The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has officially extended the deadline for filing 2024 annual tax returns by 24 hours. The new deadline is now set for midnight on Tuesday, July 1, 2025. This extension comes in response to widespread system slowdowns and technical difficulties that disrupted taxpayer access to the iTax portal on June 30, the original deadline.

The decision was made to accommodate thousands of Kenyans who were unable to complete the process due to persistent portal errors and slow page loads.

Enhanced Support Measures

To ensure taxpayers make use of the extra day, KRA has also extended the working hours of its service centres and support facilities:

• -KRA Service Centres: Open from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM on July 1

• -Contact Centre (Call Support): Available from 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM at 020 4 999 999

• -iTax Portal: Now fully operational for return filing and payments

These measures are designed to ease the pressure on digital infrastructure and provide alternative filing channels for taxpayers.

Who Is Required to File

All individuals and businesses with active KRA Personal Identification Numbers (PINs) are required to file returns, whether or not they earned income in the fiscal year 2024. This includes:

• -Employed persons

• -Self-employed individuals

• -Businesses

• -Landlords

• -Farmers

• -Individuals with zero income (NIL returns)

Filing is mandatory and failure to do so by the new deadline may result in penalties.

Penalties for Late Filing

KRA has reiterated that failure to meet the filing deadline will attract penalties, which remain as follows:

• -Individuals: Ksh 2,000 or 5% of tax due, whichever is higher

• -Companies: Ksh 20,000 or 5% of tax due, whichever is higher

• -Interest on Late Payment: 1% of the tax due per month

The authority has urged all taxpayers to take advantage of the extension to avoid penalties and ensure compliance.

How to File

To file your returns, follow these steps:

1. 1.Log into the iTax portal

1. 2.Go to the “Returns” section and select the appropriate form

1. 3.Upload your P9 form (for employed persons) or fill in business income data (for self-employed)

1. 4.Submit the form and download the acknowledgement receipt

If no income was earned, submit a NIL return.

Public Response and Future Outlook

The public has widely welcomed the extension, particularly as system reliability issues disrupted filing across the country. There have been renewed calls for KRA to further improve the robustness of its digital platforms ahead of future filing deadlines.

As the filing season concludes, taxpayers are encouraged to ensure compliance early in future periods to avoid last-minute congestion and system strain.