A practical guide to filing individual and business tax returns on KRA's iTax portal — what's required, the deadlines, and what to do if you get it wrong.
Every person and entity with a KRA PIN in Kenya is required to file a tax return annually. Even if you had no income in the year, you must still file a nil return. The Kenya Revenue Authority's iTax portal at itax.kra.go.ke is where all of this happens.
You need your KRA PIN (the one beginning with A for individuals, P for companies) and your iTax password. If you've forgotten your password, the reset process requires your registered phone number and ID.
Have your P9 form ready if you're an employee — this is the tax deduction card your employer gives you, showing your gross pay and PAYE deducted for the year. If your employer hasn't given you a P9, request it directly from their finance or HR department.
1. Log in at itax.kra.go.ke 2. Under Returns, select File Return → Income Tax → Individual (IT1) 3. Download the Excel return template and fill in your income details from your P9 (employment income, any business income, rental income, etc.) 4. Re-upload the completed template, review the summary, and submit 5. Download and keep your acknowledgement receipt
If you had no taxable income, the process is the same but you select Nil Return — no template download required. Just select, confirm, and submit. This takes under two minutes.
Late filing of returns attracts a penalty of KSh 2,000 per month (individuals) or KSh 20,000 per month (companies). Late payment of any tax due also attracts interest at 1% per month plus a 20% penalty on unpaid tax. Filing on time even when you can't pay in full reduces the penalty exposure.
Once your returns are filed and any outstanding tax paid, you can apply for a Tax Compliance Certificate (TCC) through iTax. The TCC is required for most government tenders and increasingly by private sector clients. It's valid for 12 months.
Mycrea builds business management tools and financial dashboards for Kenyan companies — if you're looking to automate reporting or build a tax-ready accounting integration, talk to us.
Related services
5 min read
7 min read
6 min read
Tell us about your project. We'll show you what's possible.
