- Entry
- Sign-in required [2]
Search and document delivery at a glance
- Search online
- BRS Official Search uses an eCitizen account. The CMA reports view is accessible without an account. [14] [15] [2]
- Search language
- Not specified
- Digital documents
- The CMA portal provides public financial reports as PDFs for viewing and download. [14] [15] [18] [11]
- Document language
- Not specified
- Paper and collection
- Not specified
- International delivery
- Not specified
- Fees at a glance
- Company official search CR12: 650 Kenyan shillings (KES); CMA reports portal free
- Access
- eCitizen account for registry searches; BRS manual describes visitor registration with a passport
Choose the right register
The Business Registration Service (BRS) operates the Companies Registry. Its services cover companies and registered business names. An official search for a company is called “Official Search (CR12)”. BRS calls the corresponding business-name output “CR13”. Select the service for the registered entity type. [1] [3]
Invest Kenya describes CR12 as a publicly requestable report on a registered company. An eCitizen account and the search fee are nevertheless part of the process. [5] [2] [13]
Official entry point explaining registration categories and linking to services.
FAQ entry point for Official Search (CR12); sign-in required.
Current service portal for sign-in, payment and output documents. Select the service for the entity type.
Company and business-name search charges; note the conflicting repeated rows.
Public listed-company report folders organised by sector and company.
Verification form requiring service type and application number; not a company-name search.
Names and abbreviations explained
- BRSBusiness Registration Service
- Kenya’s authority for the Companies Registry. Its other registries include movable-property security rights and insolvency proceedings. [1] [12]
- eCitizenGovernment online service account
- The account used to access BRS services, submit an application and pay the applicable fee. [2] [12]
- CR12 / Official SearchOfficial company search report
- A computer-generated report on a company. CR12 is also the number of a different statutory form. For research, select the service expressly labelled Official Search. [2] [16]
- CR13 / Business NameOfficial search for a registered business name
- BRS uses CR13 for the output of its business-name search. This is a different registration category from a company search. [3]
- VerifiedRegistry record confirmed for automatic output
- Only this status produces the automated CR12 report in the documented procedure. BRS provides a processing period for unverified records. [2] [3]
- Director and ShareholderCompany officer and share owner
- Directors manage the company; shareholders hold its shares. CR12 describes both roles. A person can hold both roles. [5] [2]
- Company SecretaryFormal company office
- An office responsible for company administration and registry matters. BRS distinguishes it from directors and shareholders; appointment and changes have separate forms. [16] [2]
- File PerusalInspection of the registry file
- An application to inspect filed records. The official guide describes a registry visit after processing. [7]
- Annual ReturnAnnual company particulars filing
- A statement of company particulars, such as officers and capital. Distinguish it from financial documents attached or filed separately where required. [8] [16]
- BOF6 and BOF7Beneficial Ownership Search Request and Official Search Report
- BOF6 is the beneficial ownership search application. BOF7 is the prescribed report. Access is legally restricted. [9]
- CMACapital Markets Authority
- Kenya’s capital markets regulator. Its Resource Centre provides annual reports of listed companies. [14]
Search step by step
Order an official company search (CR12)
Sign in to BRS through eCitizen
Open the registry service linked in the BRS FAQ. Sign in with your eCitizen account and choose “Make application”. For the private company procedure described in the FAQ, select “Official Search (Cr12) for Private Limited Companies”, then “Apply Now”. [2]
Select the correct company
Enter the registered company name or registration number in “Registration Name or Number”. Select the company and click “Next”. These are the documented search keys. [2]
Supply the recipient details
For a Verified company, the process requests your postal address and code, email and telephone number. Choose “Save and Continue”. The report is addressed to the individual or business whose account makes the application. [2]
Pay and obtain the output
Confirm that the required information is complete. “Finish” leads to payment of 650 KES. BRS generates the report automatically for verified companies. Its fee table states three to five days for unverified records. [2] [3]
Obtain file access or a certified copy
Identify the required document
