Start with the identity of the actual vehicle

Record the VIN or chassis number, manufacturing date, first-registration date, engine or powertrain, steering and requested configuration. A catalogue year is a sourcing preference. It cannot establish the age or eligibility of a particular vehicle, and a photograph may show another trim or market.

Ask for legible document images and current photographs tied to the same identifier. If a date is missing, put it on the unresolved list. A seller’s description of a car as a newer model does not resolve a different date on its registration record. Check discrepancies before comparing two quotations.

How service records and mileage evidence fit together ↗

Have the destination checks completed before a shipment is agreed

KRA’s motor-vehicle procedure points buyers to age, steering, inspection and supporting-document requirements. Use that procedure and current KEBS notices with your appointed clearing agent to establish what applies to the actual vehicle and intended arrival. This guide does not set a rolling model-year cutoff or certify any catalogue option as eligible.

Ask who will arrange the required inspection, who issues the certificate and whether the relevant arrangement covers the country of export. Separate a seller’s mechanical condition report from a destination conformity document. They answer different questions. Keep both in the purchase file when they are required.

Dealer inspection checklist ↗

Write condition limits that can be checked

Replace broad requests such as good condition with a mileage ceiling, the records you require and the defects you will not accept. Ask about structural repairs, flood evidence, warning lights and the operating condition of equipment important to your business. State whether independent inspection is a condition of proceeding.

For a hybrid or electric option, request the exact powertrain and available battery evidence. A generic model specification does not describe the current battery, tyres or maintenance needs of the proposed car. Compare what was tested, when it was tested and which findings remain unresolved.

Dealer inspection checklist ↗

Keep the port and final delivery costs distinct

Name the port you are asking about and your final delivery location. Mombasa may be the port in a proposed quotation; the route and service must still be confirmed in writing. Ask which party handles each step, the quotation currency and validity, and whether freight, insurance, inspection and documentation are included.

Obtain destination-charge and tax advice for the specific vehicle from the relevant authority or your clearing agent. An exporter’s vehicle price is not a complete local cost estimate. If an item is unpriced, identify its owner and the information needed to obtain it before committing a purchasing budget.

How to compare a vehicle export quotation ↗

What to do when a point remains unverified

  1. The catalogue year and document date differ

    Evidence to request
    Readable manufacturing and first-registration records tied to the actual identifier.
    Next action
    Keep eligibility unresolved until the relevant dates and arrival requirements have been checked. Do not replace a document date with a marketing model year.

  2. The car is described as inspected

    Evidence to request
    The issuer, date, vehicle identifier, purpose and applicable inspection arrangement.
    Next action
    Identify what the document proves. Obtain any separately required conformity or mechanical evidence before approving the purchase.

  3. Two versions share a model name

    Evidence to request
    Actual engine, powertrain, steering, equipment and reference market for each vehicle.
    Next action
    Compare the exact variants and condition. Have suitability checked for each unit rather than carrying a conclusion across the model range.

  4. The quote ends at the port

    Evidence to request
    A written handover point and a list of destination and onward-delivery items.
    Next action
    Assign the unpriced stages to a named provider before comparing the proposal with a final-delivery quotation.

What to include in your sourcing brief

  • Requested models, years, variants and quantity
  • Manufacturing and first-registration evidence required before commitment
  • Steering, mileage ceiling and inspection conditions
  • Destination port, final delivery location and your clearing contact
  • Budget basis, purchase timeline and unresolved document questions

The catalogue contains model references and illustrations. Actual availability, condition, eligibility and commercial terms require individual confirmation.

Model references for your brief

Use these pages to describe your requested configuration; a model reference does not certify an individual vehicle’s eligibility.

Sources and scope of this guide

This guide helps you prepare purchasing questions. It does not replace current confirmation from the authorities or your customs representative and is not an import approval.