Frequency Spectrum Licence Fees / Charges

Anyone wishing to transmit using radio frequencies in Kenya — from broadcasters to mobile operators to individual radio enthusiasts — requires a Frequency Spectrum Licence from the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA), governed by the Frequency Spectrum Fee Schedule effective 1st July 2018.

General Application Fee

A flat application fee of KES 1,000 applies to each application for a frequency, regardless of service type.

Annual Frequency Fees by Service Type (Selected Examples)

Service	Annual Fee (MF/HF)	Annual Fee (VHF/UHF)
Aeronautical Station Licence	KES 4,800	KES 4,800
Aircraft Station Licence	KES 4,800	KES 4,800
Fixed Station (Mobile Service)	KES 18,700	KES 5,000
Mobile Station Licence	KES 5,610	KES 2,900
Portable Station Licence	KES 5,610	KES 2,900
Coast Station Licence	KES 18,700	KES 5,000
Ship Station Licence	KES 5,610	KES 2,900
Radio Amateur Licence	KES 2,000	KES 2,000
Citizen Band Radio Licence	One-time KES 1,000	N/A

More complex services — FM/TV broadcasting, terrestrial fixed links, mobile wireless access, and satellite earth stations — use formula-based calculations factoring in bandwidth, geographical congestion zone, and number of frequencies, rather than flat fees.

Geographical Zone Factor

CA splits Kenya into two frequency-charging zones: Zone A (high-congestion, generally southern/urban areas) and Zone B (low-congestion, generally northern areas), with Zone A typically attracting a higher zone multiplier in formula-based fees.

Requirements

Technical equipment specifications and intended frequency band
Coordination to avoid interference with existing licensees
Compliance with international frequency allocation tables (ITU)

Frequency fees in Kenya range from simple flat annual charges for personal radio services to complex formula-driven fees for broadcasters and mobile operators — always confirm the specific formula or rate applicable to your exact equipment and service type directly with CA.

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