Government Plans to Major changes Fees for Birth and Death Certificates.
In a significant step toward improving access to essential civil documents, the Kenyan government is actively considering eliminating application fees for birth certificates as part of broader efforts to increase nationwide civil registration rates.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen made the announcement, revealing that the proposal is under review following stakeholder consultations. He indicated that a final decision from President William Ruto is imminent, with an official announcement expected soon.
The move mirrors the earlier waiver of fees for national ID card registration and applications, which dramatically boosted uptake. Murkomen explained that high costs—currently KSh 200 for a standard birth certificate, KSh 500 for late registration (beyond six months), and up to KSh 1,000 for re-issuance or amendments—along with the inconvenience of traveling long distances to registration offices, have long deterred many Kenyans, particularly in rural areas, from obtaining these vital records.
These documents are crucial for everyday needs, including school enrollment, accessing healthcare services, employment opportunities, and other government processes.
To complement the potential fee waiver, the government has already approved the decentralization of civil registration services. Under the new framework, civil registration offices will be integrated into Constituency-level ID registration centres across all 290 constituencies. This shift aims to make applications for both birth and death certificates more convenient and accessible, eliminating the need for citizens to journey to distant district or sub-county offices.
Murkomen emphasized the dual approach: “We have also agreed to decentralise civil registration offices across all constituencies to ensure more people register and access these crucial documents.”
While registration of births and deaths within the first six months has historically been free in principle, fees have applied to certificate issuance. The proposed changes would extend full fee exemptions to the issuance process itself, aligning with the government's manifesto commitment to universal documentation and reducing barriers for vulnerable populations.
The announcement comes amid ongoing reforms in the civil registration sector, building on previous measures like waiving authentication fees for birth certificates when applying for IDs or passports. No exact implementation timeline has been confirmed, as consultations continue, but officials expect the changes to significantly enhance registration coverage once rolled out.
