SHA registration in Kenya

SHA registration: the complete guide (online, *147#, documents, dependants)

Health & life8 min read · Reviewed on 23 September 2026 by the Tulinde editorial team · how we check facts

Short answerChecked 23 September 2026

Every Kenyan must register with the Social Health Authority (SHI Act 2023, s.26). Register online on sha.go.ke then afyayangu.go.ke, by dialling *147#, or at a Huduma Centre or with an SHA agent using your national ID. Add your spouse and children with their ID or birth certificate. Then pay 2.75% of income (minimum KES 300 a month) — through your employer, or by paybill 200222 with your ID number as account. Services start the same day; there is no waiting period.

Who must register

Every Kenyan must register as a member of the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHI Act, s.26(1)); the regulations make registration of every resident mandatory (reg. 3(d)).
Non-Kenyans ordinarily resident in Kenya may register (s.26(2)). A non-Kenyan staying less than 12 months must hold travel health insurance instead (s.26(6)).
Children born since the Act must be registered at birth (s.26(3)); a newborn should be added within 14 days with the birth notification (reg. 14).
Former NHIF members must register afresh with SHA (reg. 12). Premiums paid ahead to NHIF are carried over once you register and complete means testing.
Once registered you cannot opt out, according to SHA.

Proof of registration and contribution can be asked for when you deal with, or get services from, national or county government (s.26(5)). Sources: SHI Act, Regulations, SHA FAQ on NHIF premiums, SHA FAQ on opting out.

Register online, step by step

Go to sha.go.ke and click Register (or dial *147#).
Accept the policies and terms, then enter your ID number, phone number and choose a PIN.
Log in on afyayangu.go.ke with your ID and PIN; enter the one-time code sent by SMS and email.
Open My Profile: add your dependants, complete means testing if you are not salaried, and check your Primary Care Network facility.
Click Pay to make your first contribution. Your SHA number is generated when you finish registering.

Steps from SHA's own registration FAQ and number FAQ.

Register by phone (*147#) or in person

Channel	What happens
USSD *147#	Accept the terms, enter your ID number and first name for verification, confirm your details, complete the rest, and wait for a confirmation SMS. No internet needed.
Huduma Centre or SHA agent	Bring your national ID. The agent captures your details, civil status and dependants, you check them, and your biometrics are taken.
SHA office or community health promoter	Assisted registration if you have no phone or computer.
Paper form (Form 1)	Asks for employment type, ID, KRA PIN, mobile number, county/sub-county/ward, preferred facility and a dependants table; first-time registrants need valid proof of identity.

SHA must notify you within 14 days of successful registration (reg. 10(5)). Special arrangements, including mobile registration, exist for persons with disability, older persons, people in custody, marginalised communities and people incapacitated by illness (reg. 10(7)). There is no SHA app yet. Sources: Register, no phone, Form 1.

Documents you need

Who	Document
Kenyan adult	National ID (and passport photos for assisted registration)
Child	Birth certificate, or birth notification if under 6 months
Spouse	Their ID plus proof of a marriage recognised under the Marriage Act — the spouse must first register themselves
Adopted child / child in your care	Adoption order; or a will, deed or court order (in loco parentis)
Dependant with disability	ID plus NCPWD registration certificate
Foreign resident	Foreign Resident Certificate (Alien ID) and work permit — use the "foreign" tab on afyayangu.go.ke
Refugee or asylum seeker	Refugee ID, asylum-seeker pass, movement pass, letter of recognition or Convention travel document
Person in custody	Prison admission number, remand ID or a copy of the national ID

From regulation 11(3) and reg. 2 of the Regulations and SHA's FAQs for Kenyans, foreigners and refugees and people in custody.

Adding your spouse and children

Who counts: your spouse; children under 21 with no income living with you; young people under 25 in full-time education; a person with disability wholly dependent on you (SHI Act, s.2).
No limit on the number of children.
Spouse: they register first; you then enter their ID and first name and an OTP goes to their phone.
Timing: a new spouse is covered 14 days after the change, a new child from the date it is added, as long as contributions are up to date (reg. 13(3)).
At 18 a dependant must register as a separate contributor within 90 days (reg. 14).
Grandparents can add orphaned grandchildren under "Loco Parentis" or "Adopted Child".
Over 25 with no income of your own: you are a separate household and pay KES 300 a month (reg. 20).

