KRA customs bond support in Kenya for project goods, perishables and temporary importation.

Which Kenya customs bond do you need?

• CB1 security bond: Best fit: perishable items or provisional release where perfection must be completed urgently, commonly within 48 hours depending on the approval conditions.
• Copy of commercial invoice.
• Authority letter from the principal or importer.
• Specimen signature form for the principal and guarantor or surety.
• Urgent follow-up so the file is perfected before the short bond window lapses.
• CB1A project goods bond: Best fit: provisional release of project goods where perfection is expected within the permitted project window, commonly 90 days.
• Copy of project award, approval or exemption-support letter where available.
• Copy of commercial invoice and cargo details.
• Exemption letters or approvals pursued within the bond period.
• CB16 project goods performance bond planning where required to perfect the CB1A position.
• Master list and specimen signature form for the principal and guarantor where applicable.
• CB10 temporary importation bond: Best fit: temporary importation where cargo enters Kenya for an approved temporary purpose and must later be re-exported, regularised or accounted for.
• Authority letter and temporary importation basis.
• Copy of invoice and cargo identification details.
• Area and period of use for project-related temporary importation.
• Bond validity planning, commonly up to one year and extendable where approved.
• Re-export, extension or final accounting follow-up before expiry.

Why customs bond files need active management

KRA describes customs security bonds as legal undertakings that protect customs revenue where a principal must fulfil specific conditions. In practical import work, that means the importer, guarantor, clearing agent and consignee must all understand the bond condition, validity period and proof needed to close, cancel, retire or perfect the file.

The risk is not only release delay. Poor follow-up can expose the bond to suspension, enforcement, extra storage cost, project disruption or future clearance difficulty. Kenya Tradex manages the file around the deadline, not only the release date.

Our KRA customs bond workflow

• Classify the bond need: We identify whether the cargo is a CB1 urgent provisional-release file, a CB1A project-goods file, or a CB10 temporary-importation file.
• Build the document pack: We review the invoice, authority letter, cargo description, project award or master list where applicable, exemption trail, guarantor or surety details and import entry position.
• Coordinate execution: We align the principal, guarantor and customs filing requirements so the bond is executed, confirmed and lodged correctly for release consideration.
• Track perfection or discharge: We monitor 48-hour, 90-day or one-year timelines and follow up on exemption letters, missing proof, re-export, final accounting, cancellation or discharge before the bond becomes exposed.
• Project cargo is arriving before exemption approval is complete.
• Perishable goods need urgent release consideration.
• Temporary equipment is entering Kenya for a project, event, repair or demonstration.
• The guarantor needs clear bond wording, specimen signature or execution guidance.
• The importer is unsure whether to use CB1, CB1A, CB10 or another customs route.

CB1, CB1A and CB10 at a glance

• CB1: Perishable cargo or provisional release requiring urgent perfection. Commonly 48 hours, subject to approval conditions. Invoice, authority letter, guarantor or surety execution details and specimen signature form.
• CB1A: Project goods where provisional release is required while perfection or exemption documentation is completed. Commonly 90 days, subject to the bond approval terms. Project award or approval letter, invoice, master list where applicable, exemption application trail, guarantor details and relevant authority letters.
• CB10: Temporary importation for equipment, project tools, exhibition goods, repairs or cargo intended for later re-export or accounting. Commonly planned up to one year and may be extended where approved. Authority letter, invoice, cargo identification details, temporary importation basis, area and period of use, and re-export or closure plan.

KRA exemption processing and project-goods release

For project cargo, donor-funded goods, government-linked imports or qualifying exempt supplies, the bond is often only one part of the file. The importer must also manage the exemption basis, approvals, supporting documents and customs entry treatment.

Kenya Tradex helps clients structure the exemption-processing trail so the CB1A or other security position does not sit open without a realistic path to perfection, cancellation or discharge.

Important: exemption approval remains with the relevant government authorities. Kenya Tradex supports document review, customs coordination and follow-up, but we do not promise approval where the legal basis, project route or supporting documents are incomplete.

