The Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) has introduced a mandatory license for anyone importing or wholesaling communications equipment in the country.
The new Communications Equipment Distributor (CED) License takes effect immediately and applies to a wide range of products, including mobile phones, routers, modems, and other telecommunications equipment imported for commercial distribution.
The requirement follows the revised Telecommunications Market Structure published under Gazette Notice No. 3335 on March 6, 2026, through the Kenya Information and Communications Act.
CA Director General David Mugonyi said any company that wants to import communications equipment must first obtain the CED Licence, secure type approval from the Authority, and clear the products through the government’s TradeNet system before they can be sold in Kenya.
The new rules also apply to businesses that already hold Telecommunications Equipment Contractor (TEC) or Vendor licenses.
Mugonyi said these companies must apply for the CED License immediately if they plan to continue importing or distributing communications equipment. So far, the Authority has not announced any exemption or transition period for existing license holders.
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Importers must also meet several compliance requirements that CA has introduced over the past two years. See the full list below.
- Every product model must have a valid Type Approval certificate.
- Commercial invoices must clearly list model numbers and quantities so CA can match them with its approved equipment database.
- Importers of mobile devices must provide IMEI numbers when submitting documents to the Kenya Revenue Authority.
- Any internet-connected device must meet IPv6 requirements before it can be cleared through customs.
The license comes with several fees. Applicants must pay a KES 5,000 application fee and a KES 250,000 license fee, which is valid for 15 years and can be renewed.
In addition, distributors must pay an annual operating fee of 0.4% of their turnover, with a minimum payment of KES 120,000 each year.
Companies that operate without the license or import equipment that has not received type approval could face fines of up to KES 1 million, imprisonment for up to three years, or both.
The CED License is the latest step in a series of regulatory changes introduced by CA. The Authority tightened type approval requirements during 2025, introduced IMEI disclosure requirements the same year, and proposed new permit processing fees in March 2026.
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The new distributor license brings these requirements together under a single licensing framework that applies before communications equipment enters the Kenyan market.
CA says the changes are intended to reduce the circulation of counterfeit and substandard devices while protecting the country’s telecommunications network.
For distributors, however, the new rules mean higher compliance costs and an immediate requirement to obtain the license. The Authority has directed businesses to its website for details on license categories, eligibility requirements, and the full fee schedule.
