Kenyans who regularly use courier and app-based delivery services are set to experience new requirements from September 2026 after the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) introduced new licensing conditions governing the handling and delivery of parcels.
According to the CA, the new licensing conditions will affect courier operators and app-based delivery platforms such as Uber, Bolt, Glovo and Little, introducing additional requirements around customer verification, parcel handling and security.
Under the new conditions, the Authority requires courier operators to record and verify the identities of both senders and recipients before accepting parcels for delivery.
Operators must also establish mechanisms to verify parcel contents and determine whether items are eligible for conveyance.
The CA requires courier operators to ask senders to declare the contents of their parcels before accepting them for delivery.
Under the licensing conditions, operators must implement mechanisms to verify the contents of postal articles during acceptance to determine whether they can be transported.
Courier agents and requesting licensees must also have procedures for verifying parcel contents during acceptance.
The Authority further requires screening and verification procedures to comply with applicable aviation, revenue, security and national transport requirements.
“The licensee shall put in place a mechanism for Courier Agents and Requesting Licensees to verify the contents of postal articles during acceptance to determine their eligibility for conveyance,” states the Authority.
Police and KRA to Access Parcel Records
The licensing conditions require courier operators to maintain records of parcel transactions and make them available to the Communications Authority, Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) and police upon request.
CA also requires courier operators to cooperate with revenue, security, aviation, and law enforcement agencies to prevent the movement of prohibited or dangerous goods.
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This means courier firms must maintain transaction records and provide them to the relevant authorities when requested under the licensing framework.
CA requires courier companies to establish procedures for identifying prohibited articles before accepting parcels.
The licensing conditions require operators to ensure their screening and verification procedures comply with applicable aviation, revenue, security and national transport requirements.
Courier operators must also prominently display a schedule of prohibited articles at their outlets and on their platforms.
The Authority states that licensees should not handle prohibited items except in accordance with the applicable schedule of prohibited articles and relevant regulations.
CA Rules on Opening Parcels
Although courier operators must verify parcel contents, the CA’s licensing conditions generally prohibit them from opening packages while in their custody.
The conditions state that a licensee should not open a postal courier item from the time it is received until delivery except in specified circumstances.
According to the Authority, a parcel may be opened where its delivery or return cannot be undertaken without opening it.
It may also be opened where there is suspicion that the postal courier item contains prohibited goods.
A further exception applies where revenue officials order the opening of a postal courier item to check its contents.
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The CA requires that when a postal courier item is opened, the process should take place under controlled circumstances.
At least two staff members must be present when the item is opened to ensure transparency and accountability.
The requirement forms part of the CA’s conditions on maintaining the integrity of postal and courier items.
New Security Requirements for Courier Firms
The new licensing conditions require courier operators to improve the safety of people, premises, vehicles and equipment used when collecting, transporting and delivering parcels.
Operators must carry out risk assessments and put measures in place to prevent, detect and deal with the loss, theft, damage or interference with parcels.
Access to mail centres and areas where parcels are handled must also be controlled. Only authorized courier agents with parcel-handling responsibilities should have access to these areas.
The conditions also require courier operators to ensure that their facilities do not pose health, environmental or safety risks. The facilities must comply with laws on public safety.
In addition, all courier outlets must have service points with adequate ventilation and lighting to provide a safe environment for staff and customers.
The licensing framework also introduces a new reporting requirement for courier operators. Each licensee must prepare a report detailing the security and safety measures it has implemented.
The report must be submitted to the Communications Authority within six months of the effective date of the licensing conditions and must follow the relevant guidelines or regulations.
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