Kenya requires pre-shipment ACD for container imports from August; reference code must appear on the bill of lading
Kenya's revenue authority requires an Advance Cargo Declaration before container loading; the reference must appear on the bill of lading, and shipments without it may be refused.
Key points
- Kenya now requires an Advance Cargo Declaration (ACD) for containerised imports to be filed before loading.
- Documents include the draft bill of lading, the commercial invoice to the importer, freight evidence and the export declaration from the origin country.
- The ACD runs alongside the PVoC certificate of conformity, so testing, certification, booking and declaration must be planned on one timeline.
Kenya now requires an Advance Cargo Declaration (ACD) for containerised imports to be filed before loading. The reference must be entered on the original bill of lading; a remark is not accepted. Transit cargo not cleared inland is currently out of scope.
Documents include the draft bill of lading, the commercial invoice to the importer, freight evidence and the export declaration from the origin country. Timing and where the code is entered are the usual failure points; a missing or invalid code can lead to amendment fees, storage costs or refusal to load.
The ACD runs alongside the PVoC certificate of conformity, so testing, certification, booking and declaration must be planned on one timeline. Confirm details with the Kenyan revenue authority and the carrier.
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