A vehicle logbook transfer in Kenya is done online through the NTSA TIMS portal. Both buyer and seller need a TIMS account, the seller initiates the transfer and the buyer accepts, and a transfer fee plus any duty applies. Cost depends on the vehicle, and figures are set by NTSA and KRA, so confirm the current fee on TIMS before you start.
The National Transport and Safety Authority moved vehicle records onto the TIMS portal, so a logbook transfer is now an online handshake rather than a counter visit. Both the seller and the buyer need a TIMS account tied to their KRA PIN. The seller starts the transfer against the buyer details, and the buyer logs in to accept it. Until the buyer accepts, the transfer is not complete and the vehicle remains in the seller name.
Because both sides act in the portal, getting the buyer KRA PIN and TIMS details right at the start avoids the most common delay. A mismatch between the ID, the PIN and the TIMS account stalls the transfer until it is corrected.
A transfer fee applies and is set by NTSA, and depending on the vehicle there may be an inspection or a valuation step. The exact fee changes with NTSA reviews, so the figure to rely on is the one TIMS shows for your specific vehicle at the time of transfer, not a number remembered from a previous sale. The calculator gives an estimate so you can budget before you log in.
On documents, expect to need national ID, KRA PIN and the current logbook details for both parties. Having scans ready speeds up the portal steps. Timelines are usually short once both parties have acted and any inspection is cleared, but they stretch if details need correcting.
The same TIMS framework covers motorbikes, which are a large share of transfers, with the process mirroring that for cars. Transferring an inherited vehicle adds an estate dimension: you generally need proof of the transmission of the estate, such as a grant, before the registration can move into a beneficiary name.
A lost logbook is handled by a duplicate application in TIMS before or alongside a transfer. Each of these is a variation on the core flow rather than a separate system, which is why understanding the standard TIMS transfer first makes the special cases straightforward.
Both buyer and seller need an NTSA TIMS account linked to their KRA PIN. The seller initiates the transfer against the buyer details and the buyer accepts it in the portal. A transfer fee applies, shown on TIMS for your vehicle.
A transfer fee set by NTSA applies, and some vehicles need an inspection or valuation. The exact figure changes with NTSA reviews, so confirm the current fee on TIMS; the calculator gives a budgeting estimate.
You generally need proof of transmission of the estate, such as a grant of representation, before the registration can move to a beneficiary. The transfer then follows the standard TIMS process.