Kebs sticks to its guns on eight-year vehicle rule

Used vehicles on sale at a yard in Mombasa in this photo taken on February 2017.
 

Kevin Odit | Nation Media Group

By  Winnie Atieno

Nation Media Group

What you need to know:

• Kebs said any vehicle registered in 2013 arriving after December 31, 2020 will be deemed not to comply with the standards and will be rejected at the importer's expense.

• Kebs said vehicles that are exported to Kenya shall be expected to comply with KS1515:2000-Kenya Code of Practice for Inspection of vehicles.

Importers of second-hand vehicles suffered a blow after the Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs) announced that only right-hand drive motor vehicles whose year of first registration is from January 1, 2014 will be allowed into the country from January 1. 

Kebs said any vehicle registered in 2013 arriving after December 31, 2020 will be deemed not to comply with the standards and will be rejected at the importer's expense.

Kebs has further directed importers of used or second-hand motor vehicles to ensure they comply with the directive.

“We wish to notify all importers of used/second motor vehicles, including returning residents, diplomatic staff and the general public that in observance of clause 2.5 of KS 1515:2000 on the eight-year age limit requirement in the standard only right-hand drive (RHD) motor vehicles whose vehicles year of first registration is from January 1, 2014 and later shall be allowed into the country effective from January 2021,” said Kebs managing director in a public notice published in the Nation.

Kebs said vehicles that are exported to Kenya shall be expected to comply with KS1515:2000-Kenya Code of Practice for Inspection of vehicles.

Certificate of roadworthiness

However, vehicles from countries where Kebs has an inspection agency, including Japan, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Thailand, Singapore and South Africa shall be expected to be accompanied with a certificate of roadworthiness (CoR) issued by the agencies appointed by Kebs.

“It is further clarified that certificates of roadworthiness for vehicles whose year of first registration is 2013 will not be valid after December 31, 2020,” Kebs noted.

The bureau said it had received petitions that Covid-19 pandemic might have affected some importers due to disruption of shipping schedules.

“Therefore, Kebs wishes to inform such importers to lodge all the necessary supporting documents to prove the impact of the pandemic to their shipment before a waiver can be considered,” said the bureau. However, the documentation should be received by December 28.

“This only applies to vehicles that had been purchased, inspected and issued with a certificate of roadworthiness on or before December 1, 2020 and which are likely to arrive into the country after the cut-off date of December 31, 2020,” the notice stated.

watieno@ke.nationmedia.com