The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has announced that, starting July 1, 2026, all vehicles, including private cars, will face mandatory inspections and new inspection fees.
The change comes under the Traffic (Motor Vehicle Inspection) Rules, 2026, which formally extends the mandatory inspection regime to private vehicles.
Under the rules, any vehicle older than four years from its date of manufacture must undergo an inspection test once every year. This requirement will apply to private and public vehicles; government vehicles; and commercial vehicles, including tractors, golf carts, motorized pedal cycles, and all-terrain vehicles (with the specified exemptions).
The regulations will affect thousands of Kenyan motorists, given that many vehicles on local roads are imported used cars that are already older than four years.
In addition to the inspection requirements, NTSA has released a new fee schedule for all vehicle categories, including charges for inspection bookings. Vehicle owners with engines below 3,000cc will pay a booking fee of KSh 1,000 to NTSA and an inspection fee of up to KSh 1,000 set by the inspection centre.
Motorcycle and three-wheeler owners will pay a KSh200 booking fee and a maximum inspection fee of KSh300, for a total of KSh500.
The regulations also provide for the licensing of privately operated vehicle testing centers. These centers will be allowed to conduct inspections alongside government facilities.
A vehicle that passes inspection will receive an inspection report and an inspection sticker, which owners must display on the vehicle. If a vehicle fails, it will receive a defect report outlining the faults that must be fixed before the owner can book another inspection.
Under the new rules, motorists will not be permitted to operate vehicles on public roads without a valid inspection sticker.
NTSA also requires inspections for vehicles that have been modified, including those with engine changes, as well as vehicles that were involved in accidents and vehicles undergoing re-registration.
In addition, NTSA has introduced a new framework for managing salvage vehicles, requiring severely damaged vehicles to undergo inspection before authorities allow them back on the road.
Motorists whose vehicles fail inspection will receive a free re-inspection if they return to the same inspection center within 14 days after repairing the identified defects.
NTSA says drivers who operate vehicles in violation of the rules, including using invalid inspection stickers, could face a fine of up to KSh20,000, imprisonment for up to six months, or both.
The inspection changes form part of the government’s broader push to improve road safety by ensuring that vehicles running on Kenyan roads meet required mechanical and safety standards.
