The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has directed individual taxpayers to henceforth file their income tax returns by April 30, replacing the traditional June 30 deadline.

🇰🇪 Breaking It Down

KRA on Tuesday, September 8, said the changes followed the enactment of the Finance Act 2026, which requires taxpayers to file their returns by the end of the fourth month after the year of income.

This means both individual taxpayers and self-employed taxpayers will have until April 30 to file their annual income tax returns, replacing the June 30 deadline.

“The Finance Act 2026 has moved the deadline for filing Individual Income Tax Returns from the usual June 30 to April 30 from 2027 onwards,” KRA announced.

📌 What You Need to Know

“This change will affect individual taxpayers and self-employed persons, so make sure you adjust your filing calendar accordingly,” the authority added, urging Kenyans to comply.

According to the authority, the new deadline will take effect on January 1, 2027, and will apply to returns for the 2026 year of income and subsequent years after next year.

However, companies will continue submitting their returns by the last day of the sixth month following the end of the year of income, maintaining the June 30 deadline.

KRA noted that the staggered tax return filing timelines are expected to ease administrative congestion while ensuring taxpayers submit their returns on time.

For years, KRA has historically faced major challenges around the annual tax filing deadline, including system overloads, technical glitches, and downtime on its iTax platform.

The traditional June 30 deadline often triggered a massive last-minute rush, with millions of taxpayers attempting to access the platform and submit their returns within the final days and hours before the deadline.

📰 Source: Kenyans.co.ke