dedicated to buying exceptional UK cars at the best price and will help you to avoid the pitfalls of buying a car yourself. Your bespoke search will show you the savings you can make and allow you to compare the best cars available in your budget.
VAT Reclaim & VAT free sales
Save 20% when you export a VAT qualifying car from the UK.
We sell VAT qualifying cars net of VAT and process the reclaim as part of our service. We do not ask you to cover the cost of your VAT, we pay for your VAT so you don't have to. Whether you have found a car or we source your car, we are happy to help you reclaim your VAT.
Finance for car imports to Kenya
Afford the best for yourself with finance from NCBA, Stanbic Bank and I&M Banks. Buy your car with just a 20% deposit and spread the cost of your car over 5 years. Read more...
Flexible car import service to Kenya
We do it all! Your car is carefully shipped to Mombasa or Nairobi by our experienced team. We take care of customs and duties for you and personally handover your car in Nairobi so you can simply look forward to driving your car home.
KRA Car Duty Calculator
Calculate your duty with our prestige car duty calculator. We have created a KRA duty calculator for the prestige cars imported to Kenya. Simply select your car and the correct age and you will see the Import Duty, Excise Duty, VAT, IDF Fee, RDL, registration. This is summarised as Total Taxes, MV Registration Fee and Duties Payable in an easy to read table.
If you can't find your car, then talk to our team for advice.
KRA Prestige Car Duty Calculator
UK car export services overview
We are happy to tailor your car export service from the options below.
* Car sourcing for new and used cars in the UK.
* VAT reclaim services / VAT free sales
* Pre-export inspections at QISJ UK
* Vehicle export shipping & logistics
* Asset finance for exports from the UK to Kenya
* Clearing and registration in Mombasa
* Car storage and logistics in Nairobi and Mombasa.
* Personal handover in Nairobi.
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Kenya Car Export FAQs
Should I export a car from Japan or the UK?
Exporting a car from Japan, the UK or Australia will depend on the make, model and engine size of the car you would like. Traditionally, Japan is best for lower specification models and petrol engines. Their base model is often lower spec’d than the UK but the controls can have limitations.
The UK has higher spec’d large engine cars. Typically diesel engines although this is transferring to petrol, hybrids and electric more recently. Take a look at our Japanese car vs UK car case study or watch the UK car export vs Japanese car export video for more information.
How long does it take to export a car to Kenya?
Shipping cars from the UK to Kenya takes 25-29 days. This is from the UK port to Mombasa. Shipping from Japan to Mombasa is usually 33 days. Onwards transport to Nairobi can be done in a further 7-14 days depending on the scheduling of the car transporters. For more details read our blog on how long it takes to import a car to Kenya from the UK or watch the accompanying video for the full explanation. Or watch the quick video for the CIF export timings.
How much will it cost to export a car to Kenya?
In addition to the cost of your car, you should allow for UK transport, QISJ inspection, shipping to Mombasa, Marine insurance, sourcing agent fees, clearing costs inc port charges, your clearing agent, excise import duty, VAT, levies, registration fees and transport to Nairobi. Read the details of these costs in our blog about how much is costs to import a UK car to Kenya or watch the video about the cost to import cars to Kenya.
How much import duty will I need to pay?
Our KRA car duty calculator explains how car duty is calculated in Kenya. Use the prestige car duty calculator to generate an accurate estimate of the import duty payable for your car export.
What is QISJ?
Quality Inspection Services Japan (QISJ) are the motor vehicle inspection company who are contracted by KEBS to carry out the pre-shipment inspection for vehicles being exported to Kenya from countries such as the UK. They carry out the mandatory roadworthiness inspection prior to export. Our QISJ inspection page explains how this works and how much it costs.
How do payments work for cars exported to Kenya?
The simplest way to import a car to Kenya is to do this C&F. Simply pay the agreed deposit to secure your car and the balance is due 7-10 afterwards. Find out about more payment options in our story about how payments for car imports to Kenya or watch the video about payments for car imports to Kenya.
How do payments work for cars delivered to Nairobi? (DDP)
Cars being exported from the UK or Japan to Nairobi operate in a similar way to C&F payments. The agreed deposit is needed to secure your car and the balance us due with 7-10 days and prior to shipping.
How do payments work for cars using asset finance?
Payments for cars imported to Kenya with asset finance are quite straight forward. Pay a minimum 20% deposit to secure your car and then loan payments start 1 month after receiving your car in Nairobi. This video on payments for car imports explains the details.
How do I get asset finance for my export car?
Asset finance for an export car is easier than you think. Choose your perfect car with our team and choose finance from NCBA, Stanbic Bank or I&M Bank. We manage your car import from buying, shipping and importing your car to Mombasa and onto Nairobi. Our asset finance page explains how the process works in more detail or watch ourasset finance video for details.
Can I import my car to Kenya duty free?
If you are eligible for duty free car imports for Kenya, we are glad to help. Duty free status usually applied to diplomats, ex-pats and returning residents. Take a look at our duty free car imports page for the specifics on how importing cars duty free works.
Can I export a car VAT Free?
We find VAT qualifying cars for our clients and pass on the VAT saving so you save 20% off the purchase price. If you have found a VAT qualifying car in the UK then this is no problem. We are happy to step in and manage the purchase so we can save you the UK VAT. Find out more about VAT qualifying cars in the UK and how importing a VAT qualifying car can save you 20% or get in touch and we’ll be happy to help you.
How do I reclaim the VAT on a UK car export?
There are several ways you might reclaim the VAT on your UK car export.
Options 1-4 have significant risks associated to them so please be sure to find our more in our blog about claiming the VAT back yourself before you proceed with any of these options.
*You could apply to reclaim the VAT yourself.
*A dealer wants to return the VAT to me post sale.
*My friend in the UK could reclaim the VAT. Being a UK resident isn’t enough. Your friend would have to be the registered owner of a UK VAT registered business. They would then process the application for you.
*Buy a VAT qualifying car from a UK main dealer. It is very unlikely that UK dealers will support you. Cars are in such short supply they are prioritising selling to UK clients. Most UK main dealers are not set up to support VAT reclaim, so will refuse the sale in the initial conversation.
*Buy via a professional car exporter.
Can I buy from Japan and import my car to Kenya?
Yes. We export many Japanese cars to Kenya. These are bought from Japanese car auctions, wholesalers and Japanese car retailers. Take a look at our Japanese car export website featuring the current Japanese cars for sale. Or get in touch and we’ll be happy to help.
Your Car Export Questions Answered
Find the answers to your car export questions in our video guides below
