All factories in Kenya — premises in which manufacturing, processing, repairing, ornamenting, finishing, cleaning, washing, or breaking up of articles takes place for commercial purposes by workers — must be registered as workplaces under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, 2007, and must additionally comply with any sector-specific regulations that apply to their manufacturing process. Factory registration follows the same DOSHS Form 21A pathway as general workplace registration, with the added requirement of declaring all plant and equipment on site.
Factories with boilers, pressure vessels, lifting equipment, or other prescribed plant must register each item separately using DOSHS Form 20 and maintain current examination certificates for each piece of equipment.
Factory Registration and Compliance Fee Summary Table
| Fee Type | Amount (KES) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Workplace (factory) registration fee | 2,000 | Annual |
| OSH Levy | 3,000 | Annual |
| Plant registration (per item) | Confirm with DOSHS | Payable per boiler, lift, pressure vessel, etc. |
| Steam boiler examination fee | Varies (KES 3,000–20,000+) | Tiered by capacity under 2022 Regulations |
| Lift / hoist examination fee | Tiered by type | Per OSH (Fees) Regulations 2022, Part F |
| Crane examination fee | KES 20,000+ | Large cranes |
| Small steam receiver examination fee | From KES 3,000 | Per 2022 fee schedule |
| Annual manufacturing compliance budget | KES 500,000–1,500,000 | Estimated range for complex facilities |
Fees are set under the Occupational Safety and Health (Fees Charged for Occupational Safety and Health Services) Regulations, 2022.
Key Notes
Factory occupiers must ensure all prescribed plant is registered, periodically examined by a DOSHS-approved examiner, and covered by current examination certificates. Plan approval fees for new factory buildings are charged based on the total covered area, treated floor by floor for multi-storey structures. All DOSHS applications are processed through county DOSHS offices with headquarters at the Ministry of Labour, Nairobi.
Note: All fees cited in this guide are sourced from publicly available regulatory instruments and official government sources current at the time of writing. Fees are subject to revision by gazette notice. Always confirm the latest applicable amounts directly with the relevant regulatory authority before making payment.