Sources: SHI Act, Regulations, SHA FAQs on spouses, children, turning 18 and grandchildren. Registering school children: see the Ministry of Health notice.

Means testing and what you pay

Salaried: 2.75% of gross salary, minimum KES 300 a month, deducted by the employer and remitted by the 9th. If both spouses work, each employer deducts separately.
Not salaried: a self-assessment on afyayangu.go.ke (income, employment, dependants) produces a yearly premium — 2.75% of household income as estimated by the proxy means test (housing, access to services, household make-up).
Disagree with the result? Use the Appeal Means Testing tab and propose what you can pay; pay one month at that amount while the appeal is pending.
Households that cannot pay are identified by the government, which pays a base premium (Act s.27; reg. 18).
No upper limit on contributions.

Paying in instalments: Lipa SHA Pole Pole lets registered, means-tested non-salaried members with no arrears pay four months up front and the rest daily, weekly or monthly through M-PESA Ratiba (SHA). Work out your amount with the SHA calculator. Sources: rates, means testing, appeal, couples.

How to pay and check your status

Way to pay	How
*147#	Enter your ID number, then MAKE PAYMENT
afyayangu.go.ke	STK push to your phone
M-PESA paybill 200222	Account number = your ID number
Bank	Using your ID number or SHA Client Registry (CR) number

Your statement of account on the portal shows beneficiaries, contributions, penalties and benefits used (reg. 24). You can edit your details under Profile and reset your PIN on afyayangu.go.ke. Source: SHA payment FAQ.

Late payment and access to care

A 2% penalty a month accrues on unpaid contributions (Act s.27(6)); SHA's penalty module has run since 10 July 2025.
Hospital care at Level 4 and above (SHIF) needs contributions to be up to date; arrears and penalties must be paid first.
Primary care and emergency, chronic and critical illness services remain available even if contributions lapse.
No waiting period: you can register and be treated the same day.
Employers who fail to remit face 2% a month on the amount outstanding, and fines of up to KES 2 million or 3 years for failing to pay deducted contributions (s.48).

Sources: penalties, lapse, same day, employer notice, Act.

What SHA covers: the three funds

Fund	What it pays for
Primary Healthcare Fund	Levels 2, 3 and selected Level 4: outpatient care, maternity, screening, optical, end-of-life care. Normal delivery KES 10,000, caesarean KES 30,000 (tariffs).
Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF)	Level 4–6 care on referral: inpatient, maternity, renal, mental health, surgery, oncology, imaging, pharmacy.
Emergency, Chronic and Critical Illness Fund	Ambulance, accident and emergency, ICU/HDU/NICU, palliative care and chronic illness once SHIF benefits are used up.

Changes in 2026 (Legal Notice 78 of 2026): free walk-in delivery at Levels 2–3, the cancer package raised from KES 550,000 to KES 800,000, and the chronic-illness allocation from KES 150,000 to KES 400,000 (SHA). Sources: PHC, SHIF, ECCIF.

SHA helpline: toll-free 0800 720 601, email [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] (SHA contacts).

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Frequently asked questions

Is SHA registration mandatory in Kenya?

Yes. Section 26 of the Social Health Insurance Act 2023 says every Kenyan shall register, and the regulations make registration of every resident mandatory.

How do I register for SHA with my phone?

Dial *147#, accept the terms, enter your ID number and first name, confirm your details and wait for the confirmation SMS.

What documents do I need for SHA registration?

Your national ID. For children, a birth certificate (or birth notification under 6 months); for a spouse, their ID and proof of marriage; foreigners need an Alien ID and work permit; refugees a refugee ID or pass.

Do former NHIF members need to register again?

Yes. Regulation 12 says NHIF members must register afresh with SHA; premiums paid ahead to NHIF are carried over once you register and complete means testing.

How do I find my SHA number?

It is generated when you finish registering on afyayangu.go.ke, where you can log in with your ID and PIN.

How do I pay SHA?

Through your employer if salaried; otherwise by *147#, STK push on afyayangu.go.ke, M-PESA paybill 200222 with your ID number as account, or at a bank.

Can I use SHA the same day I register?

Yes. SHA says there is no waiting period after registration, as long as contributions are up to date for Level 4+ care.

Can foreigners register for SHA?

Yes, non-Kenyans ordinarily resident in Kenya can register, with an Alien ID and work permit, on the foreign tab of afyayangu.go.ke.