Kenya recruitment · 4 min read
Clearance certificates for government jobs in Kenya: the full list and the 2022 law
The five clearances public employers usually ask for, when an employer may ask for them, the seven day and no fee rule, and how to get each one.
Almost every government and county advert in Kenya mentions clearances: KRA, HELB, EACC, a credit reference bureau and the DCI. Many applicants spend money and days collecting them before they have even been shortlisted. The Employment Act changed that in 2022. Here is what the law now says, the usual list, and a short guide to each certificate.
Why the clearances exist
Chapter Six of the Constitution, Articles 73 to 80, sets the standards of leadership and integrity for State officers. Public employers use clearances from state bodies to check those standards: that you pay your taxes, repay your student loan, have no criminal record and have not been found in corruption cases.
Section 9(6) of the Employment Act lets an employer that intends to sign a written contract with you ask for mandatory clearance certificates in compliance with Chapter Six. If you do not meet the requirements, the employer may withdraw the offer (section 9(7)).
The 2022 rule: only when they intend to hire you
Section 9(5), added by the Employment (Amendment) Act, 2022, says an employer shall not require an applicant to submit any clearance or compliance certificate unless it intends to enter into a contract of service with that person. The definition covers employment agencies too (section 9(9)).
There is one exception: an applicant for a State office provides the certificates at whatever stage of the recruitment or approval process they are required.
Since the Employment (Amendment) Act, 2022, section 9(8) of the Employment Act says a public body that issues a clearance or compliance certificate must not charge a fee for it, and must issue it or reject the application within seven days.
Public employers now write this into their notices. In June 2026 the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions told shortlisted candidates that, following the 2022 amendment, successful candidates would provide clearance certificates from HELB, KRA, the DCI and EACC before appointment.
The usual list and where each comes from
- Tax Compliance Certificate from KRA, applied for on iTax and valid for twelve months.
- HELB compliance certificate, from the HELB portal or eCitizen, for loanees who are up to date and for people who never took a loan. HELB says it is not charged.
- EACC clearance: you submit a self declaration form, and EACC sends a confidential report on shortlisted candidates to the employer. No certificate is issued to you.
- Credit reference bureau clearance certificate, from a licensed bureau. Under the CRB Regulations, 2020 the first one is free.
- Certificate of good conduct from the DCI, applied for on eCitizen with fingerprinting.
A plan that does not waste money
- Apply for the job first. Read whether the advert asks for clearances at application, at interview or before appointment.
- Keep your KRA returns filed and your HELB repayments current all year, so the certificates are a formality when you need them.
- Once you are shortlisted or told you are successful, apply for all five in the same week. Public bodies must decide within seven days.
- Save each certificate as a PDF with the date in the file name. Note any expiry date.
- Never pay a middleman to get a clearance faster. The law says public bodies must not charge for them at all.
If an employer asks too early or a body charges you
If a private employer or an agency demands clearances before it intends to hire you, you can point politely to section 9(5) of the Employment Act and ask whether the documents can follow an offer. If a public body asks for a fee for a clearance or compliance certificate, ask which law allows it, given section 9(8)(a). Keep screenshots of any demand.
This guide is general information, not legal advice for your situation.
Sources and further reading
- Employment Act, 2007, revised edition on Kenya Law
- ODPP: shortlisted candidates and clearance requirements, June 2026
- KRA: Tax Compliance Certificate
- HELB: compliance certificate
- EACC: application clearance instructions
- Credit Reference Bureau Regulations, 2020 (Kenya Gazette Supplement No. 42)
- DCI: police clearance certificate procedures and verification
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Frequently asked questions
Which clearance certificates are needed for government jobs in Kenya?
Usually a KRA Tax Compliance Certificate, a HELB compliance certificate, EACC clearance through the self declaration form, a credit reference bureau clearance and a DCI certificate of good conduct. The advert says which ones apply.
Can an employer ask for clearance certificates before shortlisting?
Not unless it intends to hire you. Section 9(5) of the Employment Act, added in 2022, bars it, except for State office applicants.
Do I have to pay for clearance certificates?
Section 9(8)(a) of the Employment Act says public bodies must not charge for clearance or compliance certificates. CRB clearance comes from private bureaus, but the CRB Regulations, 2020 make the first one free.
How long do public bodies take to issue clearances?
Section 9(8)(b) of the Employment Act requires them to issue the certificate or reject the application within seven days.