E-Invoicing Country

Kenya

Live

Live since September 2024

Flag of Kenya

Mandate Overview

The mandate

Kenya's Revenue Authority (KRA) operates eTIMS — the Electronic Tax Invoice Management System — which has been mandatory since September 1, 2024 for all VAT-registered businesses and effectively for any taxpayer whose expenses must be deductible against income tax. eTIMS replaced the older TIMS (hardware-tied control units) with a flexible model offering multiple onboarding paths: eTIMS Online (web portal), eTIMS Lite (USSD/mobile), eTIMS Client (desktop), and eTIMS for VSCU and OSCU (system-to-system integration). Every invoice issued in Kenya must be transmitted to KRA and stamped with a control unit signature; non-eTIMS invoices are not deductible.

Timeline

Key milestones

2022
Aug 1, 2022
  • TIMS rolled out (hardware-based control units)

2023
Aug 1, 2023
  • eTIMS launched as software-based successor with multiple onboarding paths

2024
Jan 1, 2024
  • All VAT-registered businesses required to onboard eTIMS

Sep 1, 2024
  • Non-eTIMS invoices fully non-deductible; mandate effectively universal

Flowie Coverage

How Flowie supports Kenya

Flowie generates eTIMS-compatible invoices ready for KRA submission via system-to-system integration. Local accredited service provider partnerships required for full transmission.

FAQ

Common questions

Is eTIMS mandatory for my business?

Yes if you are VAT-registered, and effectively yes for any business whose expenses must be deductible against income tax. Since September 1, 2024, the KRA has confirmed that purchases supported only by non-eTIMS invoices are not allowed as deductible expenses. This makes eTIMS de facto universal for formal-sector businesses.

What is the difference between TIMS and eTIMS?

TIMS (2022) required dedicated hardware control units. eTIMS (2023+) is software-based with multiple onboarding options — web portal, mobile USSD, desktop client, and VSCU/OSCU for ERP integration — making it accessible to small traders as well as large enterprises. eTIMS has fully replaced TIMS for new compliance.

Ready for Kenya?

Flowie keeps you compliant, automatically.

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