Related documents
- Is amended by 24th Annual Supplement
- Is amended by Business Laws (Amendment) Act, 2024

LAWS OF KENYA
STANDARDS ACT
CAP. 496
- Published in Kenya Gazette Vol. LXXVII—No. 32 on 12 July 1974
- Assented to on 16 January 1974
- Commenced on 12 July 1974 by Standards Act Commencement
- [Amended by Public Authorities Limitation Act Corrigenda (Corrigendum 5 of 1974) on 1 February 1974]
- [Amended by Public Authorities Limitation Act Corrigenda (Corrigendum 5 of 1974) on 15 May 1974]
- [Amended by Standards (Amendment) Act, 1980 (Act No. 5 of 1980) on 2 May 1980]
- [Amended by Standards (Amendment) Act, 1980 (Act No. 5 of 1980) on 4 July 1980]
- [Amended by Laws of Kenya (Rectification) Order, 1984 (Legal Notice 22 of 1984) on 24 February 1984]
- [Amended by Statute Law (Miscellaneous Amendments) Act, 1988 (Act No. 13 of 1988) on 16 December 1988]
- [Amended by Standards (Amendment) Act, 1989 (Act No. 1 of 1989) on 12 May 1989]
- [Amended by Finance Act, 2001 (Act No. 6 of 2001) on 14 June 2001]
- [Amended by Statute Law (Miscellaneous Amendments) Act, 2002 (Act No. 2 of 2002) on 7 June 2002]
- [Amended by Finance Act, 2002 (Act No. 7 of 2002) on 13 June 2002]
- [Amended by Finance Act, 2019 (Act No. 23 of 2019) on 7 November 2019]
- [Amended by Finance Act, 2019 (Act No. 23 of 2019) on 1 January 2020]
- [Revised by 24th Annual Supplement (Legal Notice 221 of 2023) on 31 December 2022]
- [Amended by Business Laws (Amendment) Act, 2024 (Act No. 20 of 2024) on 27 December 2024]
Part I – PRELIMINARY
1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Standards Act.2. Interpretation
In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires—"approved specification" means a specification in respect of which a standardization mark has been specified under section 10(1)(b);"Bureau" means the Kenya Bureau of Standards established by section 3;"code of practice" means a set of rules relating to the methods to be applied or the procedure to be adopted in connexion with the construction, installation, testing, sampling, operation or use of any article, apparatus, instrument, device or process;"consolidator" means a person who assembles cargo belonging to various persons to form one consignment at the country of supply which may be declared as belonging to one importer at the port of destination and de-consolidated back into the original individual consignments for delivery to the respective cargo owners upon arrival at the destination port or consolidators warehouse;"Council" means the National Standards Council established by section 6;"Director" means the Director of the Bureau appointed under section 5;"inspector" means an inspector appointed under section 13;"Kenya Standard" means a specification or code of practice declared under section 9(1);"manufacture" includes produce, process, treat, install, test, operate and use;"mark" includes any device, brand, heading, label, ticket, name, signature, word, letter or numeral, or any combination thereof;"permit" means a permit issued under section 10 of this Act or the regulations;"sell" includes barter and exchange, and exposure or offer for sale, and export for or in pursuance of sale, and have in possession for any purpose of sale, export, trade or manufacture;"specification" means a description of any commodity by reference to its nature, quality, strength, purity, composition, quantity, dimensions, weight, grade, durability, origin, age or other characteristics, or to any substance or material of or with which, or the manner in which, any commodity may be manufactured, produced, processed, treated, tested or sampled;"standardization mark" means a mark which has been specified by the Council under section 10;"Tribunal" means the Standards Tribunal established under section 16A.[Act No. 5 of 1980, s. 2, Act No. 7 of 2004, s. 2, Act No. 23 of 2019, s. 47.]Part II – THE KENYA BUREAU OF STANDARDS
3. Establishment of the Bureau
There is hereby established a Bureau which shall be a body corporate by the name of the Kenya Bureau of Standards, with perpetual succession and a common seal, and which shall, in its corporate name, be capable of—4. Functions of the Bureau
5. Director and staff of the Bureau
5A. Information on manufacturers
The Bureau may liaise with relevant government agencies which register businesses to obtain information on businesses registered to undertake manufacturing.[Act No. 20 of 2024, s. 20.]6. The National Standards Council
7. Powers of the Council
8. Financial provisions
Part III – ESTABLISHMENT OF STANDARDS
9. Declaration of Kenya Standard
10. Standardization marks
10A. Cancellation and suspension of permit
10B. Standards levy order
10C. Disbursement powers of Director
10D. Standards for manufacturers
11. Appeals
Any person who is aggrieved by a decision of the Bureau or the Council may within fourteen days of the notification of the act complained of being received by him, appeal in writing to the Tribunal.[Act No. 7 of 2004, s. 4.]Part IV – ENFORCEMENT
12. Samples and information
12A. Establishment of laboratories
12B. Establishment of calibration facilities.
