Kenya - Reserve a Company Name

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Procedure

When registering a new company, the first step is to get a name for the company. This involves making an application through the e-citizen website, to reserve the name.

Apply Online

Step 1: Register with the E- Citizen portal (for new users)

1. To Reserve a Company Name Online, the applicant should make the application through the Kenya E-Citizen portal via this E-Citizen.
2. Open a browser e.g Mozilla firefox or google chrome and key in [www.ecitizen.go.ke e-Citizen Portal]
3. On the Home page, hover the mouse cursor over the “Create an Account” tab, to register for an account.
4. New users can register either as “Kenyan citizens” or “ Foreign Residents”. Select the applicable one.
5. Applicants should populate all the available fields accurately on the registration page, as explained below:
6. Enter Identification Card Number and First name as it appears on the applicant’s Identification Card.
7. Then the applicant should enter his/her email address and password and confirm the password. (Please use a valid email address as all notifications and applications status will be sent to the specified address)
8. A confirmation link will be sent to the applicant’s email address along with the activation notification.
9. Then the applicant should open his/her email address and click on the activation link to log in to his/her account.
10. Then the applicant should enter his/her mobile phone number and a verification code will be sent to the applicant’s phone.
11. Enter the mobile verification code sent on the next screen and click on verify.
12. Finally, Skip or Upload the required photo to complete the registration process.

Step 2: Reserve the Company Name

1. Once the applicant has registered with E-Citizen, log in to the E-Citizen account and click on the “Business Registration Service” tab, and then click on the “Continue” button.
2. This will navigate the next page, on the menu bar click on the “Make Application” button. this shall prompt a list of all Business Registration Services (BRS) to be displayed.
3. Click on the “Name Search and Reservation” hyperlink. Read through the details. The requisite fee to pay will be displayed. In this case, it will cost KShs 150.00 for this service. Click on the “Apply Now” button.
4. Populate all fields accurately, Any errors detected will be flagged by the system, and ask the applicant to correct the error, before being allowed to proceed to the next step.
5. After choosing a special instruction, provide a brief description of the proposed business name before clicking on the “Click Continue” button.
6. Select the checkbox confirming that you have provided all information required by the registrar in order for the business name to be reserved and then click on the “Finish” button.
7. It should be noted that there is no requirement for a minimum or a maximum number of names that an application can give.

Step 3: Make payment for the business name reservation service fee.

1. The payment window shall be displayed; Select the preferred payment option from the list provided and follow the payment instructions as listed.
2. Upon completing the payment click on the “Complete” button. The system shall automatically detect the payment, process, and confirm the application.
3. A receipt will be generated which contains a reference number beginning with NS e.g. NSBQ73Q.

Step 4: Approval and reservation of the proposed company name

1. The applicant will be required to keep checking their eCitizen account to find out whether their preferred company/business name has been reserved or rejected. Usually, it takes 01 business day.
2. If approved the applicant is issued a Name reservation letter.

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Required Documents

• Valid identification document
• Identity card (copy) For Kenyan citizens.
• Passport (copy) For non-resident foreign nationals.
• Foreign national registration certificate- alien card (copy) For foreigners residing in Kenya.
• Recent passport Photo

Office Locations & Contacts

E- Citizen Protal
E- Citizen Link

Huduma Center
Huduma Ceneter Locations

Eligibility

• The person who will be applying for the reservation of a company name must be the one responsible for or authorized by the firm or company.

Fees

The following fees are charged:

• KES 100.00. For a single business name search.
• KES 50.00. eCitizen convenience fee.

Validity

• The name is reserved for a minimum of 30 days, as the registrar confirms whether the name is being used by another company. The period may be extended for another 30 days, for special reasons, to give the applicant time to register the name.

Documents to Use

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Sample Documents

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Processing Time

• The time frame for processing is usually within one (01) working day.

Related Videos

Videos explaining the procedure or to fill the applications.
Attach videos using the following tag <&video type='website'>video ID|width|height<&/video&> from external websites.
Please remove the '&' inside the tags during implementation.
Website = allocine, blip, dailymotion, facebook, gametrailers, googlevideo, html5, metacafe, myspace, revver,
sevenload, viddler, vimeo, youku, youtube
width = 560, height = 340, Video ID = Can be obtained from the URL of webpage where the video is dkisplayed.
e.g In the following url 'http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0US7oR_t3M' Video ID is 'Y0US7oR_t3M'.

Instructions

A company name may not be registered if:

• It is the same as a name appearing in the Registrar’s Index of Company Names, Business Names, Limited Liability Partnerships or Partnerships;
• It has a close phonetic resemblance to the name of the company, business name, limited liability partnership, or partnership that is already registered;
• It differs from the name of another company, business name, limited liability partnership, or partnership that is already registered only by the addition of the name of a place, locality, or region within Kenya;
• It is identical to, or closely resembles, that of a name that has been reserved by the Registrar for use in connection with a proposed company, business name, limited liability partnership, or partnership;
• It is identical to. or closely resembles, the name of a company or limited liability partnership that has been dissolved, or has been struck off the register of companies or register of limited liability partnerships, or the entry of a business in the register of business names or partnerships kept under the Registration of Business Names Act 2015 has been cancelled;
• It is the same as a name of a body corporate or established under a written law;
• The Registrar believes on reasonable grounds that its use would involve the commission of a criminal offense; or
• The Registrar believes on reasonable grounds that it is offensive or undesirable or contrary to the public interest.

Required Information

• Names and addresses of the applicant
• Sex, Age, and marital status of the applicant
• At least three different proposed company
• Nationality
• Identity document number
• Proposed business and address of the Company.
• Names of shareholders.
• Proposed company activities.
• Declaration by the applicant.

Need for the Document

Before setting up a company, one should reserve the proposed name with the Business Registration Service (BRS). Once the company name is reserved and it is approved, no other company can incorporate it with an identical or almost identical name.

Information which might help

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Other uses of the Document/Certificate

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

External Links

Kenya Company Act (Section 14)
Legal Notice No.80 of 2003 Companies Act (schedule of fees)
Registration of Business Names Act 2012 (Section 17)
Business Registration Service (BRS)-Business Name Reservation User Manual

Others

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