International transit
International Cargo Transit Through Kenya: the Regime Explained
A reference page for importers comparing their options. This explains how Kenya's transit regime works as a matter of procedure. The service page for moving your cargo is linked at the end.
Why Kenya is a transit country
Kenya sits at the seaward end of the Northern Corridor. Mombasa is the nearest deepwater port to a large landlocked region, and a substantial share of what crosses its quays is never intended for the Kenyan market at all. Kenya's customs administration is therefore built around handling cargo it will never tax.
The legal and institutional framework
Transit control in Kenya sits with the Customs and Border Control Department of the Kenya Revenue Authority. Within the East African Community, procedures are harmonised through the Single Customs Territory, which changes where declarations are lodged and where taxes are paid for cargo destined to partner states.
Under the SCT arrangement, as KRA describes it, the manifest arrives ahead of the vessel and is shared with the other revenue authorities; the importer or their agent declares the goods and taxes are paid at the destination partner state in its own currency; and the goods move under a single regional bond with electronic cargo tracking.
South Sudan's position in this framework is not identical to that of the longstanding SCT members, and the practical arrangement applied to a given consignment depends on its routing and how it is declared. Confirm the regime for your specific shipment before you plan around it. We check this per consignment rather than assuming.
The four things that define a transit movement
1. A declaration that says transit
The declaration type determines the treatment. Goods declared for home use are assessed for Kenyan duty; goods declared for transit are not, conditionally.
2. A security covering the suspended duties
Customs holds a bond or guarantee for what would be payable if the goods were released into Kenya. See Kenya customs transit bonds
3. Monitoring of the movement
Electronic cargo tracking follows the consignment from the entry point to the exit point. Deviating from the approved route, or tampering with a seal or tracking device, is treated as a serious matter.
4. Proof of exit, and discharge
The procedure closes when the goods are confirmed to have left and the security is released. Until then the liability remains open.
Practical consequences for an importer
- Your clearing agent's licence and bond capacity matter. A transit movement needs an agent authorised to lodge it and a security large enough to cover it.
- Route and timing are not yours to vary. The approved route and the time allowed for the movement are part of the authorisation.
- Seals are evidence. Record seal numbers at stuffing, at collection and at the border.
- Discharge is not automatic. Follow it through, and keep the documentation.
- Goods diverted into Kenya are a customs offence, not a commercial matter.
Entry points
- Mombasa Port, which carries the overwhelming majority of transit volume (see Mombasa Port to Juba cargo)
- Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi, for air cargo transhipment
- Inland Container Depot, Nairobi, for containers railed up from Mombasa
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Before you rely on this page
This page is published as general guidance for people shipping cargo to South Sudan. It is not legal advice and it isn't customs advice. Duty rates, fees, permits and procedures are set by the authorities named above and they change. South Sudan sets its tax and duty rates in an annual Financial Act, so what applies to your goods depends on the date they are entered.
We don't publish duty rates, penalty amounts or clearance fees that we cannot tie to a current official source. Where a figure matters to your costing, confirm it with the relevant authority or ask us to check it for your specific goods and HS code before you ship.