12C. Calibration service providers
13. Appointment of inspectors
14. Power of inspectors
14A. Order that goods be destroyed
14B. Conditional release
14C. Registration of cargo consolidators
14D. Appointment of an inspection body
The Bureau may appoint an inspection body in the country of origin of goods to undertake verification of conformity to Kenya Standards or approved specifications.[ Act No. 20 of 2024, s. 24.]15. General provisions with regard to penalties
16. Evidence by certificate
Part IVA – STANDARDS TRIBUNAL
16A. Establishment of Tribunal
16B. Remuneration and allowances of members
The Cabinet Secretary shall pay the members of the Tribunal such remuneration and allowances as the Cabinet Secretary determines.[Act No. 7 of 2004, s. 8.]16C. Powers on appeal
Upon an appeal under this Act, the Tribunal may confirm, set aside or vary the decision or act in question and may make such other order as the Tribunal considers appropriate, including an order with respect to the payment of costs.[Act No. 7 of 2004, s. 8.]16D. Reference to Tribunal
16F. Appointment of expert advisors
16G. Appeal from Tribunal to Court
A party to proceedings before the Tribunal may appeal the decision of the Tribunal to the High Court.[Act No. 7 of 2004, s. 8.]16H. Procedure of Tribunal
Part V – MISCELLANEOUS
17. Protection of Government, Bureau, Council and members and employees
The fact that any commodity complies or is alleged to comply with a Kenya Standard or approved specification or has been or is alleged to have been manufactured in accordance with any such specification, or that a standardisation mark is used in connection with any commodity, shall not give rise to any claim against the Government, the Council, or the Bureau, or any member or employee thereof.[Act No. 5 of 1980, ss. 4 and 8.]18. Secrecy of information
19. Victimization
20. Regulations
21. Conflicting standards
Where there is a conflict between the provisions of a specification declared to be a Kenya Standard under section 9(1) and a specification made or declared under any other written law the Kenya Standard shall prevail.22. Transitional provision
The provisions of section 14C(2)(d) shall not apply to any company, which was in the business of consolidation before the commencement of this Act.[Act No. 5 of 1980, s. 9, Act No. 23 of 2019, s. 49.]History of this document
27 December 2024 this version
Amended by
Business Laws (Amendment) Act, 2024
31 December 2022
Revised by
24th Annual Supplement
Read this version
01 January 2020
Amended by
Finance Act, 2019
07 November 2019
Amended by
Finance Act, 2019
13 June 2002
Amended by
Finance Act, 2002
07 June 2002
14 June 2001
Amended by
Finance Act, 2001
12 May 1989
Amended by
Standards (Amendment) Act, 1989
16 December 1988
24 February 1984
Amended by
Laws of Kenya (Rectification) Order, 1984
04 July 1980
Amended by
Standards (Amendment) Act, 1980
02 May 1980
Amended by
Standards (Amendment) Act, 1980
12 July 1974
Commenced by
Standards Act Commencement
15 May 1974
Amended by
Public Authorities Limitation Act Corrigenda
01 February 1974
Amended by
Public Authorities Limitation Act Corrigenda
16 January 1974
Assented to
Cited documents 4
Act 4
1. | Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act | 509 citations |
