Murkomen announces 6-month waiver on ID replacement fees

The Government has issued a special gazette notice announcing a six-month waiver on fees for the replacement of national identification cards and changes of particulars.

The notice, shared by Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen on Friday, October 31, 2025, and published as Legal Notice No. 175 under the Registration of Persons Act (Cap. 107), amends the Registration of Persons Rules, 2025, to allow citizens to access these services without charge.

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“IN EXERCISE of the powers conferred by section 16 of the Registration of Persons Act, the Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration makes the following Rules- THE REGISTRATION OF PERSONS (AMENDMENT) RULES, 2025 1. These Rules may be cited as the Registration of Persons (Amendment) Rules, 2025. 2. Rule 9 of the Registration of Persons Rules (hereinafter referred to as the “principal Rules” is amended in subrule (4) by deleting the words “pay a fee of one thousand shillings”.”

Also watch: Murkomen reaffirms Ruto’s directive on ID replacement.

The amendments specify that the fees for duplicate or replacement IDs, as well as for updating personal particulars, will be set at nil for a period of six months, effective immediately from the commencement of the rules.

“1) The fees prescribed in respect of any matter under these Rules shall be the fees set out in the Sixth Schedule. (2) Despite subrule (1), the fees prescribed in the Sixth Schedule in respect of- (a) Duplicate/Replacement; and (b) Change of Particulars, shall be nil for a period of six months, with effect from the date of commencement of these Rules,” the gazette added.

Following the gazette, Murkomen added that the waiver aligns with President William Samoei Ruto’s directive to ensure that every Kenyan acquires a national identification card.

“The Government has today issued a special gazette notice waiving the fees charged for the replacement of IDs and changing of particulars for a period of six months. This is in line with H.E. President William Samoei Ruto’s directive aimed at ensuring that every Kenyan acquires the document, which is a crucial access point to government services and other opportunities,” he wrote on X.

He further highlighted that the waiver complements previous reforms, which include the free issuance of IDs for first-time applicants, the removal of extra-vetting requirements for applicants from border counties, and the elimination of authentication fees for birth certificates when applying for IDs and passports.

“This waiver follows our other reforms, which include free issuance to first-time ID applicants, abolition of the extra-vetting requirement for border counties, and the scrapping of authentication fees for birth certificates when applying for IDs and passports. I urge the public to take advantage of this waiver period to go for IDs,” he added.