Recently, the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) launched a mandatory vehicle inspection program set to begin July 1, 2026, and within days it was already in court, partially walked back, and surrounded by misinformation. Here is everything that transpired.
How It Began
NTSA published the Traffic (Motor Vehicle Inspection) Rules, 2026, requiring every vehicle older than 4 years to undergo a yearly inspection. This covered private cars, public vehicles, and government vehicles. Tractors, golf carts, motorized pedal cycles, and all-terrain vehicles were left out.
As per the charges published by the authority, owners of vehicles under 3,000cc pay KES 1,000 to NTSA as a booking fee, plus up to KES 1,000 charged by the inspection center itself. Motorcycle owners pay KES 500 total.
Anyone caught driving without a valid inspection sticker faces a fine of up to KES 20,000, 6 months in jail, or both.
READ: How To Watch Your Speed and Avoid New NTSA Fines
Once you pass the inspection, you get a sticker to display on your vehicle. If you fail, you get a defect report, with 14 days and one free re-inspection if you go back to the same center after fixing the problems.
Public Backlash
Kenyans were not too pleased with the new rules, so much so that NTSA backed off on enforcing the rules against private car owners before the program even started.
On June 29, the authority confirmed that traffic officers would not be stopping private motorists during route checks to enforce the inspection requirement.
School transport operators and commercial vehicle operators also got temporary relief from two specific requirements: reflectorized stop arms and telematics systems.
NTSA has not scrapped any of this. They have only said enforcement on those areas will be communicated later.
READ: How to Verify Your NTSA eLogbook Is Not Fake
Then Came the Court Case
Constitutional lawyer Charles Mugane filed a petition at the High Court today asking a judge to suspend the entire inspection program before it launches.
His argument is that NTSA rolled out these regulations without public participation, which he says violates the constitution. He is also challenging the KES 2,000 fee and the KES 20,000 fine as unlawful levies introduced without proper legal backing.
READ: NTSA Automated Traffic Fines System Frozen by High Court Days After Launch
The opposition is preparing to file a separate but similar petition. DAP-K leader Eugene Wamalwa has said the costs pile on unfairly at a time when people are already stretched thin financially.
The program is scheduled to start July 1, two days after both petitions were filed. Whether a judge suspends it before then is the key question hanging over the whole thing.
Where Things Stand
Private car owners are currently off the hook for enforcement. Commercial and school transport operators have partial relief. The inspection centers are still being set up and licensed, and the legal challenge could freeze everything before it formally begins.
NTSA has urged the public to ignore unofficial information circulating online and wait for updates through its official channels.
