Taxpayers who are applying for Tax Compliance Certificates (TCCs) on the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) iTax portal don’t need to wait longer than expected. According to KRA, all eligible tax payers will now get their certificates on the spot.
“The new process significantly reduces the issuance timelines from a few days to minutes,” Commissioner, Domestic Taxes Department Elizabeth Meyo said in a statement.
Here Is All You Need To Know
- According to Kenya Revenue Authority, the automatic issuance of TCCs will however be subject to a clean tax record.
- This follows KRA’s recent rollout of a simplified self-service application process for TCCs, which aims at enhancing transparency and efficiency in the issuance of the crucial documents.
Read also : Kenyan Government To Set Up A New Fund For Startups
A TCC is a certificate issued by KRA to ascertain the tax compliance status of a taxpayer. The certificate is valid for 12 months after which one is required to apply for a renewal.
Read also: Lateral Capital Raises A New $50 mn Fund To Invest In African Startups
- With the simplified application process in place, there will no longer be intervention by KRA staff in the application and issuance of the document.
- So far, since the rollout of the automated function on 12th January 2020, KRA has issued more than 15,000 TCCs, an indication of the new function’s high success rate. KRA is also working to clear the pending TCC applications, which had been submitted prior to the rollout of the self-service application process.
- Taxpayers who have outstanding tax liabilities will be required to clear their liabilities first or apply for a payment plan on iTax to clear their liabilities.
- Once the first instalment on the payment plan has been received, the applicants will be required to reapply for a TCC for an approval.
- Apart from payment of taxes, another key tenet of tax compliance is filing of tax returns within the required timelines as outlined in the respective tax acts.
“KRA therefore wishes to advise taxpayers to ensure that they file their respective tax returns accordingly as failure to do so amounts to noncompliance,” Meyo said.
Charles Rapulu Udoh
Charles Rapulu Udoh is a Lagos-based lawyer who has advised startups across Africa on issues such as startup funding (Venture Capital, Debt financing, private equity, angel investing etc), taxation, strategies, etc. He also has special focus on the protection of business or brands’ intellectual property rights ( such as trademark, patent or design) across Africa and other foreign jurisdictions.
He is well versed on issues of ESG (sustainability), media and entertainment law, corporate finance and governance.
He is also an award-winning writer.
He could be contacted at udohrapulu@gmail.com