NCA project registration in Kenya: 9 developer requirements

Updated 10 November 2026

NCA project registration is the developer’s duty, not the contractor’s. Under regulation 17 of the National Construction Authority Regulations, 2014, every construction project in the public or private sector must be registered with the National Construction Authority, and the owner must apply in writing within 30 days of awarding the contract to an NCA-registered contractor. NCA says project registration is currently free and can be done on its project registration portal or at an NCA regional or liaison office.

Checked on 8 November 2026 against NCA’s project registration page and its contractor registration page. This guide covers registration of the project only; ask NCA about any levy or other charge that applies to your contract value.

Contents: Who registers · Deadline and cost · Requirements · Steps · Approvals order · Mistakes · FAQ

Who is responsible for NCA project registration

NCA is explicit: it is the responsibility of the developer, not the contractor, to register a project, whether commercial or private, “without exceptions”. That includes an individual building a family home through a contractor, a diaspora buyer managing a build from abroad, a company putting up offices and a county government awarding a road contract. If you appointed the contractor, the duty sits with you.

The rule covers “all construction works, contracts or projects”. So the question is not whether your project is big enough but whether you have awarded construction work to a contractor.

Deadline and cost of NCA project registration

Requirements for NCA project registration

NCA lists nine requirements:

1. The contractor and any subcontractor must be registered with NCA and hold a valid practising licence for the current financial year.
2. Project consultants (engineers, architects, quantity surveyors) must be registered with their regulators, such as the Engineers Board of Kenya and the Board of Registration of Architects and Quantity Surveyors, with valid practising licences.
3. Approved architectural and structural drawings.
4. Physical planning approvals: county approval permits or letters, or the PPA2.
5. Other statutory approvals where they apply, such as NEMA, EPRA, WRA and KCAA licences.
6. The bill of quantities summary page, signed and stamped by the quantity surveyor.
7. A copy of the developer’s KRA PIN.
8. The signed contract, tender form or agreement between developer and contractor.
9. Supervision commitment letters from consultants, or the developer’s agreements with them.

How to do NCA project registration, step by step

1. Before signing, confirm your contractor holds a current NCA licence in the right class and category; our NCA contractor registration guide explains the classes and value limits.
2. Collect the county approval, approved drawings and any NEMA or other licences. For projects that need an environmental assessment, see our NEMA EIA licence guide.
3. Sign the contract and note the date: your 30 days start when the contract is awarded.
4. Get the BQ summary signed and stamped and the consultants’ supervision letters.
5. Submit through the NCA project registration portal, or visit the nearest NCA regional or liaison office for help.
6. Keep the registration record on site and in your project file.

Where NCA project registration fits in the approvals order

Because NCA asks for county planning approval and other licences, project registration comes late in the sequence: land and title checks, design, county approval, environmental and other sector licences, contractor selection and contract, then NCA project registration within 30 days. Diaspora developers should brief whoever manages the build on this deadline; our diaspora mortgage guide covers the financing side.

Common mistakes with NCA project registration

• Assuming the contractor will do it. NCA puts the duty on the developer.
• Hiring an unregistered fundi as main contractor. The contractor must be NCA-registered and licensed for the current financial year, or the project fails the first requirement.
• Using consultants without current practising licences. Ask for their licence numbers and check them with the regulator.
• Missing the 30-day window. Diarise the contract date and file promptly.
• Starting before county approval. Approved drawings and planning permission are part of the file NCA expects.

A worked example of NCA project registration

Suppose you are building a four-bedroom family house on your own plot and you sign a contract with a builder on 1 March. Under regulation 17, you as the owner should apply for NCA project registration within thirty days, so by about 31 March. Before then you need the builder’s NCA certificate and current practising licence, the county’s approval of your plans, approved architectural and structural drawings, your KRA PIN, the BQ summary signed and stamped by your quantity surveyor, the signed contract, and supervision commitment letters from your architect and engineer.

If you are using a design-and-build firm that also supplies the consultants, ask it for each consultant’s registration and practising licence details, because NCA expects them to be registered with their own boards. If you are abroad, give a trusted representative copies of everything and diarise the deadline. Since registration is currently free, the main cost of getting it wrong is delay, not a fee, so file as soon as the contract is signed.

Keep a single project file, paper or digital, with the approvals, the contract, the NCA registration record and the consultants’ letters. Banks financing construction, buyers of finished units and county inspectors may all ask for parts of it later.

NCA project registration FAQ

Who does NCA project registration, the developer or the contractor?

The developer. NCA says registration is the owner’s responsibility without exceptions.

How much does NCA project registration cost?

NCA says project registration is currently free of charge.

What is the deadline for NCA project registration?

Within 30 days of awarding the contract to an NCA-registered contractor.

Does a private house need NCA project registration?

NCA’s rule covers all construction projects, commercial or private, without exceptions.

Can I do NCA project registration online?

Yes, through NCA’s project registration portal, or at an NCA regional or liaison office.