Photo: Matt Rudge, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0Motorcycle insurance in Kenya
What a private bike and a boda boda need, what it costs, how to check it
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What the regulations require
From the NTSA (Operation of Motorcycles) Regulations, 2015, as amended in 2022:
| Vehicle | Minimum insurance |
|---|---|
| Private motorcycle | Third-party cover under Cap. 405 (reg. 5(d)) |
| Motorcycle taxi (boda boda) | Third Party Public Service Vehicle insurance (reg. 5(e)) |
| Three-wheeler / tuk-tuk | Motor commercial public service vehicle insurance (reg. 10(e)); at least Third Party PSV insurance (reg. 11(b)) |
The seller must also supply two helmets and two reflective jackets with a new motorcycle (reg. 4(1)), and a motorcycle taxi operator must report any fatal accident to NTSA within 24 hours (reg. 9B(c)).
Why passengers must be covered
Cap. 405, s.5(b)(ii), lets a private policy exclude people carried on the vehicle (see what Cap. 405 requires) — except in a vehicle carrying passengers for hire or reward. A boda boda taking fares is that case. The compulsory cover is capped at KES 3 million per claimant (s.5(b)(iv)).
Before you pay for a policy
What boda boda insurance costs, and paying monthly
No regulator publishes a tariff for motorcycles: each insurer prices its own cover, so ask for a written quote that says PSV if you carry fares. Some insurers now let riders spread the premium. Directline, for example, says on its own page that its motorcycle Third Party Only cover is for personal, business, taxi or delivery use "depending on policy", with a monthly or annual premium, and asks for the logbook, national ID or passport, a valid riding licence and the KRA PIN certificate (Directline, seen 28 October 2026). Check in the policy wording that taxi use is actually included before you carry a passenger.
For a three-wheeler, see tuk-tuk insurance cost, which quotes a published schedule. For a car, see third-party vs comprehensive.
How to check your motorcycle insurance
- Scan the QR code on the certificate with AKI's Bima Yangu app, or dial *352# on any phone.
- Or enter the certificate number and the motorcycle's registration on verify.dmvic.com.
- The status must read Genuine, the dates must cover today, and the registration must be your motorcycle's.
What each result means, and what to do with a fake or expired certificate: DMVIC check. Riding uninsured is an offence under Cap 405.
Already insured?
Next step
Frequently asked questions
What insurance does a boda boda need in Kenya?
Third Party Public Service Vehicle insurance, under reg. 5(e) of the NTSA (Operation of Motorcycles) Regulations, 2015. A private motorcycle needs at least ordinary third-party cover.
Are boda boda passengers covered by insurance in Kenya?
They must be: Cap. 405, s.5(b)(ii), requires cover for passengers carried for hire or reward, up to KES 3 million per claimant.
How do I check my motorcycle insurance in Kenya?
Scan the certificate's QR code with the Bima Yangu app, dial *352#, or enter the certificate number and registration on verify.dmvic.com. The status must read Genuine.
Can I pay boda boda insurance monthly?
Some insurers offer it: Directline, for example, states that its motorcycle third-party only cover can be paid monthly or annually. Check that the policy covers taxi use before carrying passengers.
Sources
- NTSA (Operation of Motorcycles) Regulations, 2015 (LN 19/2015, as amended 2022) — Kenya Law (archived copy)
- Insurance (Motor Vehicles Third Party Risks) Act, Cap. 405 — Kenya Law (archived copy)
- Directline Assurance — Motorcycle insurance: Third Party Only cover, monthly or annual premium (insurer's own page, seen 28 October 2026)
- DMVIC — verify a motor insurance certificate