• Reviewing the exemption basis against the cargo and consignee profile.
• Checking invoice, packing, transport and project documents for consistency.
• Tracking approval, Treasury exemption letter, Pro 1B or other exempting-document requirements where applicable.
• Separating master-list approval work from shipment-specific exemption applications.
• Aligning exemption status with customs entry, release and bond perfection.
• Preparing for CB16 project goods performance bond perfection where approval requires it.
• Escalating missing documents before the bond deadline becomes urgent.

What strengthens an exemption file

• Project and authority trail: The exemption file should connect the cargo to the approved project, responsible ministry or agency, project objectives, start and end dates, funding agreement, contract and recommendation route where applicable.
• Master-list discipline: For project goods, the master list should identify quantities, estimated costs and how items will be treated: consumed during the project, transferred to Government on completion, or re-exported by the contractor.
• Shipment-specific proof: After master-list approval, specific exemption applications should be matched to the approved items and supported by import documents such as invoices, packing lists, bills of lading, airway bills or road consignment notes.
• Master-list approval is not the same as automatic shipment clearance. Each shipment still needs proper customs treatment, document matching, bond control and proof that the goods are used, transferred, re-exported or otherwise accounted for as required.

After release: cancellation, retirement and discharge

Release under bond is not the end of the customs file. KRA bond procedures also require the importer or clearing agent to account for the transaction and close the exposure through the correct perfection, replenishment, cancellation, retirement or discharge process.

• CB1 and CB1A perfection: For provisional release files, we track the perfecting entry, exemption document where applicable, package accounting and the deadline attached to the release condition.
• CB10 temporary import closure: For temporary importation, we monitor re-export, extension, regularisation or duty payment for goods not re-exported, with all packages accounted for before expiry.
• C26 and discharge trail: Where required, we help prepare the cancellation or retirement pack, including the C26 cancellation voucher and supporting documents needed for the discharge letter process.

Why Kenya Tradex is strong for customs bond work

• Founder-led customs expertise: Kenya Tradex is guided by 23+ years of customs and logistics experience, including former KRA Customs Manager experience and senior clearing and forwarding operations leadership.
• Document-first file control: We focus on the bond condition, deadline, invoice, authority letters, approvals, guarantor execution and customs entry position before release pressure escalates.
• Project and temporary cargo focus: CB1A and CB10 files often involve high-value equipment, project deadlines and regional movement. We plan around release, compliance and closure, not only arrival.

Common mistakes we help importers avoid

• Starting exemption processing too late: For CB1A project goods, the release may happen before the exemption file is perfected. A late exemption trail can expose the bond as the deadline approaches.
• Confusing master-list approval with clearance: An approved master list supports the exemption route, but shipment-level applications, import documents, entry treatment and bond follow-up still need to be controlled.
• Applying for CB10 after arrival: Temporary importation approval should be secured before the goods are shipped or before they arrive. Applying after arrival may breach KRA conditions and make it difficult or impossible to secure the CB10 bond.
• Shipping outside the project approval: Only goods covered by the approved master list normally qualify for exemption. Additional items or late shipments should be approved through the parent ministry and National Treasury, or supported by a time extension before clearance pressure begins.
• Missing perfection or temporary-import deadlines: Failure to perfect the entry, re-export temporary imports within the granted period, or seek timely extension of the perfection or temporary-importation period can expose the importer to significant fines, penalties and bond enforcement risk under the EACCMA, 2004.
• Mismatched or incomplete records: Authority letters, invoices, entries, bills of lading, exemption certificates, extension approvals and correspondence should match the approved exemption file and be retained for audit, compliance review and bond discharge.

Related services for importers

Customs bonds are often connected to broader customs and cargo work. These pages may help depending on your cargo route.

• Customs clearance Kenya for import, export and transit clearance support.
• Customs consultancy for duty, classification, exemption and compliance advisory.
• Project logistics for heavy, oversized and project cargo planning.
• Customs bonded warehouse Kenya for bonded storage and release planning.
• Transit cargo for regional movement beyond Kenya.
• KRA's customs-bonds guidance explains bond terminology such as principal, surety or guarantor, custom security bond, bond suspension and reinstatement.
• Read KRA customs bond guidance

Need CB1, CB1A, CB10 or exemption-processing support for cargo arriving in Kenya?

Share the invoice, authority letter, cargo description, project document or temporary importation basis. Kenya Tradex will review the likely bond route and the practical next step.