In Kenya, a driving license is a crucial document that justifies the fact that you are a driver and you are mandated to drive a particular car. It also works as a personal ID and helps identify a victim in case of an accident. Highway patrol officers and traffic police usually ask for a driving license – for this, it’s mandatory to have it with you whenever you are operating your car.
But what happens if your driving license is lost or stolen in Kenya? If you misplace your driving license, you can request its duplicate, but if it’s lost through a theft case, you have to report the issue at a police station, after which the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) will hand you a certificate that will allow you to drive without a license for two months as you wait for its renewal and investigations into your filed theft report.
How to replace your lost driving license
Section 38 of the traffic act allows holders of Kenya’s driving license to renew their DL in case it is lost. The procedure of getting a duplicate license procedure also applies to those with defaced driving licenses or who want to switch from an old driving license to the smart DL.
1. Visit https://tims.ntsa.go.ke/
2. Register an account by filling in the required information like National ID serial number, KRA pin, and your mother’s maiden name. If you have an account, proceed to log in
3. New registrants are expected to add their phone number and subscribe to the NTSA SMS alert
4. After successfully registering your account, visit the following NTSA offices, Mombasa (Imaara Building), Nairobi (Likoni Road Inspection Center), Nakuru (Inspection Center), and Nyeri (Regional Commissioner’s Complex), for the personalization of your new license.
5. A smart driving license with a validity of three years will be issued at Ksh3,050
How long does it take to get a duplicate driving license in Kenya? NTSA will process your smart driving license within five working days, upon which you will be notified for collection.
Is the old driving license still valid in Kenya?
Yes, the old driving license on a red booklet is still in use in Kenya, and its submission to highway authorities confirms that you are a licensed driver.
It is usually renewed at a fee of Ksh1,400 and has a validity period of 1 to 3 years.
How to check your driving license online in Kenya
The government of Kenya has adopted the latest technology to revamp service delivery to its citizens. Its transport sector has been elevated, and some of the services that have been revamped include checking whether your driving license is ready for collection or not – this is purely done online through either visiting the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) website or National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) self-care portal.
How to check driving license status on KRA website
1. Visit https://www.kra.go.ke/
2. Click the ‘Online Services’ tab or visit https://www.kra.go.ke/our-online-services
3. In the Case Type option, choose ‘Registration’
4. Enter your driving license Reference Number and Search Code issued upon application
5. Fill in the security stamp in the last dialogue box
6. Submit
You will get a notification informing you whether your driving license is ready or is still in process.
How to check driving license status on NTSA TIMS portal
1. Open https://tims.ntsa.go.ke/
2. Log in by filling in identification details and password or create a new NTSA TIMS account if you are a new user
3. After a successful login, navigate to your dashboard and click ‘Driving License’
4. You will view the status of your recently applied driving license
Remember, you can check whether your Kenyan driving license is original or fake by sending the word DL followed by your ID number (For example, DL 234567897) to 22846.
How much does a smart driving license cost in Kenya?
Ksh3,050. It is paid to the National Safety and Transport Authority (NTSA) as the processing fee of a smart driving license to new applicants and those applying for duplicate licenses.
