Before ground is broken on a petroleum refinery in Kenya, the project proponent must secure a construction permit from EPRA. This permit confirms that the proposed refinery’s design, siting, and safety provisions meet the standards required under the Energy Act, 2019, and related downstream petroleum regulations, and it is a precondition for any subsequent refinery operating licence.
Fee Summary Table
| Item | Fee / Charge |
|---|---|
| Refinery 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 published petroleum licences and permits application guides.
What You Need
- Detailed refinery process design and layout drawings
- Site ownership or lease documentation
- A NEMA EIA licence, given the scale of environmental impact a refinery presents
- Fire safety and KEBS-compliant equipment specifications
- Company registration documents and tax compliance certificate
Practical Notes
Refinery projects are capital-intensive and technically complex, so while the EPRA permit fee is zero, expect significant spend on the supporting environmental, engineering, and county-level approvals that run in parallel. EPRA evaluates the permit on technical merit and documentation completeness rather than on payment, so a well-prepared application moves faster than an incomplete one regardless of the fee-free status.
A refinery construction permit costs nothing to apply for, but it sits at the end of a long documentation trail. Treat the 45-day EPRA review window as your fastest milestone and plan your environmental and engineering approvals as the real critical path for project cost and timing.
