Documents You Need to Rent a Car in Kenya
To rent a car in Kenya you need three things: (1) a valid driving licence — Kenyan licence for residents or an International Driving Permit (IDP) for visitors, (2) a national ID or passport, and (3) a verified ICABS customer account. Documents are uploaded once and re-used for every future booking. Corporate accounts add a KRA PIN certificate and a director's authorisation letter.
Kenyan residents
Kenyan residents need a Kenyan driving licence in BOTH original and digital form (the licence itself plus the eCitizen smart-licence app), a national ID, and proof of residence (utility bill less than 3 months old or NTSA TIMS profile). Drivers with a Kenyan licence held for less than 2 years are restricted to Economy and Standard categories on most listings.
Foreign visitors
Foreign visitors need an International Driving Permit (IDP) issued in their home country, the original driving licence the IDP was based on, and a passport. The IDP is mandatory — a foreign licence on its own is not legally sufficient to drive in Kenya. Most rental companies (including ICABS owners) will refuse to release a vehicle without the IDP.
Corporate accounts
Companies booking on behalf of an employee add: a KRA PIN certificate, a Certificate of Incorporation, and a signed director's authorisation letter naming the driver. Set this up once on the corporate dashboard — subsequent bookings are one-click.
Document upload — what happens after you submit
Documents are uploaded to your ICABS account during sign-up and verified within 1–2 hours. Once verified you can book any vehicle without re-uploading. The owner receives only the verification status — they don't see your raw documents.
Frequently asked
Do I need a Kenyan driving licence to rent in Kenya?
No — an International Driving Permit (IDP) is accepted for foreign visitors. Kenyan residents need a Kenyan licence.
How long does document verification take?
Typically 1–2 hours during business hours, longer overnight or on weekends. Once verified you do not need to re-submit for future bookings.
Can I book before my documents are verified?
Yes — bookings are accepted but not confirmed until verification completes. The vehicle is held in a 'pending' state until then.
About James Mwangi
Head of Rentals, ICABS Solutions
James leads the ICABS rentals marketplace across Kenya. He previously ran a Nairobi-based fleet of 40+ self-drive vehicles for 7 years and writes about pricing, fleet management and operational realities of running a Kenyan rental business.