The Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) has announced new regulatory requirements governing the importation and wholesale distribution of communications equipment in the country.
In a notice on Tuesday, July 21, the authority said the new requirements affect current and prospective licensees, industry stakeholders and members of the public involved in the importation and distribution of communications equipment.
CA said entities seeking to import and distribute communications equipment on a wholesale basis must obtain the newly introduced Communications Equipment Distributor (CED) licence.
"Following the Revised Telecommunications Market Structure that was gazzetted through Gazette Notice Number 3335 on March 6th, 2026, pursuant to the Kenya Information and Communications Act, Cap. 411A, any entity that is interested in importing and wholesale distribution of any communication equipment is required to apply for a Communications Equipment Distributor (CED) licence in order to be able to import and have their equipment type approved by the Authority and cleared in the TradeNet system," the notice read.
CA directed existing licensees operating under Telecommunications Equipment Contractor (TEC) or Vendor Licences to obtain the new CED licence if they intend to continue importing or distributing communications equipment.
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"Existing licensees with Telecommunications Equipment Contractor (TEC) or Vendor Licences who want to continue importing or distributing communications equipment are also required to apply, with immediate effect, for a Communications Equipment Distributor (CED) Licence," the notice added.
CA said detailed information on the various licence categories, including their scope, terms, fees and eligibility requirements, is available on its official website.
It added that application forms, guidelines and fee schedules have also been provided to guide applicants through the licensing process.
According to CA, applicants can access the CA market structure details at https://www.ca.go.ke/market-structure and licence application forms, guidelines and fee schedules at https://www.ca.go.ke/license-application-forms-fees.
This comes months after CA announced a new aircraft radio licensing system that will align license validity periods with airworthiness certificates issued by the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA).
In a statement on Tuesday, April 28, the authority said the reforms were being implemented jointly with KCAA and would affect all aircraft operators in the country.
"In our continued effort to enhance safety compliance in the aviation sector, the Authority, in collaboration with the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA), wishes to notify all aircraft operators of a change in the licensing cycle," the statement read.
CA announced that the current system, where all Aircraft Radio Licenses expire annually on June 30, will end from July 1, 2026.
"Effective July 1, 2026, the Communications Authority of Kenya will be transitioning from the fixed June 30th annual expiry of the Aircraft Radio Licenses to a system where the Aircraft Radio License duration will be synchronized with the validity period of the Certificate of Airworthiness (COA) issued by the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority," the statement added.
CA explained that after current licenses expire on June 30, 2026, operators who pay the required annual fees will receive an initial transitional license.
"This license will be valid until 30 days after the expiry date of the current COA. This one-time 30-day grace period is intended to allow operators sufficient time to renew their COA with KCAA before applying for the aligned aircraft radio license," the statement continued.
According to CA, once operators submit a renewed Certificate of Airworthiness, it will issue a new 12-month Aircraft Radio License matching the COA validity period.
"As this alignment occurs within the same financial year, no additional frequency fees will be levied for this second issuance," the statement noted.
CA added that after the one-time transition, all future licenses will run on a standard 12-month cycle tied to the validity of each aircraft’s COA, with an added grace period.
"This additional month will provide sufficient time for the aircraft operators to renew their COA without creating compliance gaps," the statement further read.
