Uber and Bolt vehicle requirements in Kenya (2026): age limits and papers

The most expensive mistake in this business is buying a car the platforms will not take. The second is buying one they will take this year and drop in two. Here is what Uber and Bolt ask for in 2026, and what that means for the car you choose.

Uber's age limits

Uber Kenya caps how old a car can be when it first joins the platform, and the cap depends on the category:

In Uber's own words for Comfort: "only vehicles that are 8 years old or newer will be eligible to join the Uber platform… From Jan 2026 only 2018 and newer vehicles will be eligible to join."

What this means when buying:

• The limit moves every January. A 2016 car can join Chapchap in 2026. In 2027 it probably cannot. Work out how many years the car has left on the platform, and spread its cost over those years — not over its whole life.
• Cars also have to leave. A car already on Chapchap may stay until 31 December of the year it turns 12 — 2014 cars stop at the end of 2026, 2015 cars at the end of 2027. See when to sell.
• Aim above the minimum. A car that only just qualifies has the shortest earning life. Paying a little more for a newer year often pays for itself.
• Imports are limited too. Kenya only lets in used cars up to eight years old, which for 2026 means 2019 or newer. That pushes the price of the models ride-hailing drivers favour up.

Bolt

Bolt Kenya's documents page sets a minimum of a car manufactured from 2012 onwards, with the logbook (or a sale agreement), an NTSA inspection report and a photo of the car. Category rules sit inside Bolt's own onboarding rather than a public list, and categories have changed — in 2025 a group of owners went to court after their Toyota Sientas were moved out of Bolt's XL category. Check the current rules in the Bolt Driver app for your category before you buy. A car that meets Uber's age limits is generally a safe bet for Bolt's standard category too.

The car's papers

Whichever platform, the car needs:

Uber's list for the vehicle is: the registration book (logbook), PSV insurance, a vehicle inspection report, the owner's National ID and KRA PIN certificate, and a VIN report — plus an aesthetic report for Comfort and XXL. Uber's vehicle inspection is free at its inspection centres; the report is then uploaded to the account.

Two points owners get wrong:

• PSV insurance, not private. A car carrying paying passengers needs PSV cover. A private policy can refuse a claim for an accident on a trip.
• The logbook must match. If the car is on a loan, the logbook may be in the financier's name. Ask them early what letter or authority the platform will accept.

The driver's papers

The driver needs his driving licence with a PSV endorsement (the PSV badge), a certificate of good conduct from the police, his National ID, and a smartphone that runs the driver app. Ask to see the originals, and take copies before you hand over the keys — see our guide to finding a driver you can trust.

Keeping it legal after day one

Papers expire. An inspection or an insurance policy that lapses takes the car off the platform — and off the road — until it is renewed, and every one of those days earns nothing.

Gariboss keeps each car's insurance and inspection dates and warns you before they lapse, next to what the car owes you tonight.