NIT Driving Guide Kenya · 2026

PSV Badge
in Kenya

Requirements · application · renewal

A practical guide to PSV badge eligibility, documents, NTSA/eCitizen application, current fee evidence, validity, renewal and replacement.

See the requirements Apply step by step

Driver / conductor authorisation

Prepared byNewton Institute of Technology Editorial Team

ReviewEngineer Simon Barongo

EvidenceKenya Law · NTSA

Checked18 Sep 2026

Quick answer

What do you need for a PSV badge in Kenya?

A PSV driver must be over 24 years old, hold a valid driving licence for the relevant vehicle class and meet the applicable police-suitability requirement. A PSV conductor must be over 18 years old. Applications are handled through NTSA’s eCitizen-linked services. The PSV licence is valid for one year from issue, unless cancelled, suspended or revoked earlier. Traffic Act, section 98 — Kenya Law; NTSA Service Portal.

PSV driverOver 24Must also hold a valid driving licence for the relevant vehicle class.

PSV conductorOver 18PSV driver and conductor licensing are separately regulated under section 98.

Validity1 yearFrom the date of issue, unless cancelled, suspended or revoked earlier.

PSV badge requirements in Kenya 2026 showing driver and conductor ages, documents, one-year validity and current fee evidence

Visual summary: requirements, records, validity and fee evidence. Always confirm the final application fields and payment amount in the live NTSA/eCitizen transaction.

Eligibility

PSV badge requirements in Kenya

The main legal requirements are straightforward. Section 98 sets the age thresholds, requires a driver to hold a valid driving licence for the relevant vehicle class and provides for police certification of suitability. Traffic Act, section 98 — Kenya Law.

Requirement	Driver	Conductor / note
Age	Over 24 years	Over 18 years
Driving licence	Valid licence for the relevant vehicle class	Not a substitute for the conductor’s PSV licensing requirements
Police suitability	Required under section 98	Required under section 98
Validity	One year from issue	One year from issue
While working	Prescribed badge must be worn	Prescribed badge must be worn

If you are unsure which driving class you need, use NIT’s separate NTSA Driving Licence Categories in Kenya guide rather than treating the PSV badge as a substitute for the correct licence class.

Before you start

Documents and details to prepare

The live NTSA form is the final checklist because online fields can change.

National identification details
Valid driving-licence details if applying as a PSV driver
Certificate of Good Conduct / Police Clearance information
eCitizen login details
Any photograph or additional upload requested by the current NTSA application

Kenya’s PSV Regulations require operator records to include the driver’s driving licence, identity card and Certificate of Good Conduct. Transport Licensing Appeals Board decisions have also considered Police Clearance information in PSV badge applications. NTSA (Operation of Public Service Vehicles) Regulations, 2014 — Kenya Law; Transport Licensing Appeals Board decision — Kenya Law.

NTSA / eCitizen

How to apply for a PSV badge in Kenya

NTSA’s current service portal uses eCitizen credentials and lists Public Service Transport Operations among the services available on the platform. NTSA Service Portal.

Sign in

Open the official NTSA service portal using your eCitizen credentials.

Official portal only

Open PSV services

Select Public Service Transport Operations and locate the PSV badge transaction.

Choose the correct service

Check your details

Confirm your name, ID and, for drivers, the relevant driving-licence record.

Match your records

Confirm clearance

Check the Police Clearance / Certificate of Good Conduct information required by the transaction.

Resolve errors first

Provide uploads

Upload only the photograph and supporting records requested by the live form.

Use clear documents

Pay officially

Pay the amount generated by the official NTSA/eCitizen system.

Avoid private payment numbers

Submit and track

Submit the application and monitor its status from your account.

Respond to official requests

Step-by-step guide to applying for a PSV badge in Kenya through NTSA and eCitizen

Application sequence: sign in, open PSV services, verify records, provide requested documents, pay through the official system, submit and track.

Fee evidence

How much is a PSV badge in Kenya in 2026?

The latest statutory fee table identified in this review appears in the Traffic (School Transport) Rules, 2026. It lists KSh 1,000 for a new PSV badge and KSh 1,000 for renewal. Because that table sits within the School Transport Rules, a general PSV applicant should treat the amount shown in the live NTSA/eCitizen transaction as the final amount payable. Traffic (School Transport) Rules, 2026 — Kenya Law.

2026 listed fee evidenceKSh 1,000Shown for new application and renewal in the 2026 School Transport Rules. Confirm your own NTSA/eCitizen checkout before paying.

New applicationKSh 1,000 in the cited 2026 statutory schedule.

RenewalKSh 1,000 in the cited 2026 statutory schedule.

Portal chargesA separate eCitizen or payment-platform charge may be shown at checkout.

Payment safetyUse the official transaction. Do not send the fee to a private number.

Validity

How long is a PSV badge valid?

