KRA Makes Digital Marine Cargo Insurance Compulsory: Importers Must Comply From 1 NovemberKRA Makes Digital Marine Cargo Insurance Compulsory: Importers Must Comply From 1 November
Key Highlights
- From 1 November 2026, importers and clearing agents must hold a marine cargo policy from an insurer licensed by the Insurance Regulatory Authority.
- Policies must be issued through the Digital Marine Cargo Insurance System and sent to iCMS, or consignments will be blocked from clearance.
- KRA is separately phasing out government-owned electronic cargo tracking seals, with the changeover due to finish by 26 October 2026.
The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) will block imported goods from customs clearance from 1 November 2026 unless importers hold a digital marine cargo insurance policy, in a rule that applies to every consignment entering Kenya.
In a public notice issued on 22 October, KRA said importers and clearing agents must hold valid marine cargo policies from insurers licensed by the Insurance Regulatory Authority (IRA). The policy certificate must be processed through the Digital Marine Cargo Insurance System and transmitted to the Integrated Customs Management System (iCMS) before a customs declaration is submitted.
What importers must do
Consignments that do not meet the requirement will not be cleared. The notice does not set out fines or other penalties beyond the block on clearance, and it directs affected parties to the IRA website for further details. Clearing agents, who file declarations on behalf of importers, will need the certificate in the system first, which moves insurance from a back-office document to a step in the clearance process.
For importers, the practical effect is that cover has to be arranged and recorded digitally before the declaration, not after goods arrive at the port. For licensed insurers, the rule routes every imported consignment through a policy issued by an IRA-licensed company.
Cargo seals change at the same time
KRA is also phasing out government-owned electronic cargo tracking seals under the Regional Electronic Cargo Tracking System, with the transition due to be completed by 26 October 2026. Importers, transporters and other operators can choose from authorised private vendors of tracking devices.
Mwenendo earlier reported on how Kenya Re's profit rose 42.8% as underwriting recovered, but KRA has not published premium rates or any cap on insurance charges for importers.
In Summary
- Who must comply?
- Importers and clearing agents.
- What is required?
- A valid marine cargo policy from an IRA-licensed insurer, issued through the Digital Marine Cargo Insurance System.
- When does it start?
- 1 November 2026; KRA issued the notice on 22 October.
- Where is the certificate sent?
- To KRA's Integrated Customs Management System (iCMS) before the customs declaration.
- How is it enforced?
- Non-compliant consignments will be blocked from customs clearance.
- What else is changing?
- Government-owned cargo tracking seals are being phased out by 26 October 2026.