The Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) has announced a major change to aircraft radio licensing, saying the move is meant to improve compliance and safety in the aviation sector.
Under the new system, the expiry date of aircraft radio licenses will now be aligned with the validity of the Certificate of Airworthiness (COA) issued by the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA).
“Effective July 1st, 2026, the Communications Authority of Kenya will be transitioning from the fixed June 30th annual expiry of the aircraft radio licenses to a system where the aircraft radio license duration will be synchronized with the validity period of the Certificate of Airworthiness (COA) issued by the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority,” CA states in a notice.
This change applies to all aircraft operators across the country. The authority states that the shift aims to streamline licensing, close documentation gaps, and ensure the simultaneous movement of radio licensing and airworthiness approvals.
From June 30, 2026, when current licenses expire, operators will first receive an initial license valid for up to 30 days after the expiry date of the current COA.
This one-off grace period is meant to give operators time to renew their COA with KCAA before applying for the aligned radio license.
Once the renewed COA is submitted to the CA, a new Aircraft Radio License will be issued for 12 months and matched to the COA’s validity period. The authority says no additional frequency fees will be charged for this second issuance within the same financial year.
This particular license authorizes the use of radio equipment in a plane for communication with other aircraft and land stations (air traffic control).
Aircraft Radio License Renewal Requirements
For renewal, operators must present three documents.
One is a valid COA issued by KCAA, another is a valid radio survey report issued by KCAA, and lastly, proof of payment of the prescribed annual license fees.
Following this change in procedures, future renewals will follow a standard 12-month cycle, with a 30-day buffer to allow renewals without compliance gaps.
Radio licensing will now directly tie to the KCAA airworthiness documents, requiring aircraft operators in Kenya to ensure their airframes are safe to fly before they can get a license to communicate.
