Register a Foreign Company in Kenya (Branch or Subsidiary)
Step-by-step playbook for international businesses entering Kenya — choose between a branch and a subsidiary, prepare notarised parent documents, register via BRS, set up tax, and unlock licences.
The information in this guide is provided for general guidance only and is subject to change. Fees, timelines, and regulatory requirements in Kenya are updated regularly. Before acting, please confirm details with the relevant authority (KRA, eCitizen, BRS, county government, or other regulator) or speak with a qualified MyBiashara advisor. MyBiashara is not liable for decisions made solely on the basis of this content.
What you'll have
- Clarity on whether a branch or subsidiary fits your strategy
- Notarised parent-company document pack ready for BRS
- Certificate of Compliance (branch) or Incorporation (subsidiary)
- Tax registration, sector licences, and a clean compliance calendar
Steps
- 01Choose your entry vehicle: branch vs. subsidiary
The single most consequential decision. Get it wrong and you'll restructure within 18 months — expensive and visible to regulators.
~10 min - 02Assemble and notarise the parent-company pack
This is the slowest step — start it the moment you decide to enter Kenya. Every document must be notarised in the home country, then apostilled (or consularised if the country isn't a Hague Convention member).
~20 min - 03Appoint your local representative (branch) or local directors (subsidiary)
Both structures require a Kenyan presence — the only question is what form it takes.
~10 min - 04File on BRS / eCitizen
All foreign registrations now happen online through eCitizen → Business Registration Service.
~15 min - 05Register for tax and understand the rates
KRA registration is automatic via BRS — but you must add the correct tax obligations.
~10 min - 06Secure sector-specific licences
BRS registration only proves you exist. To operate, you'll often need a sector regulator's blessing.
~10 min - 07Your first 100 days: bank, premises, compliance calendar
Don't ship operations before these are in place.
~5 min
Kenya is East Africa's largest economy and the regional hub for finance, technology, logistics, and consumer goods. International businesses entering the market must choose carefully between a branch office (extension of the parent) and a subsidiary (separate Kenyan legal entity). Each has profoundly different tax, liability, and operational consequences. Getting this structure wrong is expensive to unwind.
- Multinationals establishing a Kenyan presence for the first time
- Regional businesses (Ugandan, Tanzanian, Rwandan) opening an EAC office
- Diaspora founders setting up a Kenyan arm of an overseas business
- Foreign investors acquiring or partnering with a Kenyan business
- Certificate of Incorporation and Memorandum & Articles from the home country (apostilled / authenticated)
- Board resolution authorising the Kenyan registration and naming local representatives
- Passport copies and addresses of all directors, plus the local representative
- Decision on branch vs subsidiary (this guide helps you decide)
- KES 80,000–250,000 budget for filings, legal advice, and local representative fees
Frequently asked
Branch office or subsidiary — which is better?+
Subsidiary if you want limited liability, local credibility, and the ability to participate in tenders. Branch if you want to test the market quickly with lower setup cost and don't mind that the parent is liable for branch debts.
Do I need a Kenyan partner?+
Not in most sectors — Kenya allows 100% foreign ownership broadly. Exceptions: telecommunications (30% local), insurance (33%), mining (35% local for large-scale), private security.
How long does the full process take?+
4–8 weeks for a branch (document authentication is the slowest step). 2–4 weeks for a subsidiary once documents are ready.
What ongoing compliance applies?+
Annual returns at BRS, annual tax filings at KRA, NSSF / SHIF / NITA if you employ staff, work permits for foreign employees, and beneficial-ownership updates whenever they change.
