Nairobi, Kenya – The government has announced changes to the Registration of Persons Act, requiring payment of fees for the replacement of the National Identification.
Interior Cabinet Secretary (CS) Kipchumba Murkomen issued a special gazette notice dubbed Registration of Persons (Amendment) Rules 2025, scrapping the KSh 1,000 fee requirement for the replacement of IDs.
How long will Kenyans replace IDs for free?
The gazette notice dated October 30, 2025, sought to waive the fees for a period of six months, allowing Kenyans who have lost their IDs to replace them for free.
CS Murkomen said the move follows President William Ruto’s directive to ensure every Kenyan acquires the document.
“This is in line with H.E. President William Samoei Ruto’s directive aimed at ensuring that every Kenyan acquires the document, which is a crucial access point to government services and other opportunities.
“This waiver follows our other reforms, which include free issuance to first-time ID applicants, abolition of the extra-vetting requirement for border counties, and the scrapping of authentication fees for birth certificates when applying for IDs and passports,” said Muroken.
The CS urged the public to take advantage of the waiver period and apply for National IDs.
How much did Kenyans pay to get a new ID?
Kenyans have been paying KSh 300 to apply for a new National Identification.
In October, President Ruto ordered a suspension of all fees related to the Registration of Persons Act, to ensure every Kenyan can access identification services freely and affordably.
The head of state made the declaration ahead of the upcoming general elections in 2027.
Ruto called on all Kenyans with national IDs to register as voters with the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), adding that a national ID should not be a hindrance for the exercise.
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