Kenya KEBS Certificate Services

General Information:

KEBS certification applies to electrical products with input voltage ratings equal or above 50VDC. This certification is largly based on pre-existing international safety and EMC standards. Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS – Kenya Bureau of Standards) is responsible for reviewing and issuing KEBS Certificates of Conformity (CoC). KEBS is also responsible for reviewing Kenya PVoC (Pre-Export Verification of Conformity) required for all shipments into the country. Product manufacturers and/or importers typically fall under one of the three categories, which affect : Occasional Exports, Frequent Exports and Frequent and High Volume Manufacturers.

Occasional Exports (less than ten times per year) – Product registration to KEBS not required, CoC (Certificate of Conformity), test reports & product inspection (PVoC)
Frequent Exports (more than ten times per year) – Product registration is required, CoC (Certificate of Conformity), test reports & product inspection (PVoC)
Frequent and High Volume – Product registration is required, product registration and certification (with test reports) & product inspection (PVoC)

PVoC Program is a conformity assessment program applied to products at the respective exporting countries, to ensure their compliance with the applicable Kenyan Technical Regulations and Mandatory Standards or approved specifications.

Products with radio and/or wireless transmitter are required to meet Kenya’s Radio Type Approval scheme. This approval is under the Communications Commissions of Kenya.

Challenges Obtaining and Maintaining Kenya Certification

Obtaining Kenya certification can be tricky, and delays can occur from not going in with the right test plan, or having the incorrect understanding of the certification process. The following are preventable issues that can cause delays:

Incorrectly identifying which export categories your company falls under (Occasional, Frequent or Frequent and High Volume)
Submitting incorrect forms and documents to Kenya certification bodies
Not setting up and scheduling PVoC inspections prior to shipment
Not properly communicating and following up with certification bodies
Certificate expirations cause unexpected lapse in coverage

How Can We Help?

G&M utilizes the following practices to achieve a fast and efficient Kenya certification:

Develop a Kenya certification plan for your company that maximizes certification coverage of current and future products based on product type.
Work with local Kenyan authorities to expedite certification
Rely on G&M team’s experience to communicate directly with customers and minimize communication gaps.
Track and alert customers of upcoming annual renewals of certificates with G&M’s proprietary Certificate Alert and Tracking System (CATS)

G&M Compliance has established partners in Kenya to ensure that the certification process is completed in a timely manner. Our compliance experts understand the regulations and technical requirements necessary to minimize the risk of certification delays or rejection. In addition we stay updated on ever-changing regulations and requirements.

For more information, additional questions, or to request a quote – Please submit an online RFQ, Contact Us, or call.

Other Certification Requirements

All product shipments need to be accompanied by a Certificate of Inspection before they can be imported into Egypt. The Certificate of Inspection (CoI) is issued by the Egyptian General Organization for Export & Import Control (GOEIC) and is mandatory for all shipments.

Physical shipment inspection is required before certification can be completed. We can arrange with you a mutually convenient date, time and location for the shipment inspection to be carried out. This can normally be arranged within 48 hours. The following documents and information are required:

A copy of Commercial Invoice
Letter of Credit (L/C)
A copy of the Quality Management System Certificate (ISO 9001), if available
Test documents such as test reports, test certificates, etc.
Packing list and Bill of Lading

Certification Details

Certification Mark: None
In Country Representation: Not required
In Country Testing: Not required
Expiration Details: Certificate expires 18 months
after issuance
Continuing Surveillance: No factory inspection or market surveillance

Insource Homologation Management

If this is your first time attempting CE certification, the first time certifying a particular type of equipment, or the first time certifying equipment to new standards, we highly recommend a Preliminary Inspection. Preliminary Inspections are a quick and inexpensive way to detect the following before submitting for a Certification Evaluation:

Design Deficiencies
Component Deficiencies
Product Documentation Deficiencies
Testing Deficiencies]

Certificate Alert and Tracking System (CATS)

Untimely expirations of certificates can cause delays in product deliveries. Re-certification of products will generally be treated as new submittals instead of certificate renewals. This can be time-consuming and costly. G&M provides a web-based certification tracking system that alerts users when expirations are coming, provides on-line storage of important certification documentation, and is searchable by certification specific criteria. For more information on this system see our CATS page.