If you have a regular job but also make extra money on the side, the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) wants you to come clean about all of it when filing your annual tax returns.
KRA says many salaried Kenyans are only declaring their monthly pay and leaving out income from side hustles something that has caused confusion and could land some in trouble.
In a notice released on Tuesday, February 3, KRA clarified that all income, whether from formal employment or small side jobs, must be declared together in one return.
This applies to people who freelance after work, do consultancy, run online gigs, farm, rent out houses, or operate small businesses to top up their salary.
In simple terms, if money came in during the year, KRA wants it declared.
“Don’t just file your salary alone,” the Authority said, urging employees to include everything they earned.
For most workers, this process starts with the P9 form, the document that shows how much you earned and how much tax your employer already deducted. The form is available on the iTax portal. After filling in those details, you then add any extra income you made during the year even if it was from short-term or irregular jobs.
KRA says this helps paint a true picture of someone’s earnings and ensures the correct tax is paid.
For Kenyans who are not formally employed but run businesses or side ventures full-time, the advice is simple: keep proper records of what you earned and what you spent, then declare the net income. Any money not covered under the Turnover Tax system should still be included.
At the same time, the Authority reminded people who have a KRA PIN but didn’t earn any income last year that they must still file a Nil Return to avoid penalties.
The filing window remains open from January to June 30, 2026.
KRA has encouraged taxpayers who feel stuck or unsure about the process to reach out through its customer care channels for help.
For many Kenyans juggling jobs and side hustles to make ends meet, the message is clear: when tax time comes, declare everything.