Updated 8 November 2026
Buying a second-hand car, a tractor, a generator or business stock? The seller might have pledged it as security for a loan. If they default, the lender may still have a claim on it, even after you have paid. A collateral registry search Kenya check, run on the Business Registration Service’s (BRS) movable property security rights registry, tells you whether a security interest has been registered against the asset or the grantor. This guide explains how the registry works, what it costs and how to use it as a buyer, a lender or a seller.
Source: BRS Fee Schedule – Collateral Registry and About Hire Purchase Registry, read on 8 November 2026. Confirm current fees on eCitizen before paying.
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Collateral registry search Kenya: key facts
| Service (BRS) | Fee | Document issued | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Search request | KSh 500 | Search certificate | Immediately |
| Initial notice (registering a security right) | No fee payable | Notice to registrant of the initial notice | Immediately |
| Amendment notice | No fee payable | Notice to registrant of an amendment notice | Immediately |
| Grantor’s request for amendment or cancellation | No fee payable | Notice to secured creditor of the grantor’s request | Immediately |
| Cancellation notice | No fee payable | Notice to registrant of cancellation | Immediately |
All applications are made online. BRS says registry processes run on eCitizen, with payment by mobile money, credit or debit card.
What a collateral registry search Kenya check covers
Kenya’s collateral registry records security rights in movable property: vehicles, machinery, equipment, inventory, receivables, livestock and similar assets, as opposed to land. It is run by BRS as the Movable Property Security Rights (MPSR) Registry, under the Movable Property Security Rights Act, 2017. A lender who takes an asset as collateral registers a notice. Anyone can then search, so that buyers and other lenders can see the existing claim.
Registration matters to lenders because, as BRS explains in the hire purchase context, it protects the creditor’s interest if the borrower fails to pay or becomes bankrupt or is liquidated, and “guarantees the owner a right of priority against other creditors”.
When to do a collateral registry search Kenya check
- Buying a used vehicle or machine from a private seller or a business.
- Buying a business or its stock and equipment.
- Lending against movable assets, to check whether someone else already has priority.
- Clearing your own record after repaying a loan, to confirm the lender has cancelled its notice.
Do the search alongside the usual checks. For vehicles, that includes the NTSA logbook search. See our used car buying checklist.
How to do a collateral registry search Kenya step by step
- Log in to eCitizen and open the BRS collateral (MPSR) registry service.
- Choose a search request and enter the identifiers the system asks for, such as the grantor’s details or the asset’s serial number (for example a vehicle chassis number).
- Pay the KSh 500 search fee electronically.
- Download the search certificate, which BRS lists as issued immediately.
- Read the results. If a notice appears, ask the seller for written proof that the loan has been cleared and the notice cancelled before you pay.
Search immediately before you pay. A clean result last month does not rule out a loan taken last week.
Registering, amending and cancelling notices
For lenders, registering an initial notice costs nothing under the BRS schedule. Amendments and cancellations are also free. For borrowers, the schedule includes a grantor’s request for amendment or cancellation. If you have repaid but the notice is still on the registry, you can make this request, and the secured creditor is notified. Keep your loan clearance letter as evidence.
Hire purchase and the collateral registry
BRS’s Hire Purchase Registry licenses and inspects hire purchase businesses under the Hire Purchase Act (Cap. 507) and is linked to the MPSR registry. Once an owner enters a hire purchase agreement, BRS says the owner “must ensure that they register the Security Right in the movable property under the MPSR Registry”. A licence to conduct hire purchase business costs KSh 50,000 (Form HP 10 plus financial statements) with a one-day timeline. For a buyer of second-hand goods, this means an item still on hire purchase may show up on a collateral registry search Kenya check.
Limits and practical tips
- A collateral registry search Kenya result only shows registered notices. Always combine it with ownership documents.
- Use exact identifiers. A typo in a chassis or serial number can produce a false “clear” result.
- Keep the search certificate with your purchase records.
- Land and buildings are not covered. Use an official land search instead.
- Company charges over assets are also registered at the Companies Registry. Check those when dealing with a company. See our CR12 search guide.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a collateral registry search Kenya request?
The BRS fee schedule lists a search request at KSh 500, with the search certificate issued immediately.
Does it cost money to register or cancel a security right?
No. Initial, amendment and cancellation notices are listed as “no fee payable”.
Can I search a car on the collateral registry?
Yes. Vehicles are movable property, so the registry can show whether a security right is registered. Also check the NTSA logbook.
What if my repaid loan still shows?
Make a grantor’s request for amendment or cancellation. The secured creditor is notified.
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