- KRA removed the turnover threshold that used to exempt smaller businesses. Hospitality is a named regulated sector. If you issue invoices for taxable sales, this now applies to you.
eTIMS is no longer only for big businesses
What changed
eTIMS - the Electronic Tax Invoice Management System - requires invoices to carry a KRA reference. It originally applied to VAT-registered businesses and those above a KES 5 million turnover threshold. KRA has since removed that threshold, and hospitality is explicitly among the regulated sectors named by the Cabinet Secretary. Many owners still believe they are exempt because of their size. Most are not.
Why it matters in practice
An invoice issued without an eTIMS reference is not legally valid for tax purposes. In practice that means:
- Your business customers cannot claim the expense, so corporate and event clients will start asking for compliant invoices
- You cannot treat the sale as VAT-deductible
- KRA can disallow the transaction entirely in an audit
This page explains the rules in general terms. Confirm your own position with your accountant or KRA - circumstances differ.
How we make you compliant
[01]
Compliant invoices automatically
Every sale produces a tax invoice carrying its KRA reference and QR code. Your staff do nothing differently.
[02]
We handle the KRA side
Onboarding, testing and certification with KRA, and we advise whether OSCU or VSCU suits how you invoice.
[03]
We keep it working
KRA changes its systems. Our annual compliance cover means those changes are our problem, not yours.
What it costs
| Item | Price | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| eTIMS Integration | KES 15,000 one-time | KRA onboarding, testing and certification |
| eTIMS Compliance | KES 12,000 per year | Maintenance as KRA updates its systems, plus support |
| Orderly Enterprise | Included free | Both of the above, at no extra cost |
It is charged separately because it is genuine ongoing engineering - certification with KRA, then maintenance every time their API changes. Keeping it separate is what lets the base plans stay at KES 3,500.
eTIMS questions
Yes, through our eTIMS add-on, which gives you legally valid tax invoices carrying KRA QR codes.
Almost certainly. eTIMS applies to VAT-registered businesses and to regulated sectors including hospitality, and KRA has removed the old KES 5 million turnover exemption, so businesses of all sizes are expected to issue eTIMS invoices. Please confirm your own position with your accountant or KRA.
An invoice issued without an eTIMS reference is not legally valid for tax purposes. Your buyer cannot claim the expense and KRA can disallow the transaction in an audit.
A one-time integration fee of KES 15,000 and KES 12,000 per year for ongoing compliance. It is included free with Orderly Enterprise.
Because it is real, ongoing engineering - KRA certification plus maintenance every time the API changes. Charging it separately keeps the base packages affordable.
OSCU suits businesses whose invoicing is always online, while VSCU suits bulk or intermittently connected invoicing. We will advise which one fits your setup.
Yes. Configure your rates once and they apply correctly on every ticket and in every report.
Read next: Pricing and the eTIMS add-on · All features · From books to Orderly · Book a demo