Registering your business name with BRS is national. Running the business is licensed by your county. Every county sets its own permit fees in its own Finance Act, so a shop in Nairobi and the same shop in Nakuru pay different amounts.
Nairobi calls it the Unified Business Permit (UBP) — older guides say Single Business Permit. This guide uses the fees in the Nairobi City County Finance Act, 2026, which was assented to on 31 July 2026 and published in the Kenya Gazette on 4 August 2026.
Nairobi trade licence fees (2026)
The trade licence fee depends on what you do, how many people work there and how much floor space you use. For ordinary shops and retail services, the 2026 Act sets these annual charges:
| Category | Size | Trade licence |
|---|---|---|
| Mini trader shop or retail service | 1 employee, less than 25 sq m | KSh 5,000 |
| Small trader shop or retail service | 2–3 employees, 26–50 sq m | KSh 10,000 |
| Medium trader shop, agency or retail service | 4–5 employees, 50–300 sq m | KSh 15,000 |
| Large trader shop, agency or retail service | Over 5 employees, over 300 sq m | KSh 25,000 |
| Kiosk (light or temporary structure) | Less than 5 sq m | KSh 4,000 |
| Hawker without a motor vehicle | — | KSh 5,000 |
| Hawker with a motor vehicle | — | KSh 7,000 |
| Mini professional and technical services | 1 person, 1 computer or machine | KSh 10,000 |
For comparison, the 2023 Act charged KSh 5,000 for a "small trader shop" with up to two employees and under 50 sq m. The 2026 Act splits that band in two: the new mini band stays at KSh 5,000, and a shop with two or three staff now pays KSh 10,000.
The fire charge on top
The same 2026 Act adds a separate annual fire and emergency charge under the Nairobi City County Disaster and Emergency Management Act:
| Category | Fire charge |
|---|---|
| Mini trader shop (1 employee, under 25 sq m) | KSh 1,000 |
| Small trader shop (2–3 employees, 26–50 sq m) | KSh 2,000 |
| Medium trader shop (4–5 employees, 50–300 sq m) | KSh 4,500 |
| Large trader shop (over 5 employees, over 300 sq m) | KSh 12,000 |
So a one-person shop in a small room would expect around KSh 6,000 for trade licence plus fire charge. The unified permit can also bundle other charges — food hygiene for food businesses, or signage if you put up a sign — so the invoice you get after assessment is the figure that counts.
Penalties
Under the Nairobi City County Trade Licensing Act, 2019, trading without a licence is an offence with a fine of up to KSh 100,000 or up to six months in jail, or both. Failing to renew and carrying on trading carries a fine of up to KSh 50,000 or three months. The Act also requires you to display the licence where it can be seen at your premises.
An annual licence is valid for 12 months from the date of issue, and the Act also allows provisional licences of up to three months while the main one is processed.
How to apply in Nairobi
Nairobi takes business permit applications on its Nairobi Pay eServices portal at nairobiservices.go.ke, under Business Licensing.
- Create an account or log in on Nairobi Pay.
- Open Business Licensing and start a new application (or renewal).
- Enter your business details: name, activity, physical location (building, floor, plot), number of employees and floor area. These decide your category.
- Upload your documents.
- Wait for assessment. The county works out the charges and issues an invoice.
- Pay through the methods the invoice lists, such as M-Pesa.
- Download and print the permit, then display it at the premises.
Documents to have ready
- Business registration certificate (business name certificate, or certificate of incorporation for a company) — see business name registration in Kenya
- KRA PIN certificate
- National ID or passport of the owner or a director
- Physical address details, including plot number where you have it
Other major counties
Each county runs its own system and fee schedule. The main portals:
| County | Where to apply |
|---|---|
| Mombasa | eservices.mombasa.go.ke |
| Kisumu | eservices.kisumu.go.ke |
| Nakuru | nakurupay.com (Unified Permit) |
| Kiambu | kiambu.countyerp.co.ke |
We have not listed fees for these counties because we could not confirm their current schedules against the counties' own Finance Acts. Ask the county revenue office or check the portal's assessment before you budget.
Do online-only sellers need a business permit?
In Nairobi, the law says yes — but how it applies in practice is unclear.
The Nairobi City County Trade Licensing Act, 2019 defines "trade" as selling goods or services "in any trading premise or in any other manner including electronically, through the internet". It also says that anyone who intends to operate any business or trade within the county must get a trade licence. On a plain reading, someone running an online shop from Nairobi is covered.
What the law does not do is give online sellers a clear category. The fee schedule is built around employees and floor space. We found no line in the 2026 schedule for a business with no premises, and enforcement normally happens through inspections of premises. A seller working from their bedroom and posting parcels through Pickup Mtaani does not fit any band neatly.
A practical way to think about it:
- You have a shop, stall, office or storeroom — get the permit. Inspectors visit premises, and you need to display it.
- You sell online from home in Nairobi and are growing — the law appears to cover you. Getting the mini trader permit (about KSh 6,000 with the fire charge) removes the risk and helps with suppliers and banks.
- You are just testing a product — many sellers start without one. That is a risk you take, not an exemption. If unsure, ask the county's licensing office which category applies to you.
Other counties have their own laws. Do not assume Nairobi's wording applies elsewhere.
Before you apply
- Register your business name first — the county asks for the certificate.
- Count your floor space and staff honestly. Your category, and fee, depend on them.
- Diarise your renewal. The licence runs for 12 months from issue.
- Keep the permit and receipt as PDFs; banks, landlords and some payment providers ask for them.
Running the shop online
Once your paperwork is in order, duka.bio gives you a free shop page with M-Pesa and card checkout and Pickup Mtaani delivery, so your customers can order without a long WhatsApp thread. Work out what each sale really leaves you with the profit margin calculator, and see how to start an online store in Kenya.