Apply in PersonEdit

1. Start by visiting the county ward office to make your application to renew business permit.
   
2. Here you will be give an application form Form BR1 by the ward licensing officer to fill and submit.
3. You should fill the required information and attach the documents to the application form. These include  :-
   

   (a). Previous (expired) business permit.
   

   (b). Business name
   

   (c). Physical address.
   

   (d). Business identification number,
   

   (e). Copy of certificate of incorporation,
   

   (f). National ID/Asylum Pass/ Passport No/ Alien ID
   

4. After submission the ward licensing officer will visit your business premises within a day to carry out inspections.
   
5. The information obtained by the inspection visit will determine the fees to charge for the renewal of the permit. The BR-1 form is then stamped and you will be referred to the main county licensing office. E.g. City Hall for businesses in Nairobi.
   
6. At the main licensing office, the form is approved and the data entered in the single business permits database.
   
7. This is followed by the generation of an invoice bill and payment is made to the cash office. The permit fees vary depending on the size of business.
   

   • Application fee – Kshs. 200
     
   • Permit fees e.g.
     

   (i). Large trader (21-50 employees) – Kshs. 20,000
   

   (ii). Medium Trader (5-20 employees) – Kshs. 10,000
   

8. After making the payments, the business permit is signed and you will be advised to collect it from the dispatch office on the same day.
   
9. Once you have acquired the permit, display it on your business premises as the law requires
   
   

Apply OnlineEdit

1. Visit E-citizen to make the online application.
   

   • In case you are applying from Nairobi visit the Nairobi County :Self Service Portal
     

2. Scroll down to the “County Services” section and select the county which applies to your case e.g.
   

   • County Government of Mombasa: Single Business Permit Management System
   • County Government Of Kisumu: e-Business Permit Management System
     

3. Make Online Application
   

A. For the counties of Mombasa and Kisumu

1. Click on “Renew business”
   
2. Select the business you want to renew the permit by entering
   
3. click continue to generate an invoice for business licence fees
   
4. Click on proceeded to make payment, confirm details.( Amount to be paid will be provided)
   
5. Print generated single business permit and payment invoice.
   
6. Once you have printed it the permit, display it on your business premises as the law requires
   
   

B. In the case of Nairobi click on the Unified Business Permit (UBP) Tab

1. Under the UBP tab select Register New Business.
   
2. Agree on the Terms and conditions.
   
3. Enter business ID and select year of renewal. Click on “Check Status”. This will enable you to:-
   

   • Check the total cost that will be needed for renewing the single business permit.
     
   • Check the exact County business permit rates in that particular business year.
     
   • Check the amount that you have been penalized in the case of late payments.
     
   • Check the previous business permits where you can print them out if need be

4. Check if the information is correct and that you have not been overcharged or penalized unjustly. Now fill in the business ID which can be found on the previous business permits. Enter the year you want to renew, the amount you are going to pay and then click 'check status'.
   
5. Click on proceeded to make payment, confirm details.
   

   • Top up the eWallet if eWallet is empty using the payment options provided. You will receive a confirmation text from Nairobi County that your payment has been received. )
     

6. The system will prompt you with two links, one will be to print your business permit and the other one will be about printing the receipt. Print the business permit by clicking on the print permit tab and also download it.
   
7. Once you have printed it the permit, display it on your business premises as the law requires.
   
   

1. Previous Business permit.
   
2. an approved business permit application form
   
3. copy of the certificate of incorporation
   
4. copy of the identification card
   
5. copy of the company pin certificate
   
6. a payment permit invoice
   
   

Department of Internal Trade - Head Office
Ministry of Industrialization, Trade and Enterprise Development (MoITED)
Social Security House,
Block A, 17th, 23rd Floor
P.O. Box 30418-00100,
Nairobi, Kenya
Telephone: +254 20-2731531,
Fax: +254 20-2731511 Email: ps@industrialization.go.ke cs@industrialization.go.ke
Website: Link

• E-Citizen : Business registration services
  

• You must be in possession of an expired single business permit.
  
  

1. Application fee – Kshs. 200
   
2. Permit fees
   

   • Large trader (21-50 employees) – KShs. 20,000
     
   • Medium Trader (5-20 employees) – Kshs. 10,000
     

3. Business permit:fee schedule
   
   

• The business permit is valid for 1 year
  
  

• Single Business Permit Registration Form BR-1 Form
  
  

• One hour
  
  

Kenya - Renew Single Business Permit
<video type="//www.youtube.com/">y1pgJBoxF1M|width="560" height="340"</video>

Kenya - Ombi la Kufanya Upya Kibali cha Biashara
<video type="//www.youtube.com/">EoADeppFAW4|width="560" height="340"</video>

• If you are making the application On-line. Create the E-Wallet and top it up so as to make the online payment for the application
  
  

1. Business name
   
2. Business ID number
   
3. PIN number
   
4. Lands zone
   
5. Physical and postal address
   
6. Telephone
   
7. Total area of premises number of employees
   
8. Numbers of directors
   
9. Personal Id numbers
   
10. Number of rooms
    
11. Number of employees
    
12. Number of vehicles
    
    

• A Single business permit is required for the smooth operation of any business in Nairobi and other towns in Kenya.
  
• The permit is important in ensuring that a business complies with the established rules for that specific type of a business.
  
  

• The procedure for obtaining a business permit is the same but the cost might vary depending on the size, type, and location of the business.
  
• A separate application form must be completed in respect of each separate business establishment.
  
• The permit is issued under County Government act No. 17 of 2012 laws of Kenya.
  
• Any offence under this act shall be dealt with in accordance with any written laws/act of this County and all the relevant county rules/regulations.
  
• A permit is a County property./regulations or any written law of the county is contravened.
  
• Renewal of this permit shall be done on expiry date.
  
• The owner of the business should notify this office once he/she closes the business.
  
• The advertisement signage included in the unified permit is 600mm x 300mm or less in size, any signage above this size should be paid separately. Please contact urban planning department.
  
• All Unified Business Permits applied and paid remain provisional until they are inspected by sub/ward licensing officers for approval by the County. Undercharges if any shall be adjusted through Demand notice to the client.
  
• Granting this permit does not exempt the business identified above from complying with the current regulations on fire and safety as established by the Government of Kenya and Nairobi City County
  
• Granting this permit does not exempt the business identified above from complying with the current regulations on health and safety as established by the Government of Kenya and Nairobi City County
  
• It is a legal requirement that the Trade License be displayed in a conspicuous place. Licensee who fails to display the permit shall be guilty of an offense and liable to a fine not exceeding five hundred shillings.
  
  

Please explain what are other uses of obtaining this document/certificate.
e.g. Birth Certificate can be used as proof of identity.

• Nairobi City Council Finance Act
  
  

More information which might help people.