Customs cleared. Car released. Now give it a Kenyan identity.
Your vehicle survived the auction, crossed an ocean, and made it through Mombasa Port. The duties are paid, KEBS gave the green light, and the Release Order is in your hand. One final chapter stands between you and Kenyan number plates — five digital steps through NTSA's TIMS portal. No queues, no offices. Just you, your documents, and the system.
The Final Chapter
Duties paid. Customs cleared. Five digital steps through NTSA's TIMS portal stand between your car and Kenyan number plates.
Your documents — most are already in hand
Six documents. Three from the port, three you already have.
If you followed Chapter 2, you collected the C63, KEBS certificate, and KRA release at the port. The IDF, Bill of Lading, and foreign logbook have been with you since the beginning. Scan all six before logging in to TIMS.
NTSA rejects incomplete submissions without explanation. One missing document resets the entire 7–14 day verification clock back to zero.
Customs Entry Form (C63)
Collected at the port — issued during customs clearance in Chapter 2
KEBS Inspection Certificate
Collected at the port — issued after the physical inspection passed
KRA Customs Release
Collected at the port — proof that all duties and taxes were paid
Foreign Logbook / Title
Already in hand — the vehicle's original registration from the source country
Import Declaration Form (IDF)
Already in hand — the same IDF you applied for before the vessel arrived
Bill of Lading
Already in hand — the same shipping document from Chapter 2
The final five steps
From cleared vehicle to Kenyan number plates.
Create Your NTSA TIMS Account
The port chapter is behind you. Now the process goes fully digital. Head to the NTSA Transport Integrated Management System and create your account, linking it to the same KRA PIN you used for customs. This portal is your registration command centre for the next two weeks.
Upload All Six Documents
Three of these documents you collected at the port in Chapter 2 — the C63, KEBS certificate, and KRA release. The other three have been with you since before the vessel sailed. Upload all six. Missing even one resets the clock entirely — NTSA rejects incomplete submissions without explanation, and you start the wait from zero.
Wait for Document Verification
NTSA now has the ball. Their team cross-checks your submission against KRA records, verifies the customs release, and confirms every document is authentic and in order. This is the quiet stretch of the journey. Use it wisely — sort out your motor insurance, because you'll need it the moment plates are assigned.
Receive Your Kenyan Number
This is the moment the entire journey has been building toward — from the auction bid to the shipping, from the port queue to the paperwork. A Kenyan registration number is officially assigned to your vehicle. Your car now exists in Kenya's transport system. It has a Kenyan identity.
Download Your Digital Logbook
Your digital logbook appears in your TIMS account. It's the vehicle's legal identity in Kenya — proof of ownership, engine specifications, and registration history in one document. Download it immediately and keep it safe. This is the final page of the story that started with a car listing overseas.
Chapter complete
Welcome to Kenyan roads.
The journey is complete.
From a listing on a screen overseas to a digital logbook in your TIMS account — you did it. Your car cleared customs at Mombasa, passed every inspection, and now carries a Kenyan registration number. That's the whole story.
Planning your next import? Use our calculator to see exactly what the duty and tax bill will look like — before you even place a bid.