2. | Excise Duty Act | 147 citations |
3. | Trade Marks Act | 39 citations |
4. | Kenya Accreditation Service Act | 29 citations |
Documents citing this one 60
Judgment 51
Legal Notice 7
Act 2
1. | Energy Act | 282 citations |
2. | Business Registration Service Act | 22 citations |
Subsidiary legislation
Title
|
Date
|
|
---|---|---|
The Standards Order | Legal Notice 170 of 2020 | 31 December 2022 |
The Standards (Verification of Conformity to Standards and other Applicable Regulations) Order | Legal Notice 78 of 2020 | 31 December 2022 |
The Standards Order | Legal Notice 111 of 2014 | 31 December 2022 |
The Standards Tribunal (Practice and Procedure) Rules | Legal Notice 195 of 2013 | 31 December 2022 |
The Standards (Quality Inspection of Imports) Regulations | Legal Notice 142 of 2009 | 31 December 2022 |
The Verification of Conformity to Kenya Standards of Imports Order, 2005 | Legal Notice 78 of 2005 | 31 December 2022 |
The Standards (Kenya Accreditation Service) Regulations | Legal Notice 26 of 2005 | 31 December 2022 |
The Standards Order | Legal Notice 3 of 2003 | 31 December 2022 |
The Standards Order | Legal Notice 122 of 2002 | 31 December 2022 |
The Standards (No. 1) Order, 2001 | Legal Notice 69 of 2001 | 31 December 2022 |
The Standards Order | Legal Notice 53 of 2000 | 31 December 2022 |
The Quality Inspection Of Imports Order | Legal Notice 155 of 1998 | 31 December 2022 |
The Standards Order | Legal Notice 176 of 1997 | 31 December 2022 |
The Standards Order | Legal Notice 198 of 1995 | 31 December 2022 |
The Standards (No. 2) Order | Legal Notice 113 of 1992 | 31 December 2022 |
The Standards Order | Legal Notice 112 of 1992 | 31 December 2022 |
The Standards Order | Legal Notice 225 of 1991 | 31 December 2022 |
The Standards Levy Order, 1990 | Legal Notice 267 of 1990 | 31 December 2022 |
The Standards Act - Calibration | Legal Notice 181 of 1990 | 31 December 2022 |
The Standards Order | Legal Notice 215 of 1989 | 31 December 2022 |
The Standards Order | Legal Notice 7 of 1988 | 31 December 2022 |
The Standards (No. 2) Order | Legal Notice 237 of 1987 | 31 December 2022 |
The Standards Order | Legal Notice 65 of 1987 | 31 December 2022 |
Approval of Standards | Legal Notice 243 of 1986 | 31 December 2022 |
The Standards (No. 3) Order, 1986 | Legal Notice 93 of 1986 | 31 December 2022 |
The Standards (No. 2) Order, 1986 | Legal Notice 20 of 1986 | 31 December 2022 |
The Standards Order | Legal Notice 2 of 1986 | 31 December 2022 |
The Standards Order | Legal Notice 60 of 1985 | 31 December 2022 |
The Standards Act- The Standards Order, 1984 | Legal Notice 35 of 1984 | 31 December 2022 |
The Standards (Evidence by Certificate) Regulations | Legal Notice 20 of 1984 | 31 December 2022 |
The Standards (No. 2) Order | Legal Notice 108 of 1983 | 31 December 2022 |
The Standards Order | Legal Notice 99 of 1983 | 31 December 2022 |
The Standards (No. 2) Order | Legal Notice 128 of 1982 | 31 December 2022 |
The Standards Act-The Standards Order, 1982 | Legal Notice 98 of 1982 | 31 December 2022 |
The Standards Act-The Standards Order | Legal Notice 146 of 1981 | 31 December 2022 |
The Standardization Marks (Permits and Fees) Regulations | Legal Notice 154 of 1977 | 31 December 2022 |