CR12 or CR13? How to check a business record in Kenya

Start with the question the registry can answer

A seller sends a registration certificate and asks for a deposit. Before treating the document as reassurance, establish which business record you need to check. A search for a registered company and a search for a business name are different services. Neither replaces checking who is asking you to pay or where the money will go.

This guide covers the registry step. For the wider decision, use our company verification guide: registration, the permission needed for the offered activity, and the identity of the contact are separate checks. Avoid reducing them to a single "legit" label.

Ask for the exact name and registration number

Request the registered name, registration number and business type before starting. Keep those details beside the invoice or offer you are considering. A trading label in an advert may not tell you which record to search; ask the seller to explain the relationship rather than guessing from a similar name.

Prepare a short comparison note: the name supplied, the number supplied, the service being offered, and the payment destination requested. Leave space for what your own search returns. This makes it easier to notice inconsistencies without collecting unnecessary personal information about staff or owners.

Choose the matching official search

The Business Registration Service fee schedule lists Official Search (Companies), issuing CR12, at KSh 650. It separately lists Official Search (Business Names), issuing CR13, at KSh 250. These are the published figures checked on 1 October 2026; confirm the current charge in the official service before paying. The schedule distinguishes instant results for verified records from a stated three-to-five-day wait for non-verified records. Do not treat that estimate as a guaranteed deadline.

For a private limited company, BRS's FAQ describes signing into its eCitizen service, choosing Make Application and Official Search (CR12), and searching by the registration name or number. Select the matching company and follow the application's information and payment steps. The FAQ says automated official searches are generated for verified companies and addressed to the applicant.

Use the official route yourself. Do not give a seller your account password or one-time code so they can "help" with the search. If the portal options differ from the published guide, ask BRS for help through its own site instead of selecting an unrelated business-maintenance service.

Compare the result before drawing a conclusion

Compare the returned name and registration details with what you were given. Check whether the document is for the same entity and note when you obtained it. Save your application reference privately so you can follow up on the actual search if a result is delayed or unclear.

If you cannot find a matching record, pause the payment and check your spelling, registration number and chosen search category. Ask the seller to clarify the discrepancy. An unresolved search is a reason to keep checking; it is not enough to publish an accusation that the business is fraudulent.

Keep the payment decision separate

Even a matching record does not answer whether a particular caller, website or social account represents that business. Ask an independently established business contact to confirm the offer and the destination for payment. A certificate sent in the same conversation as the payment request is not a second independent confirmation.

For example, if a quote names one entity but the payment instruction names another, ask for an explanation through the contact you independently found. Keep the payment on hold while the relationship remains unclear. Do not send a small "test" payment as a substitute for resolving the question.

Use community information without publishing private documents

Search the company, website or payment identifier on ScamBusterKE as an additional check. Community reports describe reported experiences; they are not a finding of guilt. No reports does not establish that a business or payment request is safe.

If you report a concerning request, describe what happened and what you could not verify. Do not paste registry documents, personal addresses, ID details or receipts into the public description. Evidence uploads are private supporting material for moderation; remove unrelated personal information before submitting them.