The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA)’s plan to introduce mandatory annual inspections for private motor vehicles older than four years from July 1 has sparked public backlash, prompting clarification on the enforcement timeline for some provisions.
In a public notice issued on Friday, June 26, NTSA said the inspections will be conducted exclusively at its inspection centres, with vehicle owners required to book annual inspections through the NTSA service portal on the eCitizen platform.
The move is anchored on Section 55 of the Traffic Act and expands the Authority’s vehicle inspection programme beyond commercial and school transport vehicles, which will continue to undergo mandatory inspections at NTSA inspection centres.
“All motor vehicle owners with vehicles above four years from the recorded date of manufacture are expected to book for annual inspection through the NTSA service portal accessible through the eCitizen platform,” NTSA said in the notice.
The regulations, gazetted under the Traffic (Motor Vehicle Inspection) Rules, 2026, set inspection charges at Sh1,000 for booking and up to Sh1,000 for the inspection itself for vehicles under 3,000cc, with motorcycles and three-wheelers paying a combined Sh500.
Motorists who fail to comply with the directive risk prosecution, fines of up to Sh20,000, six months’ imprisonment, or, in extreme cases, loss of the right to use their vehicles on Kenyan roads.
However, the notice sparked public uproar as motorists and opposition leaders called for suspension of the directive pending public consultation and review.
In response, NTSA issued a further statement on Sunday, June 28, clarifying that enforcement of some provisions would be phased and that compliance timelines for certain requirements had been adjusted.
School transport operators will not be penalised for failing to install reflectorised red stop mechanical signal arms and telematic systems as required under Rules 13 and 14 of the Traffic (School Transport) Rules, 2026.
Likewise, commercial service vehicle operators will not be penalised for non-compliance with paragraph (d) (telematic system) of Regulation 9 of the NTSA (Operations of Commercial Vehicles) Regulations, 2026.
NTSA also delayed immediate enforcement of mandatory inspection requirements for private motor vehicles, stating that the implementation date will be communicated later.
“During route checks, traffic officers shall not enforce the mandatory inspection requirement on private motor vehicles,” NTSA said.
The Authority indicated that details regarding the enforcement of new requirements for reflectorised mechanical stop signal arms and telematic systems, as outlined in the Traffic Rules, 2026, will be communicated at a later date.
NTSA also warned the public to be cautious of inaccurate information circulating online, emphasising that only communications issued through its official platforms should be considered reliable.
– By Daniel Kamau
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