Every container destined for a Kenyan port is about to need a 15-digit number it didn’t need before. From Monday, 3 August 2026, the Kenya Revenue Authority’s Advance Cargo Declaration (ACD) platform becomes the mandatory gatekeeper for containerised cargo entering the country — and it applies whether or not that cargo is dangerous goods.
What Is the Advance Cargo Declaration?
KRA describes the ACD as a digital pre-arrival cargo system: exporters, shippers, or their freight forwarders submit shipment data and supporting documents before the container is loaded at the port of origin, so Kenyan Customs can risk-assess the cargo before it ever reaches Mombasa or another Kenyan port of entry. The platform itself confirms this sits in the same regulatory family as the pre-arrival declaration schemes long familiar to anyone shipping into West and Central Africa — it is explicitly described as playing the same role as an ECTN(Electronic Cargo Tracking Note), CTN(Cargo Tracking Note), BSC(Bordereau de Suivi de Cargaison), or BESC(Bordereau Électronique de Suivi de Cargaison).
That family resemblance matters for practitioners. Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Chad, Congo, Senegal, Mali, DRC, Angola, and several other African states already run comparable schemes, most of them operated by a designated agency on the customs authority’s behalf rather than by customs staff directly. Kenya’s portal footer identifies itself the same way — as a platform run “on behalf of” KRA’s Customs and Border Control department. If you already handle ECTN/BESC paperwork for other African trade lanes, the ACD will feel procedurally familiar, though the code format and document list are Kenya-specific.
Key Dates
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 14 July 2026 | Public notice issued by KRA’s Commissioner for Customs and Border Control |
| 3 August 2026 | ACD platform becomes mandatory for all containerised cargo destined for Kenya |
Required Documents
An ACD reference code is generated only once the following are uploaded to the platform:
- Draft Bill of Lading
- Commercial Invoice
- Freight Invoice
- Export Declaration
The platform’s own guidance adds detail not in the public notice itself, and it’s worth being precise about the timeline since it involves two separate checkpoints, not one. First: the ACD reference code must be obtained and endorsed on the Bill of Lading before the container is loaded at origin — this is the binding deadline for almost every shipment. Second, and separately: Customs must validate the declaration at least five days before the vessel arrives in Kenya. For any voyage longer than a few days, the loading-stage deadline comes first and is the one to plan around; the five-day validation window matters mainly as a floor, not as extra runway. ACD drafts should also include container numbers and HS codes from the outset, to avoid a resubmission cycle eating into that window.
The ACD Number Format
The reference code is a 15-character alphanumeric string, confirmed by carrier advisories already circulating to customers. Example: ACDKE2026004324
- ACDKE — 5-letter prefix (system + country code)
- 2026 — 4-digit year
- 004324 — 6-digit sequential reference number
How the Process Works
- Register on the ACD portal at acd.kra.go.ke.
- Submit documents — Bill of Lading, Commercial Invoice, Freight Invoice, Export Declaration — to receive a draft ACD.
- Validate, paying the applicable fee, to receive the final certificate.
- Endorse the final Bill of Lading with the 15-digit ACD reference code before the shipment proceeds to Kenya.
- Clear cargo at destination — Customs matches the declaration against the arriving shipment.
Who This Affects
KRA’s notice names the full chain: importers, exporters, shipowners, carriers, shipping agents, and customs agents. The platform breaks this down further — shipping lines and their appointed agents are expected to inform shippers of the requirement, request the code before issuing the final Bill of Lading, and confirm it is correctly printed on that document before departure. For freight forwarders handling LCL or groupage cargo bound for Kenya, this means chasing the ACD code from each individual shipper before consolidation, not waiting until the container is stuffed.
A Note for DG Shippers
Nothing in the public notice, the ACD platform’s own guidance, or the carrier advisories reviewed carves out an exemption for dangerous goods. The ACD is a customs pre-arrival control, not a dangerous goods declaration — it runs alongside, not instead of, your IMDG Code Chapter 5.4 transport document, container packing certificate, and segregation obligations. Build the ACD reference code into your shipping instructions as an additional data point on the Bill of Lading, not a replacement for any DG paperwork already required.
Which Carriers Have Circulated Guidance
This is a KRA statutory requirement, not something any carrier can opt out of communicating around — it applies to every containerised shipment destined for Kenya regardless of which line carries it or whether that line has briefed its customers. With that said, carrier communication on it has been uneven so far. As of late July 2026, Maersk is the only mainline carrier to have issued a dedicated customer advisory on the ACD — published 24 July and republished 27 July with identical content. CMA CGM, MSC, Hapag-Lloyd, ONE, COSCO, Evergreen, ZIM, and PIL had no equivalent circular at the time of writing. DHL Global Forwarding and at least one freight forwarding network have issued their own advisories, but these summarise the KRA notice rather than adding carrier-specific detail. If your line hasn’t briefed you yet, treat that as a gap in their communication, not a signal the rule doesn’t apply to your shipment — go directly to the KRA notice or acd.kra.go.ke.
A Caution on Third-Party Agents
Kenya’s ACD joins a well-established market of commercial certification agents who already handle similar ECTN/BESC schemes across dozens of African countries, and some have begun offering document-preparation and submission assistance for Kenya ACD as well. That kind of paid facilitation service is legitimate in principle, but the free, official route is direct self-registration at acd.kra.go.ke. Treat any third party offering to “issue” your Kenya ACD as an optional paid facilitator, not a required gatekeeper, and verify who you’re dealing with before paying a fee.
Non-Compliance: What You Risk
- Fines. KRA and carrier advisories both state that shipments without a valid ACD may expose the importer to customs-imposed penalties.
- Delays or rejection. The platform itself warns that missing an ACD can mean delayed clearance or rejection of cargo at the port of entry.
- Seizure, in severe cases. KRA’s guidance flags confiscation as a possible outcome for persistent non-compliance — a harder line than a simple processing delay.
Compliance Checklist
For exporters & shippers:
- Register on the ACD portal now — don’t wait for the 3 August deadline to create an account.
- Gather the four required documents: Draft Bill of Lading, Commercial Invoice, Freight Invoice, Export Declaration.
- Include container numbers and HS codes on ACD drafts from the outset to avoid a resubmission cycle.
- Keep DG documentation separate and additional — the ACD does not replace IMDG Code transport documents or packing certificates.
For freight forwarders & LCL consolidators:
- Brief origin offices handling Kenya-bound bookings on the ACD requirement and the four documents.
- Collect each shipper’s ACD reference code before container consolidation, not after.
For carriers & shipping agents:
- Request the ACD reference code from shippers before issuing the final Bill of Lading.
- Confirm the 15-digit code is printed correctly on the final Bill of Lading before departure.
- Build in the five-day validation window ahead of vessel arrival, on top of the loading-stage deadline.
For everyone in the chain:
- Warn consignees that a missing or invalid ACD is a port-of-entry problem, not something fixable after arrival.
Sources
Kenya Revenue Authority, Public Notice: Advance Cargo Declaration (ACD) Platform for Containerized Cargo, 14 July 2026
KRA ACD Platform, Official portal and guidance
Maersk, Mandatory Advance Cargo Declaration (ACD) Reference Number for Imports Into Kenya, 27 July 2026
DHL, How to Stay Ahead of Kenya’s Advance Cargo Declaration Requirement
INTER-SPED, Freight & Logistics Advisory – Kenya – New Requirement for Sea Freight Exports to Kenyan Ports – Advance Cargo Declaration (ACD)
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