How to register a business in Kenya.

Name search

The proposed business name must be reserved pending registration. Application for reservation of a Business Name should be made and accompanied with the prescribed fee. When choosing a Business name, have in mind that hundreds of thousands of names have been registered already. Make it unique as possible.

Application for business name.

Once a name is searched and reserved the applicant(s) should complete a statement of particulars form also known as (BN 2 Form).

Certificate of Registration also referred to as BN 3 is processed thereafter.

• Requirements for Business Name Registration.
• Proposed Business name for name search approval.
• The nature of Business / activities the business shall undertake.
• Names of the Proprietor/s in Full.
• Postal address for the Business Name.
• Proposed Physical address of the Business. Address includes Name of road, Plot number, and town, county.
• Copy of ID / Passport of the Proprietor or Partners.
• Passport photo of the Proprietor/s.
• Copy of PIN certificate of the Proprietor/s or partner/s.
• A Business Name registration will take an average of 7 days.

How to register a limited company in Kenya

Name Search

When registering a business in Kenya, the first thing that comes in your mind is the name of your business. It costs KSh. 100 per name and it takes three days. It is advisable to search for more than one at a time so as to save on time. It’s advisable to choose a name that is unique and tailored for the business you have in mind to avoid delays. This is a must for all businesses. The company name reservation lasts 30 days and can be renewed for a similar period.

Memorandum and articles of association

Memorandum and articles of association are documents that sets out the objectives of your company and the internal constitution that govern your company. It’s wise to engage the services of a legal expert to help you draft these copies professionally with keen attention to detail, all in accordance with the law. You are also required to fill help the following forms as required by the law to complete the registration process.

Form 208 – which is a compliance form and should be signed by the lawyer registering the company.
Form 201 – Which notifies the registrar of the registered office of the company

Filling Form 203

This form is filled and signed by a Certified Public Secretary of Kenya (CPS) who must be a current member of the Institute of Certified Public Secretaries (ICPSK). This form covers the particulars of the company directors and company secretary, which we help you harmonize by advising you accordingly.

Stamp Duty

Once you have prepared the memorandum & Articles, you lodge the documents with the registrar of companies for payment of stamp duty. This should takes 2 days.  Stamp duty varies depending on the Nominal Capital of the company.

Once the stamp duty has been paid, you should forward the documents to the Registrar of Companies together with forms Form 203, Form 201 and Form 208. Registration takes between 3 to 4 weeks

At Betty Consultant and Management Ltd, We take care of all your statutory requirements, offering you much needed in these among other services:

1. Registrations of new businesses,
2. New partnerships registrations ,
3. Business names registration services ,
4. Registration of societies and limited companies
5. Preparation and updating all your monthly tax VAT, NHIF and other statutory payments with strict adherence to deadlines.
6. We also help prepare your yearly submissions, financial statements and offer a host of other financial related services.
7. AGPO processing
8. KRA pin certificates
9. KRA tax compliance certificates.