How to Register a Business Name in Kenya

The government of Kenya allows official registration of business names mostly by small enterprises. This applies to individuals who are running a business alone. It is more of a formal sole proprietorship. Hence, let’s look at the process of how to register a business name in Kenya.

Registering a business name is a faster, simpler, and cheaper process than registering a company. This has made this process attract a lot of interest from Kenyans more so those in the small and medium enterprises.

Steps to register a Business name

Step 1: Log in to the E-citizen portal and then choose business name registration.

Step 2: Nominate at least 3 business names of your choice. However, the portal allows you to nominate up to 5 names. The key reason for this is that the names have to undergo a search to find out if a similar name exists. If successful, your name will be registered as per the order.

Step 3: Fill in the nature of business details. This information should describe the kind of business you are engaging in such as the furniture supply or clothing business.

Step 4: Fill in the contact details for the business. It includes information such as the business location and address.

Step 5: Provide the ownership details. These include the names, Identity card information, and contact details of all the business owners.

Step 6: Download the application documents. After providing the above details, you should proceed to print the application documents and ensure they are signed by all the owners.

Step 7: Make the payment. It costs 850 shillings to register a business name. You can pay through various methods such as mobile money and card payment. However, it costs an additional 200 shillings if you want to introduce an extra business branch

Step 8: Once approved, you should proceed to print the business name registration certificate. This is what shows the business is fully registered and legal to operate in Kenya.