What are the T3 solar license requirements?

A Class T3 licence needs a diploma with 4 years of experience, or a BSc or HND with 2 years. It allows advanced work, including grid-connected and hybrid systems. EPRA's fees are KSh 750 to apply, KSh 3,000 on grant and KSh 1,000 a year to renew.

How much is an EPRA solar licence?

Technician licences cost KSh 250 to KSh 750 to apply, KSh 1,000 to KSh 3,000 on grant and KSh 500 to KSh 1,000 a year, rising from T1 to T3. A C1 contractor licence is KSh 500 to apply, KSh 1,000 on grant and KSh 1,000 a year, per EPRA's service charter.

What is the difference between C1 and V1 licences?

C1 is the contractor licence for design and installation, and needs a Class T3 technician. V1 is the vendor licence to design, sell and install, and needs a Class T2 technician. Both allow installation; C1 is the stronger installer credential.

How do I check if a solar company is licensed by EPRA?

Search the company's name on EPRA's solar PV contractor register on the licensing portal, and confirm the class and expiry date. You can also ask for the licence number, which starts EPRA/SPVC/, and check the technician named on the register.

Are solar products VAT exempt in Kenya?

Some solar equipment may be VAT-exempt, but we do not state tax rules as fact. Ask the seller to state on the quote whether VAT is included and on which items.

EPRA Solar Licence: T3 Solar License Requirements and Fees

Solar regulations in Kenya: who needs a licence

Solar PV work in Kenya is governed by the Energy (Solar Photovoltaic Systems) Regulations, 2012 (Legal Notice 103 of 2012), administered by EPRA, the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority. The regulations license two groups:

Technicians (people): Class T1, T2 and T3.
Companies: Class C1 (contractor), V1 (vendor) and V2 (manufacturer or importer).

EPRA's own link to the 2012 regulations no longer works. You can read them on the FAOLEX copy, and EPRA's licence application guide uses the same classes. EPRA consulted on new draft regulations in 2019/2020 that would rename the technician classes, but the live register still uses T1–T3, C1, V1 and V2.

T1, T2 and T3 technician licences: requirements and fees

Class T1 (basic) covers "installation work for small systems or single battery DC system of up to 100 Wp".

Requirements: KCPE, Electrical Government Trade Test 2 and basic solar training, plus 2 years of verifiable solar installation experience.
Fees: KSh 250 application, KSh 1,000 grant, KSh 500 annual renewal.

Class T2 (intermediate) covers "medium systems or multiple batteries which may include an inverter".

Requirements: KCSE, a certificate or diploma in electrical or electronics and intermediate solar training, plus 2–4 years of experience.
Fees: KSh 500 application, KSh 2,000 grant, KSh 750 renewal.

Class T3 (advanced) covers "advanced, including grid connected and hybrid systems".

T3 solar license requirements: a diploma with 4 years of experience, or a BSc or HND with 2 years.
Fees: KSh 750 application, KSh 3,000 grant, KSh 1,000 renewal.

Fees are from the EPRA Service Delivery Charter. Our page on solar jobs and courses covers the training route.

C1, V1 and V2 company licences

C1 (contractor): may "carry out design and installation work for solar PV systems". The company must be, or employ, a Class T3 technician. Fees: KSh 500 application, KSh 1,000 grant, KSh 1,000 annual renewal.
V1 (vendor): may "design, distribute, promote, sell or install solar PV systems". Needs a Class T2 technician. Fees: KSh 1,000 / KSh 2,500 / KSh 1,000.
V2 (manufacturer or importer): may "manufacture or import solar PV systems or components". Needs a Class T2 technician. Fees: KSh 2,000 application and KSh 5,000 grant; the renewal is KSh 2,000 in the service charter and KSh 2,500 in the application guide.

EPRA's guide puts it simply: you need a Class T3 technician to apply for C1, while a Class T2 technician only allows Class V1 and V2. All three company classes must show an earth loop impedance tester, an insulation resistance tester, an earth resistance tester and a clamp meter at inspection.

What this means when you hire: C1 is the strongest installer credential. V1 also allows installation. A company with V2 only is an importer or distributor and may not install.

How to check a solar installer's EPRA licence

EPRA publishes live registers on its licensing portal, linked from its renewable energy registers page:

Solar PV contractor register (C1, V1 and V2, licence numbers starting EPRA/SPVC/)
Solar PV technician register (T1, T2 and T3, numbers starting EPRA/SPVT/)
Solar PV manufacturers and importers register (numbers starting EPRA/SPVM/)

To check a company:

Ask for its EPRA licence number and the name of its licensed technician.
Search the register by company name and confirm the class (C1 or V1 if it will install) and the expiry date. The register only lists licences still in force.
Check that the technician named on the register is the person who will design or sign off your system.

On this directory, a green EPRA badge means we found the company on the register. Browse solar companies across Kenya or see the best solar companies in Kenya.

Solar water heating regulations

Solar water heaters have their own rules: the Energy (Solar Water Heating) Regulations, 2025. EPRA's application guide sets out these classes:

SHC1 and SHC2: solar water heating contractor, vendor or importer. Fees: KSh 2,000 and KSh 3,000 application, KSh 1,500 and KSh 2,000 annual.
SHM: manufacturer. KSh 3,000 application, KSh 2,000 annual.
SHW1: worker with KCPE plus Trade Test 2 or a certificate, basic training and at least 2 systems completed and designed.
SHW2: worker with a diploma or HND, advanced training and at least 3 systems of 500 litres or more.

At the time of writing, the solar water heating contractor register on EPRA's portal had no entries yet, so no company can yet be shown as a licensed solar water heating contractor.

VAT and import duty on solar equipment

Searches for "VAT on solar products in Kenya" usually want a simple yes or no. We do not state tax rules as fact, because they change and depend on the product. Some solar equipment may be VAT-exempt. Ask the seller or installer to state clearly on the quote whether VAT is included, and on which items.

For import duty, ask your importer or clearing agent for the current treatment of the specific products you are bringing in.

Once you know who is licensed, read how a proper solar installation should be done and which of the types of solar systems suits you.

EPRA solar licence classes and T3 solar license requirements