It is a legal requirement to register a company before can start trading in Kenya. This is done at the registrar of companies offices located at Sheria House along Harambee Avenue.
In this step by step guide, we will take you through all the steps that one is required to undertake in order to register a private limited company in Kenya.
Name Search
The first step when registering a business in Kenya is performing a name search. You are required to submit three names of your desire to the registrar at a cost of KES. 1000. The submitted names may be accepted or rejected depending on rules governing name reservation or existence of another business with a similar name.
This process is fast and the fee is payable via M-Pesa paybill service.
If the name is accepted, the registrar will reserve it for a period not exceeding 30 days.
Preparation of Memorandum and Article of Association.
This is the second step after you are through with the name search process. A memorandum of association is a document describing the constitution of the company and it also contains the objectives of the company.
These documents should be drafted by an advocate with a license from the Law Society of Kenya (LSK).
The cost of having the document prepared is around KES. 10,000.
Fill Form 201 (Situation of Office Form)
This form contains details about the physical premises of the company and must be signed by one of the directors of the company or the secretary of the company.
This form is also filled by an advocate.
Fill Form 203 (List of Directors Form)
This form contains the name of the company secretary and a list of all the directors. It must also be stamped by the company secretary.
This form should be filled and signed by a Certified Public Secretary of Kenya (CPS) who is required to be a member of the Institute of Certified Public Secretaries (ICPSK).
The cost of having this done is about KES. 5,000.
Sign Form 208 (Declaration of Compliance Form)
This form must be signed by a commissioner of oaths on behalf of the company.
Pay the Stamp Duty
Once you are done preparing the memorandum and article of association, the documents must be triplicated. The next step is to bind each copy before lodging them with the registrar of companies for stamp duty payment.
The amount of money that you pay as stamp duty depends on the nominal capital you declared with the minimum stamp duty being KES. 2,140 if the nominal capital of KES. 2,000 was declared.
File the Documents at the Registrar’s office.
After paying the stamp duty, all the documents should be forwarded to the Registrar of Companies.
This process takes about three to four weeks after which you are issued with the certificate of incorporation.
There is a varied fee attached to this step.
Purchase a company Seal
This is a device that embosses the name of the company on official documents and it is used as a company signature.
We have been helping Kenyans register their companies online for years and if you are interested or have any questions, we are waiting to help you register your company now. We will respond to your queries within an hour of submitting a query.
49 Comments
I need to register construction Ltd company but see your time is abit long
Hi Ekalo William, 5 working days is the minimum amount of time you can take to register a limited company in Kenya as of now.
hi, i want to register my company, how do i send your cash
how do i know it is a genuine thing? How safe is my cash after transaction?
Hi Judy, You can either bring the cash to our offices or send it via lipa na M-Pesa till number. These methods are both safe and we refund our customers if we fail to meet our part of the bargain.
is it possible to have someone under the age of 18 years as one of the directors. if not,.please advice me how to go through it.
Thanks.
Hi Martin, Having a person under the age of 18 as a director is impossible with the current set of laws governing the formation of companies.
I would like to register a private company how much money is needed and the requirements
How can I add a new director to a registered company
Hi, am having an existing international company that needs to operate in Kenya,i need to be registered here to operate. please guide me since from what am seeing in your site are only startups companies?
I have sent you an email Ahmed.
Kindly provide us with your email address so that we can assist you.
there is a clause i have read that as at now it is not mandatory to have directors or a company secretary before registration am i right?
i have read elsewhere that names of a director or company secretary is not mandatory am i right?Another question if am a sole proprietor what is the procedure?
It was a pleasure working with you.
Hi Anne, the name of a director is mandatory, at least one per company, while that of a company secretary is optional.
Yes, that is right. I will update this article to match the current requirements.
Check your email. I have sent all the requirements
Does it imply to any company or specific ??
I want to register a bus company in Kenya. We are currently operating in Uganda, DRC, and Rwanda. What are the requirements? You can reach on e-mail address . thanx
Alex Katete
I’m a zimbabwean investor willing to invest in kenya…wat are the requirements and legislation regarding a foreigner
Halo,I want to register a tech private company owned by me alone.
How much will it cost me for the whole process?
halo,I want to register a private company.(CLEANING SERVICES COMPANY) can you the guidelines and how much is the expenditure in the process.
Where a your office in laikipia am in nanyuki needing to open a construction company.
How do we register a youth company
I want to register my agent company what do I need and how much
I want to register a company what are th minimum requirements I should have?
Am I able to advance my registered business name to a limited company using same ownership
Hi John,
Yes you can upgrade a business name to a limited company. I have sent you an email with more information.
Thanks
how many directors should a company have according to the current laws of kenya
Hi Ramsi, One director is enough.
I want to register my school
Help me register
Hi Paul, I just sent you an email with the requirements needed to register a company
Hello Mildred, Thanks for getting in touch with us. I just sent you an email with the requirements needed to register a school in Kenya.
Is it a must for a company to have a secretary?
Nowadays, companies are not required to have a company secretary unless they have a nominal share capital that exceeds KSh 5,000,000.
“Appointment a certified secretary and stamp cr10 and cr12 with official stamp.”
Am confused here. Whose do i require?
Hello Dominic,
That means that you need a CS to sign the documents.
Thanks
i want to register a multipurpose company, please advice.
Hello Too,
We can assist with that. I’ve sent you an email with all the company registration requirements.
Thanks
Please get in touch with me I need to register one
Where can I get a certified secretary and how much will it cost?
Hi Morgan,
Kindly check your email
i am in the process of registering a company for my wife and a friend, i used my e-citizen account and the name is reserved only that i put my self as a secretary and now i need certified public secretary to stamp form CR 10 and CR 12, what is your advise?
Thank you for the interest in our service. A member of our team has sent you an email with more information.
i used my e-citizen account and the name is reserved only i places my self as a secretary and now i need certified public secretary to stamp form CR 10 and CR 12, what is your
Hello Japheth,
Kindly give us a call on 0703281427 and we will be able to assist.
Thank you
Where will I find an official stamp as a company secretary?