Have the company name and registration number ready. Decide whether you need to inspect the file or obtain a particular copy, such as articles or an annual filing. Sections 852 and 853 of the Companies Act provide inspection and copy rights, subject to protected information restrictions. [8] [7]
Apply specifically for file perusal
The File Perusal guide dated 5 December 2017, still provided by BRS, describes signing in to eCitizen, selecting “Make application”, “Perusal” and “Apply Now”, locating the company by name or number and paying for the application. Perusal also appears in the Version 2 service list. [7] [11]
Distinguish processing from delivery
Under “Application History”, the initial status is “Review”. Once it changes to “Processed”, visit the Companies Registry with the reference number and a printed payment receipt. This procedure provides inspection of the file in person. [7]
Request certification expressly
Apply for the particular record in hard copy or electronic form. Section 858 requires an express request for electronic certification. BRS lists Certified Copies as a separate service. The CR12 fee is not a package price for these copies. [8] [11] [3]
Read listed-company annual reports free of charge
Open the CMA reports portal
Open Annual Reports at the Capital Markets Authority. The collection covers annual reports of companies listed on the Nairobi Securities Exchange. [14]
Choose the sector and company
Open the relevant sector folder, then the company folder. Files are organised by year. [15]
Open the reporting year
Select the year you need, then “View Document” or “Download Document”. Check which years are available in the company folder. The portal does not cover accounts for every private company. [15] [14]
Documents and fees
| Document / information | Contents and purpose | Fee | How to get it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Official Search (CR12): company report [2] [4] [5] [3] | Company particulars covering directors, shareholders and holdings, registered office and registered encumbrances. | 650 KES: 600 KES application fee plus 50 KES eCitizen convenience fee. | eCitizen account; Make application and Official Search in the BRS FAQ. Automatic for Verified records only; BRS states three to five days otherwise. |
| Official Search (CR13): registered business name [3] | Official report on a business-name registration. BRS calls this output CR13. | 250 KES in the first fee row; a repeated row states 200 KES. Check the application amount before paying. | Select the BRS service for Business Names. Verified records are automatic; BRS states three to five days for others. |
| File Perusal: registry file inspection [7] [8] [11] | Inspection of accessible documents filed for the selected company. | Separate Perusal application with its own payment. Read the amount in the application before paying. | eCitizen Perusal application. The 2017 guide requires a registry visit with a reference number and printed receipt after the status becomes Processed. |
| Certificate of Incorporation: official copy [8] [17] | A copy of the specified company’s incorporation certificate, signed or sealed by the Registrar. | 500 KES in item 5 of the published BRS fee table for section 836. | Identify the company and request the copy from the Registrar. Section 836 requires signature or official seal before issue. This price applies to that certificate, not every file copy. |
| Annual Return and filed financial documents [8] [7] [11] | Annual company particulars; financial statements and other reports according to the applicable filing obligation. | Obtain through file inspection or a specific copy request. Filing charges are not retrieval fees for another company’s records. | Specify the company, document type and financial year in the inspection or copy request. Statutory access restrictions apply. |
| CMA: listed-company annual report [14] [15] | Published annual report in the company folder of the CMA Resource Centre. | Public folders and document links are free. | Select the sector, company and year, then choose “View Document” or “Download Document”. The public view does not require an eCitizen account. |
| BOF7: beneficial ownership search report [9] | Company particulars and beneficial owners’ names, postal addresses and nationalities, excluding protected personal identifiers. | Statutory search fee: 600 KES. | BOF6 request under regulation 14, restricted to eligible financial institutions, designated businesses and professionals. Not an unrestricted public search. |
Entities and information covered
The Companies Registry covers private and public companies and foreign companies registered in Kenya. BRS also handles business names and limited liability partnerships. Select the appropriate entity type; the detailed CR12 FAQ expressly describes private companies. [1] [3] [2]