A PSV driver’s or conductor’s licence is valid for one year from the date of issue, unless it is cancelled, suspended or revoked earlier. Check the expiry shown on your own authorization. Traffic Act, section 98 — Kenya Law.

Renewal

How to renew a PSV badge

Use the NTSA/eCitizen Public Service Transport service and select the renewal option shown in your account. Check that your personal details, driving-licence status and Police Clearance information are still correct, then complete the fields and pay the amount generated by the portal. NTSA Service Portal.

Check before paying

A previous approval does not mean every record remains current. Follow the requirements shown during the new transaction.

Lost or illegible badge

What if your PSV badge is lost or damaged?

Section 98 provides for a duplicate when a PSV driver’s or conductor’s licence or badge is lost or becomes illegible. Apply to the Authority and pay the prescribed replacement fee. If the original is found after a duplicate has been issued, the Act provides for the duplicate to be returned. Traffic Act, section 98 — Kenya Law.

PSV badge renewal and replacement guide in Kenya with validity, duplicate badge rules and quick answers

After approval: track the one-year validity, renew through NTSA/eCitizen and use the duplicate process if the badge is lost or becomes illegible.

Police clearance

Certificate of Good Conduct and the PSV badge

The 2014 PSV Regulations require specified operator records to include the driver’s driving licence, identity card and Certificate of Good Conduct. A 2023 Transport Licensing Appeals Board decision also treated Police Clearance information as a prerequisite in the dispute before it. PSV Regulations, 2014 — Kenya Law; Transport Licensing Appeals Board — Kenya Law.

How recent should the Police Clearance be? Use the validity requirement shown by NTSA when you apply. Published third-party guides give conflicting periods, so this article does not impose an unsupported six-month or twelve-month rule.

Keep the processes separate

PSV badge vs driving licence vs vehicle licensing

Document / process	Applies to	Main purpose
Driving licence	Driver	Shows which vehicle classes the person may drive.
PSV badge / licence	Driver or conductor	Authorises the person for the applicable PSV role.
PSV / Road Service licensing	Transport operation	Covers the public passenger-transport operation.
Vehicle inspection	Vehicle	Deals with the vehicle’s applicable inspection and roadworthiness requirements.

NTSA separates Public Service Transport Operations, inspection and driver licensing into different service areas. NTSA Service Portal.

While working

Must you wear the PSV badge while working?

Yes. Section 98 requires the licensed PSV driver or conductor to wear the prescribed badge while performing that role, subject to the Act. The PSV Regulations also require operators to ensure the driver and conductor, where applicable, wear the prescribed identification badge while at work. Traffic Act, section 98; PSV Regulations, 2014.

Quick questions

PSV badge FAQs

Can I work as a PSV driver with only a normal driving licence?

No. You need the correct driving-licence class, but PSV work is separately regulated under section 98. Kenya Law.

What is the minimum age for a PSV driver in Kenya?

The Traffic Act uses the wording over the age of 24 years. For a conductor, it uses over the age of 18 years. Kenya Law.

How long does a PSV badge last?

The PSV driver’s or conductor’s licence is valid for one year from issue unless cancelled, suspended or revoked earlier. Kenya Law.

Is a Certificate of Good Conduct important?

Yes. The PSV Regulations include it among specified driver records, and 2023 Appeals Board decisions considered PCC information in PSV badge processing. PSV Regulations; Appeals Board decision.

Can I replace a lost PSV badge?

Yes. Section 98 provides for a duplicate where the licence or badge is lost or becomes illegible. Kenya Law.

Where do I apply?

Use the official NTSA service portal with your eCitizen credentials and open the Public Service Transport service. NTSA Service Portal.

Accuracy note

Use the live NTSA transaction for the final checklist

Government portal labels, upload fields and transaction charges can change. This guide was last verified on 18 September 2026. For an actual application, confirm the instructions and amount shown in your own official NTSA/eCitizen account before submission or payment.

Primary references

Official sources used

Traffic Act, Cap. 403 — section 98. Driver and conductor licensing, age, driving-licence requirement, police suitability, validity, wearing the badge and duplicate badges. Kenya Law.

National Transport and Safety Authority (Operation of Public Service Vehicles) Regulations, 2014. Operator records and identification-badge requirements. Kenya Law.

Traffic (School Transport) Rules, 2026. Used for the latest statutory PSV badge fee table identified in this review, with the scope qualification explained above. Kenya Law.

NTSA Service Portal. Used to verify eCitizen login and Public Service Transport Operations. NTSA.

Transport Licensing Appeals Board. Used to verify treatment of Police Clearance information in a 2023 PSV badge dispute. Kenya Law.

Driving training at NIT

Need the correct driving licence before the PSV stage?

A PSV badge does not replace the correct driving licence. If you still need practical driving training, register at Newton Institute of Technology (NIT) in Migori.

LocationNamba Area, Migori Town

RoadMigori–Sirare Highway

AdmissionsOpen / continuous intake