How To Get KRA Excise Stamps In Kenya

Excise stamps are issued by KRA to licensed persons only. Applications for excise stamps are made through the EGMS system. However, a person can initiate the process at an EGMS Service Desk in the various KRA Tax Service Offices.

Quality of Excise Stamps

Any stamp quality concern shall be reported to KRA through the email- egmshelp@kra.go.ke  with relevant details. KRA has also developed a user guide on handling excise stamps with quality concerns. The guide includes steps on how to handle the following:

1. Stamp quality incident reporting
2. Verification of stamps with quality concern.
3. Procedure to return stamps in EGMS
4. Returning physical stamps to KRA.

Rollout of Excise Stamps on Cosmetics

Which cosmetics and beauty products are required to be affixed with an excise stamp?

Every package of Cosmetics and Beauty products of tariff heading No. 3303, 3304, 3305, and 3307 imported to or manufactured in Kenya is required to be affixed with an excise stamp. Taxpayers can verify the codes from the list of goods and services listed in the First and Second schedules of the VAT Act.

Frequently Asked Questions have been developed to assist taxpayers before and during the rollout period. Public notices regarding the rollout date can be accessed from the media center.

Excisable Goods Management System (EGMS)

EGMS is KRA’s Excisable Goods Management System that operates as a track and trace system used to account for excisable goods.

Products are securely marked with either a secure paper stamp which is affixed to the product or a secure digital stamp which is printed directly on the product packaging. 

Since FY 2016/17, KRA has collected over Ksh 400 billion from products under #EGMS (imports & domestic). At the time of its inception, there was large-scale counterfeiting of branded products.

Illicit trade/counterfeiting undermines revenue collection, undercuts genuine manufacturers, and poses the threat of harming society through substandard products.

Self Registration on EGMS

This is a new feature on the EGMS web application to allows taxpayers to be able to self-register their company and system users into the KRA EGMS system once they obtain an Excise License or Import Certificate.

Upon registration, their details will be reviewed by a KRA officer, and credentials automatically be sent via the email provided by the taxpayer during registration. This feature is also integrated with iTax, where some primary details of the taxpayer are extracted from. Your step-by-step process is available for download.

Manufacturers with excise licenses and Importers with import certificates are required to follow a step-by-step guide for EGMS processes. They can create users in the EGMS system by completing the EGMS external user creation form. They are then required to stamp, scan, and submit via email to KRA at egmshelp@kra.go.ke 

Ever Heard of the Soma Label App?

Soma Label is a mobile application that supports EGMS. The application enables consumers to verify the authenticity of excise stamps affixed on products.

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