Invest Kenya describes CR12 as providing directors and shareholders and their shareholdings. It also lists the registered office and registered debentures, charges or encumbrances, including debt instruments and security interests. Request the relevant file copy when you need the underlying instrument. [5] [8]
The file contains individual filings beyond the company search report. Inspection has statutory limits: section 854 excludes protected personal information and specified records. Electronic filing credentials are expressly excluded from public inspection. [8]
Accounts and access from abroad
The BRS enhanced-system manual describes three personal account categories. Kenyan citizens use an ID number. Foreign residents use an Alien ID, their Kenyan foreign-resident identifier. Visitors to Kenya use a passport number. Select the category matching your actual status. [6]
For visitor access, select your nationality and enter your passport number. The manual also requires your names as shown in the passport, sex and date of birth. Then provide contact details, a password and a photo. Contact the account service if identity verification fails. [6]
Use your own eCitizen account for registry reports. The publicly described CR12 application does not require membership of the company being researched. Link Business is an administration procedure for directors, director-shareholders or appointed company secretaries; it is not the route for ordering another company’s search report. [5] [2]
The BRS Version 2 landing page lists mobile money, card payments and online banking through local banks. Select the available payment method within the signed-in application. [12]
The published Version 2 service list dated 19 November 2025 still marks the private-company search “No”. Use the FAQ link to brs.ecitizen.go.ke for the CR12 procedure described here. The same list marks Perusal and Certified Copies “Yes”. [11] [2]
Fees and processing periods
The CR12 company search costs 650 KES. Both the BRS FAQ and the first company-search row in its fee table state that amount. Invest Kenya breaks it down into a 600 KES application fee and a 50 KES eCitizen convenience fee. [2] [3] [4]
The first business-name search row states 250 KES. Repeated rows at the end of the same BRS table show 200 KES for business names and 600 KES for companies. The business-name discrepancy is unresolved on that page. Check the amount shown in the specific CR13 application before paying. [3]
BRS distinguishes automatic output for verified records from manually processed applications. The first fee rows state three to five days for unverified companies and business names. [3] [2]
A copy of the incorporation certificate costs 500 KES under item 5 of the published BRS fee table. Section 836 requires the Registrar to sign or authenticate the copy with the official seal before issue. This tariff concerns the incorporation certificate and does not automatically apply to other file copies. [8] [17]
Beneficial ownership: restricted access
Beneficial owners are the natural persons who ultimately own or control a company. Their separately filed particulars are not generally part of the public CR12 process. The rules published in October 2023 prohibit general public disclosure and set out specific exceptions. [9] [5]
Financial institutions and designated non-financial businesses or professionals subject to anti-money-laundering rules may request a search under regulation 14 using BOF6. BOF7 is the prescribed report. The statutory search fee is 600 KES. [9]
BOF7 provides company particulars and beneficial owners’ names, postal addresses and nationalities. Protected information such as passport numbers and dates of birth is excluded from this route. Authorities and court orders have separate access provisions. The specimen restricts use to customer due diligence and prohibits further publication unless permitted by law. [9]
Regulation 15 permits publication by the procurement regulator concerning awarded public contracts, and by a government where a matter is of public interest. These exceptions do not create an open search across all beneficial owners. The June 2026 BRS guide concerns filing and updating information by the responsible companies. [9] [10]
Financial statements and annual returns
An Annual Return is an annual filing of company particulars. Section 706 of the Companies Act covers the company’s status and officers; section 707 adds capital and member details for companies with share capital. Financial documents or an exemption statement may accompany it where applicable. Request financial statements specifically when those are what you need. [8]
For companies under the small companies regime, section 686 generally requires a filed balance sheet. The profit and loss account and directors’ report may be omitted. An auditor’s report may also be absent where the company uses an audit exemption. For other unquoted companies, section 687 provides for the annual financial statement, directors’ report and, generally, the auditor’s report. Specify the document and financial year in your request. [8]
