What Every Business Owner Should Know About Taxes in Kenya

Kadhr AfricaKadhr Africa
2 min read

If you're running a business—even a side hustle on Instagram—you owe taxes. But don’t panic. Understanding taxes is a big step toward being taken seriously, scaling your business, and staying out of trouble with KRA.

Here’s what you need to know.


🧾 1. You’re a Business—even Without an Office

Selling thrifted clothes? Custom cakes? Digital services?
KRA sees that as taxable income. Once your annual income hits Ksh 1M+, you’re required to register for VAT.

💡 Tip: If you’re just starting, you can register as a sole proprietor or a small business for Turnover Tax.


📌 2. There Are 3 Main Taxes You’ll Deal With

  • Income Tax – what you earn

  • VAT (if registered) – what you charge customers

  • Turnover Tax – for small businesses earning less than Ksh 5M/year

📍You may also need to file Nil Returns if your business is inactive.


💼 3. Keep Records, or Pay the Price

KRA needs proof of:

  • Sales

  • Expenses

  • Receipts

This is where most people mess up.

With Kadhr, every order is automatically recorded—complete with receipts, payment method, and order history.
You’ll always know what to file, and when.


⏰ 4. File Returns by June 30th

Yes, even if you made zero. Late filing = penalties.
Kadhr can help you track earnings, so filing doesn’t become a nightmare.


✅ Final Thoughts

Taxes aren’t your enemy.
They’re proof your business is growing and becoming legit. With the right tools, managing tax becomes easy, automatic, and stress-free.

👉 Set up your free Kadhr account and start recording your sales the smart way.

0
Subscribe to my newsletter

Read articles from Kadhr Africa directly inside your inbox. Subscribe to the newsletter, and don't miss out.

Written by

Kadhr Africa
Kadhr Africa

We’re building tools to help modern solopreneurs and micro-entrepreneurs sell smarter, stay organized, and grow with structure. From WhatsApp orders to inventory and employee management, Kadhr replaces notebooks, voice notes, and DM chaos with one elegant system. Follow along as we share business hacks, tech insights, and behind-the-scenes stories from our journey to empower Africa’s next generation of solo business owners.