The question "what documents do I need to import farm machinery into Kenya" usually gets answered as one long list. That list is misleading, because the documents do not come from one place — and the ones that hold up a shipment are almost never the ones the buyer was worrying about.
There are four groups. Only one of them is our side of the transaction.
The four groups of documents
| Group | Who issues it | What it decides | Where you get it |
|---|---|---|---|
| What your own authorities require | Your country's customs and standards bodies, through your clearing agent | Whether the goods may be imported, and on what terms | Your clearing agent, before you order |
| Payment and contract documents | The supplier | The value, the model and the terms your bank works from | Us |
| Transport documents | The shipping line, through a freight forwarder | Who holds title to the goods, and when | The forwarder, at shipment |
| Product and origin documents | The supplier, and the export-side issuing authority | What the machine is, and where it was made | Us, and the forwarder |
The first group is the only one where the answer is specific to Kenya. The Kenya Revenue Authority handles customs, and the Kenya Bureau of Standards sets the standards side — your clearing agent will give you the current list, and it is worth asking them for it before you place an order rather than after the container sails.
What we issue on our side
These are the documents we produce on every machinery order. They are what you will need regardless of destination, because they are what the goods cannot move without.
| Document | What it contains | When it is issued |
|---|---|---|
| Proforma invoice | Model, specification, price per set, terms | With the quotation, so you can raise payment |
| Commercial invoice | Final value, description of goods, terms | Against the order |
| Packing list | What is in each package, with weights and dimensions | Before shipment |
| Bill of lading | Proof of shipment and title document | Issued by the shipping line at shipment |
| Certificate of origin | Where the goods were manufactured | Arranged on the export side |
| Product documentation | Operation manual, parts list, published specification | With the machine |
One point that saves time: ask your supplier to state the classification they use on the invoice. What applies at your end is decided by your own authorities, and a mismatch between what the invoice says and what the customs entry says is a common, entirely avoidable cause of delay.
Assessment and inspection documents, on request
Where an order or a buyer's internal process calls for evidence about the manufacturing side, we provide the third-party factory assessment report on request. Our factory has been assessed on site by an independent inspection body, and the report is available to buyers who need it. For orders where a pre-shipment inspection is required, tell us at the quotation stage so it can be built into the schedule rather than added at the port.
What we cannot do for you, stated plainly
- We cannot act as your customs broker or agent at destination. Clearance is handled locally, and the responsible party is your clearing agent.
- We do not quote duty, tax or your landed cost. Those figures are set by your authorities and depend on your own registration and on the classification applied at entry. A supplier who gives you a confident duty number for your country is guessing.
- We cannot guarantee clearance. What we control is that our documents are complete, consistent with each other, and issued on time. What happens at the border depends on the paperwork matching — which is why consistency matters more than volume.
- We do not restate your import rules. The requirement is yours to confirm, and we would rather point you at the authority than publish a summary that might be wrong.
How to avoid the usual delay
- Get the destination list before you order. The cost of the machine is fixed at the quotation; the cost of a container sitting at port is not.
- Keep one entity across the paperwork. Contract, invoice and payment should name the same legal entity. A payment from one company against an invoice from another is the single most common reason documents are queried.
- Match the goods description everywhere — invoice, packing list, and the entry your agent files.
- Order the inspection early if one is required. It is a scheduling item, not a formality you can add at the end.
- Ask for the power requirement in writing. It is not a customs document, but it decides whether the machine can be commissioned the week it arrives.