KRA Announces Major Tax Deadline Shift, Gives Kenyans Until April 30 to File Returns From 2027

The Kenya Revenue Authority has announced a major change to Kenya’s annual tax filing calendar, giving individual taxpayers until April 30 to submit their income tax returns starting in 2027.

The change replaces the traditional June 30 deadline for individual income tax returns and is expected to affect millions of Kenyans, including salaried employees and other individual taxpayers.

In a notice issued on September 8, 2026, KRA reminded taxpayers that the revised deadline was introduced under the Finance Act, 2026, which amended the timelines for filing annual income tax returns.

The new rules will take effect on January 1, 2027, applying to returns for the 2026 year of income and subsequent years.

The authority urged taxpayers to adjust their filing schedules and prepare their records early to avoid missing the new deadline.

For years, June 30 has been the date by which individual taxpayers were expected to submit their annual returns.

However, the government has now introduced different filing timelines for various categories of taxpayers as part of efforts to improve tax administration.

The changes are intended to reduce the last-minute rush that has frequently overwhelmed KRA’s iTax platform, particularly in June when millions of Kenyans attempt to submit their returns before the deadline.

Under the revised system, individuals will have until April 30 to file their returns, while companies and other non-individual taxpayers will generally retain the deadline of the last day of the sixth month after the end of their accounting period.

Nil return filers are also expected to follow a separate deadline under the revised framework, making it important for taxpayers to establish which category applies to them.

KRA has encouraged taxpayers to begin collecting their income records, confirming their employment and business information, and checking the accuracy of their declarations well before the filing period closes.

Failure to submit returns within the applicable timelines may attract penalties under existing tax laws.

The revised filing calendar represents a significant shift in Kenya’s tax compliance process.

Taxpayers are therefore being advised not to assume that June 30 will remain the deadline for everyone.

Kenyans can check the latest requirements through KRA’s official website to establish their applicable filing dates and prepare accordingly.

https://peopledaily.digital/news/kra-changes-tax-filing-deadline-gives-kenyans-until-april-30-from-2027?fbclid=IwY2xjawVQCGJleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBwZG9mBXNydGMGYXBwX2lkDDM1MDY4NTUzMTcyOAABH2wB2-pSIx4I87sOUP6OtX-OPcCOJj25a4dCbfIGS655FqoMF44D6QsoijsK_aem_HYoagHUEhoAAy5UsnnngbA

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