Kenya license plate (KEN) in 2026 ✅
Current Kenya license plates are made up of three letters, followed by three numbers and one letter. The first letter is K, which identifies Kenya. The design and configuration of Kazakhstan license plates is black on a yellow background behind or white background in front. The Kenyan flag is displayed at the top left of Kenyan license plates.
Language: English
International code: KEN
In Kenya they drive on the left
First plate was registered on: ?.
There are 2 4 cars per 1000 inhabitants.
Continent: Africa
Table of contents of Kenya license plates
Current license plates of Kenya
Kenya license plates for cars since 1989 use the standard European size, starting with the letter K. The configuration consists of three letters, three numbers, and one final letter. The format is very similar to the old British design. Rear Kenya registration plates display black characters on a yellow background, while front plates use black characters on a white background. In addition, rear plates on ordinary vehicles are square-shaped, whereas the front plates are long and rectangular. Since late 2022, the typeface used is German-style, and the national flag appears in the upper left corner of the plates. The new Kenya license plate design introduced from 2022 includes a microchip that facilitates vehicle tracking. These new car registration plates are commonly known as "digital plates".
Current special license plates of Kenya
Special Kenya license plates for cars are characterized by the use of different colored backgrounds. Until August 2022, several types of special registration plates existed, which you can find below. It is still not fully confirmed whether the special plates from the system used until summer 2022 continue under the current system, although it is very likely. Therefore, we also recommend consulting the Kenya special license plates from the previous system for complete information about vehicle registration in Kenya.
| Type of special license plate | Example image | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Government vehicle license plate |  | Letters CG |
| Diplomatic corps license plate |  | Letters CD See all codes |
Electric vehicle license plate
Since February 2026, Kenya electric vehicle license plates feature green characters on a white background. Kenya has been one of the first countries in Africa to introduce a specific registration plate system reserved for electric vehicles. The plate configuration is identical to that of ordinary vehicles, but with green characters instead of black.
President's vehicle license plate
This special registration plate may only be used by the Kenyan president. It stands out for its black background with yellow borders and the Kenyan coat of arms slightly protruding from the top.
Kenya license plates under the previous system until 2022
Under the system used between 1989 and late 2023, Kenya car license plates had a square format at the rear and a long rectangular format at the front. The configuration consisted of three letters, three numbers, and one final letter. The typeface used on Kenya registration plates was British, or similar to the British style. The first letter was always K. The first registration plate issued under this system was KAA 001A; once KAA 999A was reached, the series continued with KAA 001B. KBA 001A was issued in 2017, KCA 001A in 2014, and KDA 001A began in 2020.
Special Kenya license plates until 2022
Until summer 2022, Kenya special license plates had a design similar to that used by the ordinary system. Below you can consult the list of Kenya special registration plates.
| Type of special license plate | Example image | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Trailer license plate |  | Yellow background starting with K |
| Government license plate |  | Begins with the letters GK |
| Public body vehicle (¿?) |  | |
| Special license plate (¿?) |  | |
| Diplomatic corps license plate |  | 39 = Spain See all codes |
History of Kenya license plates
It is not known exactly when the first Kenya license plates appeared. However, it is estimated that the history of Kenya vehicle registration began in the first decade of the 1900s, during the period of British East Africa. These early registration plates used a letter identifying the region followed by a sequence of four serial numbers.
Kenya license plates from 1950 to 1989
From 1950 onwards, Kenya license plates maintained the previous design in white or grey characters on a black background. With this change, a new configuration was introduced, consisting of three letters followed by three numbers. Kenya car plates began with the letter K identifying "Kenya", followed by two letters indicating the region.
Diplomatic Corps license plates
Kenya diplomatic corps license plates use a red background with white characters. The first group of 1, 2 or 3 numbers identifies the territory, country or organization.