For listed companies, use the free CMA reports portal. Select the sector and company folder, then “View Document” to read an available PDF financial statement. BRS treats Annual Returns and Financial Statements as separate filings. [14] [15] [18] [11]
Verify an existing document
The public BRS Verify Output form asks for the service type and an Application Number. It is an entry point for checking an existing output document. It has no company-name search field. Have the reference from the document ready for this route. [13]
Official samples and reading guides
Official guide: applying for a CR12 company report
Page 4 of the BRS FAQ shows the application route and explains Verified status and the report addressee. It is guidance, not a completed company report. [2]
Official blank BOF6 and BOF7 specimens
The Gazette contains the blank beneficial ownership search request and report. The fields explain the document structure. Access remains legally restricted. [9]
Avoid common mistakes
- The CR12 form on the BRS forms page notifies a change of a company secretary’s residential address. It is not a blank specimen of the identically named company search report. Choose the Official Search service for research. [16] [2]
- A CR12 report is addressed to the applying account. If a bank or other recipient requires a particular addressee, establish that requirement before ordering. [2]
- Review in the File Perusal guide means an officer is processing the application. Processed is the status after which the guide instructs the applicant to visit the registry for inspection. [7]
- Link Business changes the account association and particulars of the account holder’s company. Do not use it instead of requesting another company’s report. [2]
- Registered shareholders and the restricted BOF7 disclosure are different datasets. Paying the CR12 fee does not also purchase disclosure of every beneficial owner. [5] [9]
- Match the entity named on the CMA document’s title page to the company you are researching. A company folder can also contain a subsidiary’s financial statement. Check whether it is a separate or consolidated statement. [15] [18]
Frequently asked questions
Can I research a Kenyan company without an account?
The documented official CR12 process requires an eCitizen account and costs 650 KES. CMA listed-company reports do not require that login. The public BRS verification form requires an existing application number. [2] [15] [13]
Do I need a Kenyan national ID?
The BRS manual provides a passport-based visitor category. It lists an Alien ID for foreign residents. Identity validation and the contact details required by the actual registration process still apply. [6]
What identifiers do I need?
The CR12 FAQ specifies the registered company name or number in Registration Name or Number. After selecting the record, the application requests the applicant’s contact and recipient details. [2]
Why is the CR12 report not generated immediately?
Automatic output is limited to Verified records. BRS states a processing period of three to five days for unverified companies. [2] [3]
Are beneficial owners publicly searchable?
The rules do not provide a general public BO search. BOF6 and BOF7 are restricted routes for legally eligible institutions and professions. Publication concerning awarded public contracts or the public interest has a separate legal basis. [9]
Original sources
Sources reviewed: 15 September 2026. The guidance is based on the linked information published by registers and public authorities.
- Companies Registry Business Registration Service
- BRS: Frequently Asked Questions Business Registration Service
- Fee Schedule: Companies Registry Business Registration Service
- Company official search (CR12): Verfahren und Gebühren Kenya Investment Authority (Invest Kenya)
- Invest Kenya: Company official search (CR12) Kenya Investment Authority (Invest Kenya)
- Enhanced System User Manual Business Registration Service
- File Perusal: amtliche Anleitung vom 5. Dezember 2017 Business Registration Service
- Companies Act 2015, amtlich bereitgestellte Fassung Rev. 2021 Kenya Law / Business Registration Service
- Legal Notice 162: Companies (Beneficial Ownership Information) (Amendment) Regulations 2023 Kenya Gazette / Business Registration Service
- Step-by-Step Guide: Updating Beneficial Ownership on BRS V2 Business Registration Service
- Services available on BRS Version 2: 19. November 2025 Business Registration Service
- BRS Version 2: Anmeldung und Bezahlung Business Registration Service
- BRS: Verify Output Business Registration Service
- About the CMA Resource Centre Portal Capital Markets Authority
- CMA Resource Centre: Annual Reports Capital Markets Authority
- Companies Registry: Forms Business Registration Service
- Fees Chargeable by Companies for Services Provided under the Act Business Registration Service
- CMA: Jahresabschluss 2025 Capital Markets Authority