How to Register with NCA

The National Construction Authority (NCA), constituted under Act No. 41 of 2011, is mandated to register contractors and to keep a register of builders cleared to work in Kenya.

This is aimed at weeding out rogue contractors and reducing the number of malpractices that have seen buildings collapsing in Kenya and many key state projects being delayed.

National Construction Authority Registration Guidelines

Here are the NCA registration requirements for builders operating in Kenya, including requisite fees, charges, categories, and classes of contractors.

1.) Qualification

To register, a firm must hold a certificate of incorporation from the Registrar of Companies either as a limited liability company, partnership, or sole proprietorship.

At least one of the technical directors must have the minimum technical qualification, skills, and experience in a construction-related field and the directors must submit their curriculum vitae to NCA Kenya.

The applicant must show tax compliance by providing the Authority with valid PIN, VAT, and Income Tax compliance certificates. They must also produce evidence of an existing bank account bearing the name of the construction firm.

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Foreigners are issued with a clearance certificate that remains valid for a specific period. The contractors should satisfy the NCA that they are in Kenya for only a project.

They should lodge an affidavit with NCA that they shall not carry out any other construction project in Kenya once they complete the one for which they have been cleared.

Foreign firms should also submit a commitment to transfer technical skills unavailable locally to locals as the NCA may determine from time to time.

Upon successful application, the contractor is issued with a ‘Certificate of Registration’ or simply what many people call NCA Certificate.

2.) NCA Classes of Contractors

According to the NCA rules and regulations, a contractor may be registered for several categories of construction works but may hold only one category concerning a particular class of construction works.

NCA categories in Kenya

NCA 1 – unlimited contract value [Contractors – Building], unlimited contract value [Specialist Contractors], unlimited contract value [Roads and other Civil Works].

NCA 2 – Up to Sh500,000,000 [Contractors – Building], Up to Sh250,000,000 [Specialist Contractors], Up to Sh750,000,000 [Roads and other Civil Works].

NCA 3 – Up to Sh300,000,000 [Contractors – Building], Up to Sh150,000,000 [Specialist Contractors], Up to Sh500,000,000 [Roads and other Civil Works].

NCA 4 – Up to Sh200,000,000 [Contractors – Building], Up to Sh100,000,000 [Specialist Contractors], Up to Sh300,000,000 [Roads and other Civil Works].

NCA 5 – Up to Sh100,000,000 [Contractors – Building], Up to Sh50,000,000 [Specialist Contractors], Up to Sh200,000,000 [Roads and other Civil Works].

NCA 7– Up to Sh20,000,000 [Contractors – Building], Up to Sh10,000,000 [Specialist Contractors], Up to Sh50,000,000 [Roads and other Civil Works].

NCA 6 – Up to Sh50,000,000 [Contractors – Building], Up to Sh20,000,000 [Specialist Contractors], Up to Sh100,000,000 [Roads and other Civil Works].

NCA 8– Up to Sh10,000,000 [Contractors – Building], Up to Sh5,000,000 [Specialist Contractors], Up to Sh20,000,000 [Roads and other Civil Works].

Local contractors pay registration fees between Sh5,000 and Sh100,000 based on their categories, while annual practice licence renewal costs between Sh2,500 and Sh30,000.

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On the other hand, foreign contractors pay a registration fee of Sh250,000 and are restricted to the categories of tenders they win.

Foreign contractors applying for temporary registration should commit to sub-contract “not less than 30 per cent of the value” to local contractors.

Foreign contractors are not cleared to do work below the NCA 1 category.

A list of NCA-registered contractors can be obtained from the agency.

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