This is the permit every prospective fuel station owner in Kenya needs before constructing a petrol station — covering canopy, pumps, underground tanks, and forecourt. It is issued by EPRA and is one of the most commonly applied-for petroleum construction permits given the steady growth of retail fuel stations across the country.
Fee Summary Table
| Item | Fee / Charge |
|---|---|
| Fuel retail site construction permit application fee | None — EPRA charges no fee for petroleum construction permits |
| Application review timeline | Within 45 calendar days of a complete application |
| Permit validity to commence works | 24 months from date of issuance |
| Application channel | EPRA Online Services Portal |
Source: EPRA’s “Petroleum Retail Station” requirements documentation.
What You Need
- A minimum land size of roughly 500 square metres with at least 22 metres of road frontage (per Kenya Bureau of Standards petroleum facility specifications)
- Site and structural engineering drawings
- A NEMA EIA licence
- County government land-use approval
- Certificate of incorporation, CR12, KRA PIN, and national IDs or passports/work permits for directors
Site Selection Matters as Much as Paperwork
Because EPRA and NEMA both enforce minimum safety distances from schools, hospitals, churches, and residential buildings, site selection often determines whether an application succeeds at all — no fee waiver fixes a poorly chosen plot. Busy highways, intersections, and transport corridors near matatu stages tend to clear siting requirements more easily than locations close to sensitive land uses.
Building a fuel station in Kenya costs nothing in EPRA construction permit fees, but the real investment is in choosing a compliant site and assembling accurate engineering and environmental documentation — that’s what keeps your application inside the standard 45-day review window.