| First group of numbers identifies the country, territory or organization | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1 - Germany | 2 - Russia | 3 - Ethiopia |
| 4 - China | 5 - Norway | 6 - Hungary |
| 7 - Egypt | 8 - Serbia | 9 - Italy |
| 10 - France | 11 - Slovakia | 12 - Denmark |
| 13 - Japan | 14 - Sudan | 15 - Austria |
| 16 - India | 17 - Australia | 18 - Canada |
| 19 - Vatican | 20 - Finland | 21 - Switzerland |
| 22 - Great Britain | 23 - Liberia | 24 - Israel |
| 25 - Nigeria | 26 - Ghana | 27 - Netherlands |
| 28 - Malawi | 29 - United States | 30 - Belgium |
| 31 - Sweden | 32 - Pakistan | 33 - Poland |
| 34 - South Korea | 35 - Bulgaria | 36 - Greece |
| 37 - Cuba | 38 - Kuwait | 39 - Spain |
| 40 - UNDP | 41 - WHO | 42 - UNESCO |
| 43 - World Bank | 44 - FAO | 45 - World Food Programme |
| 46 - Romania | 47 - African Union | 48 - Colombia |
| 49 - India | 50 - Somalia | 51 - Brazil |
| 52 - Turkey | 53 - Lesotho | 54 - Zambia |
| 55 - Madagascar | 56 - Malaysia | 57 - Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| 58 - Eswatini | 59 - Sri Lanka | 60 - Iraq |
| 61 - Rwanda | 62 - UNHCR | 63 - UNICEF |
| 64 - Iran | 65 - Cyprus | 66 - Argentina |
| 67 - UNIC | 68 - Philippines | 69 - Burundi |
| 70 - Chile | 71 - Oman | 72 - Arab League |
| 73 - European Union | 74 - Yemen | 75 - Not in use |
| 76 - Ivory Coast | 77 - Bangladesh | 78 - Saudi Arabia |
| 79 - UNOPS | 80 - Libya | 81 - Ireland |
| 82 - United Nations Human Settlements Programme | 83 - Algeria | 84 - Palestine |
| 85 - Uganda | 86 - Mexico | 87 - Morocco |
| 88 - Costa Rica | 89 - Gabon | 90 - Not in use |
| 91 - Indonesia | 92 - Portugal | 93 - Venezuela |
| 94 - Zimbabwe | 95 - ICAO | 96 - Asian Development Bank |
| 97 - Tanzania | 98 - Djibouti | 99 - Peru |
| 100 - IFC | 101 - Norwegian Mission | 102 - Mozambique |
| 103 - South Africa | 104 - Eritrea | 105 - UNON |
| 106 - Czech Republic | 107 - Aga Khan | 108 - UNFPA |
| 109 - ¿? | 110 - UNIDO | 111 - ¿? |
| 112 - IFAD | 113 - UNOPS | 115 - Ukraine |
| 116 - Sahrawi | 118 - Sierra Leone | 121 - South Sudan |
| 123 - United Arab Emirates | ||
☛ Which code identifies cars from Kenya?
The code KEN identifies Kenya. The license plates of Kenya may be used with the international registration code KEN next to it on the back part of the car.
Example of a car with the international recognition code of Kenya
Below you can find a car with the oval code and international recognition of Kenya which is KEN.
Questions and answers about car license plates in Kenya 🥇
Where is the code KEN in a license plate from?
The international code KEN identifies Kenya, in Africa.
Which country uses the code KEN on its license plate?
The country that uses the code KEN on its car license plate system is Kenya.. The letter or letters KEN always identify Kenya. The international code KEN must always be displayed on the rear of the vehicle inKenyaSpain in an oval in black characters on a white background when travelling abroad, except in very rare cases.
When did Kenya have its first ordinary car license plate?
The date of the first car license plate registration officially issued in Kenya was in ?.
Which side of the road do people drive on in Kenya?
In Kenya, you drive on the left side of the road.
On which continent is Kenya located?
Kenya is located in the continent . You can check how are the license plates of Africa following the link to the general section within matriculasdelmundo. Car license plates in Africa
What are license plates from Kenya called in other English-speaking couuntries?
In English, license plate of Kenya is commonly called a license plate of Kenya in the United States and Canada. In the UK and Australia, it’s often known as a number plate of Kenya. Another term, registration plate of Kenya, is understood globally and is slightly more formal. All these terms refer to the same vehicle identification plate of Kenya, with usage varying by country. Car plate of Kenya can be used in more technical situations.
Is it the same a license plate of Kenya and a registration plate of Kenya?
Yes, both license plate of Kenya and registration plate of Kenya can be used to refer the same vehicle registration unique number of Kenya.
Cite this section about the license plates of Kenya
Matriculasdelmundo. License plates of Kenya. Reviewed and updated information. Matriculasdelmundo.com. Retrieved on 13/03/2026 from https://
License plates from other states and territories that you may be interested in:
Map of the Kenya license plates
Copyright 2026 www.matriculasdelmundo.com
Official Sources on License Plates of Kenya
All the information about the license plates of cars and motorcycles in Kenya and vehicle plates shown here has been extracted from official state archives (such as the BOE and the DGT in Spain), from personal sightings, by contacting automobile clubs from other countries, or through media or files referenced in the text. This information on car and motorcycle plates in Kenya has been collected since 2009, so we hope you find the information you're looking for about Kenya license plates.
😊 You can send us your comments and photos via the form or email us at matriculasdelmundo@gmail.com, and we will be happy to respond.
Copying, either in whole or in part of the information displayed on each section of matriculasdelmundo is prohibited, except in specific cases and with the site's administration's permission.
