A driving licence is issued as an authority to allow a person to drive a motor vehicle of any class on a road. No person shall be allowed to drive a motor vehicle on road unless he is the holder of a valid driving licence or a provisional licence endorsed in respect of that class of vehicle. No person shall be entitled to more than one driving licence, but a driving licence may be endorsed to permit the holder to drive one or more classes of motor vehicle. Driving licences shall upon expiry be renewed on production and upon payment of the prescribed fee. Any person driving a motor vehicle on a road shall carry his driving licence or provisional licence, and on being so required by a police officer, produce it for examination.
Conditions for acquiring of a driving licence in Kenya
A licencing officer shall not grant an applicant a driving licence endorsed in respect of any class of motor vehicle unless the applicant:
- Over the age of sixteen years.
- Over the age of eighteen (18) years, except in respect of motorcycles.
- In respect of matatus and motor-omnibuses:
- Is over the age of twenty-four (24) years.
- Has for not less than four (4) years held a license endorsed in respect of motorcars or commercial vehicles.
- Satisfies the licencing officer that:
- He has passed a test of competence to drive that class of motor vehicle and that he holds a certificate of competence.
- Is the holder of a valid driving licence for that class of motor vehicle granted by a competent authority in a member country of the Commonwealth.
- Is the holder of an international driving permit.
- Is able to read, with glasses if worn, a motor vehicle identification plate at a distance of twenty-five (25) metres. A person who is totally blind or blind in one eye is not allowed to hold a driving licence.
- Makes a declaration as to whether or not he/she is suffering from any such disease or physical disability which would be likely to cause the driving by him of a motor vehicle to be a source of danger to the public.
- If it appears to a licencing officer that there is reason to believe that the applicant for any driving licence is suffering from disease or physical disability likely to cause the driving by him of a motor vehicle, of the class or classes in respect of which the application for a license is made, to be a source of danger to the public, such application may be disapproved unless the applicant:
- Produces a certificate from a medical practitioner stating that in the opinion of such medical practitioner the applicant is physically fit to drive the class or classes of motor vehicle in question.
- Undergoes and passes a driving test.
Driving licence categories in Kenya
The driving licence categories in Kenya are divided into 7 groups: A, B, C, D, E, F and G. These categories specify the class of vehicles that a licence holder can drive. Categories A to D are further subdivided into different classes while categories E to G define special driving classes. Here is the list of all the driving licence categories along with their descriptions and minimum requirements.
1. Category A driving licences
| Category | Description | Requirements |
| A1 Moped | Enables one to ride a motorcycle of up to 50cc. No passengers allowed to be carried. No loads. No passenger. | Minimum age of 16 years. |
| A2 Light motorcycle | Enables one to ride a ride motorcycle above 50cc. Can carry a maximum load of 60 kg (for up to 400cc). Can carry a passenger. | Minimum age of 18 years. |
| A3 Motorcycle taxi couriers – three wheelers (e.g. Tuk-tuk) | Enables one to ride a motorcycle above 100cc. Can carry a maximum load of 100 kg (for up to 50cc). Can carry a passenger. | Minimum age of 21 years. 1-year riding experience of category A2. |
2. Category B driving licences
| Category | Description | Requirements |
| B1 Light vehicle | Enables one to drive a light vehicle (passenger car) with a maximum Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) of 3500 kg with one light trailer (not exceeding 750 kg). Can drive a vehicle equipped with both a manual or automatic gearbox. Can carry up to a maximum of 7 passengers. | Minimum age of 18 years. |
| B2 Light vehicle (automatic) | Enable one to drive a light vehicle (passenger car) with an automatic gearbox and a maximum Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) of 3500 kg with one light trailer (not exceeding 750 kg). Cannot drive a vehicle equipped with a manual gearbox. Can carry up to a maximum of 7 passengers. | Minimum age of 18 years. |
| B3 Professional | Enables one to drive a light vehicle (passenger car) with a maximum Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) of 3500 kg with one light trailer (not exceeding 750 kg). Equipped with a manual or automatic gearbox. Can carry up to a maximum of 7 passengers. | Minimum age of 21 years. |
3. Category C driving licences
| Category | Description | Requirements |
| C1 Light truck | Enables one to drive a light truck with a Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) exceeding 3500 kg and a maximum of 7500 kg with maximum one light trailer not exceeding 750 kg. Equipped with manual or automatic gearbox. | Minimum age of 22 years. |
| C Medium truck | Enables one to drive a heavy truck with a Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) exceeding 7500 kg with maximum one light trailer not exceeding 750 kg. Equipped with manual or automatic gearbox. | Minimum age of 24 years. Two years experience of driving category C1. Required to undergo training. |
| CE Heavy truck with trailer | Enables one to drive a heavy truck with a Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) exceeding 7500 kg with a heavy trailer or semi-trailer. Enables one to drive articulated vehicles (i.e., a vehicle with two or more parts that are connected so that they can move in different directions at the same time). Equipped with manual or automatic gearbox. | Minimum age of 28 years. Four years experience of driving category C. Required to undergo training and retesting for category CE. |
| CE Heavy goods vehicle for transportation of hazardous materials | Enables one to drive a heavy truck with a Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) exceeding 7500 kg with heavy trailer or semitrailer. Enables one to drive articulated vehicles. Equipped with a manual or automatic gearbox. | Minimum age of 30 years. Two years experience of driving category CE. Required to undergo training and retesting for category CD. |
4. Category D driving licences
| Category | Description | Requirements |
| D1 Van | Enables one to drive a van with a maximum of 14 passengers. Equipped with manual or automatic gearbox. | Minimum of 22 years. |
| D2 Mini-bus | Enables one to drive a bus with 14 to 32 passengers. Equipped with manual or automatic gearbox. | Minimum age of 25 years. Minimum experience of 3 years driving category D1. Required to undergo training and retesting for category D2. |
| D3 Large bus | Enables one to drive a bus with 33 or more passengers. Equipped with manual or automatic gearbox. | Minimum age of 30 years. Minimum experience of 3 years driving category D2. Required to undergo training and retesting for category D3. |
5. Category E driving licences
| Category | Description | Requirements |
| Special professional driving licence | Enables one to drive any vehicles classified under categories C1, C, CE, D, D1, D2, D3 and licenced as EC1, EC, ECE, ED, ED1, ED2 and ECD3 respectively. | Minimum age of 21 years. Completed 3 months driving practice with any vehicle classified under categories C1, C, CE, D, D1, D2, D3 and licenced as EC1, EC, ECE, ED, ED1, ED2 and ECD 3 respectively. Class ED2 licences shall be endorsed for class D1 and D while Class ECE licences shall be endorsed for C and C1. |
6. Category F driving licences
| Category | Description | Requirements |
| Special driving licence for Persons with Disability (PWD) | Enables one to drive a vehicle depending on the category the PWD is trained on. | Minimum age of 18 years. Requirement is as per the class the categories of abled drivers. |
7. Category G driving licences
| Category | Description | Requirements |
| Industrial construction and agricultural plants equipment | Enables one to operate forklift, motor grader, shovel, excavator, roller and any other special kinds of plant and equipment for which special authorization is required from the authority as defined in the Traffic Act before such plants can be registered for use. | Endorsement for class G will be done on the driving licence. |
Large sized SUVs belong to which category in a driving school?