China to Kenya Import Guide: Duties, Documents & Timelines

The Realistic Picture for a First-Time Importer

Kenya imports more from China than from any other country, and for good reason: the range is unmatched, minimum order quantities are workable, and the per-unit economics are hard to beat. This guide covers what it actually costs, what documents you need, and the specific places where first-time importers get stuck.

Timelines: Planning Around 30 to 40 Days by Sea

• Sea freight: 30 to 40 days from Chinese ports to your door in Kenya, including origin consolidation, the ocean leg, Kenyan clearance, and final delivery
• Air cargo: 7 to 12 days door to door

Work backwards from your stock-out date. If shelves are empty in week 9, sea freight needed to leave China by week 4 at the latest. The most common planning failure is treating the 30-day figure as a guarantee rather than a midpoint: sailing schedules, port congestion, and customs all add variability, which is why we quote ranges, not promises.

Costs: The Current Rate Sheet

Sea freight (LCL, per cubic metre)

• KES 62,000 per CBM for general goods
• KES 66,000 per CBM for dangerous or sensitive goods
• Minimum charge: 0.20 CBM (KES 12,000)

LCL means your cargo shares a container with other importers and you pay only for the volume you occupy. A pallet 1.2 × 1.0 × 1.5 m is 1.8 CBM, or KES 111,600 for general goods.

Air cargo

• USD 15.00 per chargeable kilogram, where chargeable weight is the greater of actual weight or volumetric weight (length × width × height in cm ÷ 6000)

A 50 kg shipment of dense hardware bills on actual weight. The same 50 kg of foam sandals in a bulky carton bills on volumetric weight, which is why compressible goods need careful packing.

What these rates include

Origin collection from supplier, export clearance in China, the international leg, and handling into Kenya. Import duty, VAT, and final clearance are quoted separately because they depend on the commodity and its declared value.

Documents: The Five That Matter

1. Commercial invoice with accurate values and HS codes for every line 2. Packing list with carton-level weights and dimensions 3. Bill of lading (sea) or airway bill (air), issued by the carrier 4. Your KRA PIN, matching the importer of record exactly 5. MSDS for dangerous or sensitive goods, with correct UN classification

For regulated categories (electronics, electricals, cosmetics, food-related goods), add PVoC certification before export. It is cheaper and faster to certify in China than to argue at Mombasa.

Where Importers Get Stuck (and How to Not Be One of Them)

Under-declared invoices

The classic. A supplier offers to write "USD 200" on a USD 2,000 invoice to save duty. KRA's valuation database knows what a carton of that product should be worth. The result: revaluation, penalties, a stalled shipment, and a supplier who is suddenly hard to reach. Declare honestly.

Buying FOB without understanding what FOB excludes

FOB puts the goods on the ship in China. Everything after (the ocean freight, insurance, Kenyan clearance, duty, delivery) is yours to arrange, which is exactly what a forwarder does. The mistake is assuming the supplier's FOB price is the landed cost. It never is.

Volumetric weight surprises on air

Importers see "50 kg" and budget for 50 kg. Then the chargeable weight arrives at 90 kg because the cartons were large and light. Ask for the volumetric calculation before you commit to air.

No plan for the last mile

Your cargo clearing at Mombasa is not delivery. Confirm who moves it to Nairobi or your door, and at what cost, before the vessel sails.

The Smart First Shipment

Start smaller than feels comfortable: one consolidated shipment of your best-selling two or three products. You will learn how your supplier packs, how the documents flow, and what the true landed cost per unit is, with minimal capital at risk. Then scale the formula that worked.

Get Your Landed Cost Before You Order

Use the rate calculator on this site for an instant sea or air estimate from China, or send us your supplier's proforma invoice on WhatsApp. We will return the full landed picture: freight, duty, clearance, and delivery, per unit, before you wire a deposit.