Kenya customs regulations

Duty-free allowance

Tobacco limit

• 250 grams total of any tobacco products;
• Restricted to travellers 18 years and over.

Bringing alcohol

Restricted to travellers 18 years and over. One of the following:

• 1 litre of spirits;
• or 2 litres of wine.

Other goods

• 500mL total of perfume and eau de toilette, of which not more than 125mL may be perfume.
• Personal goods.

Prohibited items

The following are goods which cannot be brought into the country.

• Counterfeit currency and goods.
• Pornographic and obscene media.
• Matches manufactured with white phosphorus.
• Any article made without proper authority which bears the Armorial Ensign or Coat of Arms of a partner state.
• Distilled beverages containing essential oils or chemical products which are injurious to health.
• Narcotic drugs under international control.
• Hazardous wastes and their disposal.
• Any product containing mercury.
• Plastic bags, including duty free plastic shopping bags.
• Used tyres for light commercial vehicles and passenger cars.
• Some agricultural and industrial chemicals.
• Please note: the Kenyan Government has announced a ban on the use of plastic bags. Although their Customs website does not have plastic bags on their list of prohibited items, passengers are advised not to bring plastic bags into Kenya.

Restricted items

These goods are strictly regulated, and in most cases require a permit to be obtained prior to arrival.

• Postal franking machines require a permit granted by a competent authority.
• Traps capable of killing or capturing game animals require a written permit.
• Unwrought precious metals and precious stones.
• Arms and ammunition specified under Chapter 93 of the Customs Nomenclature.
• Ossein and bones treated with acid.
• Other bones and horn - cores unworked, defatted, simply prepared, and waste of these products.
• Ivory, elephant unworked or simply prepared but not cut to shape.
• Teeth, hippopotamus, unworked or simply prepared but not cut to shape.
• Other ivory unworked or simply prepared but cut to shape.
• Ivory powder and waste.
• Tortoise shell, whalebone and whalebone hair, horns antlers, hooves, nails, claws and beaks, unworked or simply prepared but not cut to shape, powder and waste of these products.
• Coral and similar materials, unworked or simply prepared but not otherwise worked shells of molasses, crustaceans or echinoderms and cattle-bone, unworked or simply prepared but not cut to shape powder and waste thereof.
• Natural sponges of animal origin.
• Spent, irradiated fuel elements of nuclear reactors.
• Worked ivory and articles of ivory.
• Ozone depleting substances.
• Genetically modified products.
• Non-indigenous species of fish or egg of progeny.
• Psychotropic drugs under international control.
• Historical artefacts.
• Telescope sights or other optical devices suitable for use with arms.
• Bows, arrows, fencing foils, or toys under Chapter 95 of the Customs Nomenclature.
• Collectors' pieces or antiques guns and ammunition.
• Endangered animals, plants, and their derivative products protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) may require protected species permits.
• Pets are subject to certain import requirements.