Kenya construction compliance

Getting Your Building Permit in Kenya

A step-by-step guide to the NCA approval and county permit process

Overview

In Kenya, all buildings above a certain threshold require approval from:

National Construction Authority (NCA) - mandatory NCA project registration for contracts above KES 5M or >50m².
County government - building plan approval from the relevant county, such as City of Nairobi or Kiambu County.
NEMA - Environmental Impact Assessment for larger or environmentally sensitive projects.

This guide covers the typical process for a 3-5 bedroom residential house.

1
Engage a registered architect
Use a BOR-registered architect to prepare the drawing set. ArchTx connects you with verified architects.
2-4 weeks for drawing set.
2
Submit architectural drawings to the county planning office
Typical documents include 4 copies of approved drawings, site plan, title deed or allotment letter, and owner ID.
4-12 weeks depending on county.
3
Register the project with NCA
Register online at nca.go.ke if contract value is above KES 5M. Upload the contract, architect certificate, and drawings.
Fee is a sliding scale based on project value.
4
Use an NCA-registered contractor
NCA-registered contractors are required. ArchTx's contractor network is verified for NCA registration.
Confirm before signing the construction contract.
5
Check whether NEMA EIA applies
A standard residential house typically does not require EIA; larger sites, sensitive sites, and wetland-adjacent projects may.
Confirm early if the site is above 0.5 ha or environmentally sensitive.
6
File commencement notice
Notify the county and NCA before breaking ground.
Before site mobilisation.
7
Complete stage inspections
Plan for inspections at foundation, slab, wall plate, roof, and occupation-certificate stages.
Throughout construction.
8
Obtain occupation certificate
Get the county occupation certificate on completion before occupying the building.
After final inspection.

Verify contact details directly with the county - offices change frequently.

County	Planning Office	Phone	Online portal
Nairobi	City Hall Annex, Urban Planning	+254 20 222 4281	Nairobi e-Development / County portal
Kiambu	Kiambu County Headquarters, Physical Planning	+254 66 202 0150	Kiambu County e-services
Mombasa	Mombasa County Physical Planning	+254 41 222 2121	Mombasa County portal
Nakuru	Nakuru County Physical Planning	+254 51 221 4142	Nakuru County portal
Kisumu	Kisumu County Physical Planning	+254 57 202 3810	Kisumu County portal
Uasin Gishu	Eldoret Physical Planning Office	+254 53 201 6000	Uasin Gishu County portal
Machakos	Machakos County Physical Planning	+254 44 202 0116	Machakos County portal
Kajiado	Kajiado County Physical Planning	+254 45 212 3080	Kajiado County portal

Using an unregistered architect

ArchTx only lists BOR-verified architects.

Unlicensed contractor

ArchTx verifies NCA registration.

Skipping NCA registration

ArchTx reminds you at project creation.

No stage inspections

ArchTx's supervisor feature logs inspections with photo evidence.

Plan off-grid utilities while the architectural and roof layouts are still easy to adjust.

Solar System Sizing Calculator

Estimate panels, battery bank, system cost, and KPLC payback before construction starts.

Rainwater Harvesting Planner

Match roof catchment, tank capacity, and household demand using county rainfall.

This guide is for informational purposes. Consult a registered architect and the relevant authorities for your specific project.

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