Filing annual tax returns is set to become easier after the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) announced major changes to its iTax platform, including the end of the Excel-based filing system that taxpayers have used for years.
The reforms, introduced under the Finance Act 2026, are aimed at simplifying tax compliance, improving the performance of the iTax system and reducing the heavy traffic that typically builds up as filing deadlines approach.
Speaking on the changes, KRA Chief Manager for Policy and Tax Advisory Josephine Mugure said taxpayers will no longer need to download, complete and upload Excel return forms when filing annual income tax returns.
Instead, the entire process will be carried out through a web-based platform for both individual taxpayers and companies.
“We are not going to require you to fill out the Excel sheet anymore. It will be web-based and simplified for all the annual returns, both for individuals and companies, making it less system-intensive and less tedious,” Mugure said.
KRA is also doing away with the validation process that many taxpayers encountered during the last filing season.
According to Mugure, the additional verification was introduced to validate data from the Electronic Tax Invoice Management System (eTIMS) after its initial rollout, but it will no longer be necessary going forward.
“We will not have validation. Validation happened this time because we were validating eTIMS for the first time. That is not going to be there,” she explained.
Beyond the filing process, the tax authority is upgrading the iTax platform, with the improvements expected to be completed by April next year.
The authority is also enhancing its Shuru virtual assistant and expanding taxpayer support through WhatsApp as part of efforts to make it easier for Kenyans to access tax services and receive assistance without visiting KRA offices.
Another significant change introduced through the Finance Act 2026 is the revision of tax filing deadlines.
Instead of all taxpayers filing by the same date, the law now provides separate timelines for individuals and businesses in a move KRA says will ease pressure on its online systems.
Individual taxpayers will now be required to submit their annual income tax returns by April 30, while companies and other non-natural persons will continue filing by June 30.
“We have staggered the filing of returns in the Finance Act 2026. The individual filers will be due on April 30, while the non-natural persons will be due on June 30,” Mugure said.
KRA says the changes are intended to make tax filing more efficient while addressing the technical challenges that have affected previous filing seasons, particularly as millions of taxpayers rush to meet the deadline.