Kenya Scraps Sh300 ID Application Fee

Kenyans will no longer have to pay Ksh.300 to apply for a national identity card after the government officially abolished the fee. This follows a directive from President William Ruto aimed at making the process of obtaining IDs more accessible to all citizens.

In a Gazette notice dated March 19, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen announced changes to the Registration of Persons Act, effectively removing the charge for first-time ID applicants. The notice states that the previous fee of Sh300 has been replaced with “Nil,” meaning national identity cards will now be issued at no cost. The changes are officially recognized as the Registration of Persons (Amendment) Rules, 2025.

Speaking in Kibra last week, President Ruto emphasized the importance of IDs in accessing government services and opportunities. He stated that all Kenyans aged 18 and above should receive their ID cards free of charge.

This decision reverses a previous policy introduced in 2024, which had increased the application fee from Sh100 to Sh300. The president explained that the goal is to ensure more Kenyans, especially the youth, can easily acquire identification documents without financial barriers.