To check a company in Kenya, use the Business Registration Service (BRS) Official Search on eCitizen. The service is commonly still referred to as a CR12 search and is used to check the company particulars currently reflected in the Companies Registry, including directors, shareholders and registered information.

Current BRS position (reviewed 24 September 2026): the official fee for a company Official Search is KES 650 . BRS lists verified company searches as instant and non-verified records as approximately 3–5 days . The portal invoice and current registry workflow should always be checked before filing.

How to Check Directors and Shareholders of a Company in Kenya

The most direct registry route is an Official Search for the company through BRS/eCitizen . BRS’s own guide describes the service as Official Search (formerly “CR12”) . The resulting registry certificate is used to review the current company particulars reflected in the Registrar’s records.

Step-by-step company director and shareholder search

1. Confirm the exact registered company name or registration number.
2. Log in to eCitizen and open the Business Registration Service.
3. Select Official Search for the relevant company.
4. Search using the registration name or number and select the correct entity.
5. Enter the applicant details requested by the portal.
6. Pay the applicable BRS fee.
7. Download the generated Official Search where the record is verified, or follow the BRS process for a non-verified record.
8. Review the output against the purpose of your search: directors, shareholders, registered address, shareholding and other available company particulars.

Practical point: a registry search tells you what is recorded at the Companies Registry. It does not by itself prove that every filing is current, that every commercial representation made by the company is accurate, or that no further risk checks are required.

What Information Does an Official Search / CR12 Show?

A company Official Search is intended to consolidate the registry particulars needed to identify and check an existing company. Depending on the company record and the output generated, the search may show or help verify:

• Registered company name and registration number.
• Date of registration/incorporation.
• Registered office or address particulars reflected in the registry.
• Current directors recorded at the Companies Registry.
• Shareholders and shareholding details reflected in the company record.
• Nominal share capital and related share information where reflected.
• Company status and other registry particulars available through the search.
• Registered charges or related filings where a separate or deeper records review is undertaken.

Does a CR12 show nominal share capital or nominal value per share?

Share capital information can form part of company registry records, but do not assume that every Official Search will present every capital figure in the same level of detail. The Companies Act requires shares in a limited company with share capital to have a fixed nominal value. If your transaction depends on the exact number and class of shares, nominal value per share, issued capital or paid-up position, review the specific registry output together with the relevant allotment, capital or certified company records.

CR12 terminology: an important distinction

In day-to-day Kenyan practice, “CR12” is widely used to mean the company status report or Official Search. BRS’s Official Search guide itself describes the service as formerly “CR12” . However, the BRS forms catalogue also uses the code CR12 for a statutory company-secretary address form. For a company records check today, the clearer request is therefore “Official Search for the company” , while recognising that many banks, lawyers, procurement teams and clients still call the output a CR12.

Registered shareholders are not automatically the same as beneficial owners

A standard Official Search should not be treated as a complete beneficial ownership investigation. Kenya has a separate beneficial ownership framework and separate beneficial ownership search forms. Where ultimate ownership matters for KYC, AML, investment or transaction risk, confirm whether a separate beneficial ownership review is legally available and appropriate for the stated purpose.

Cost and Timeline for Kenya Company Search

Search / service	Current cost or fee position	Typical timing / note
BRS Official Search for a company	KES 650 official BRS fee	Verified company: BRS lists the search as instant. Non-verified company: approximately 3–5 days.
Certified company records	Depends on the document requested and current BRS charges	Depends on registry availability, record status and the document required.
Professional company search assistance	Quoted according to the requested output and scope	Can include entity matching, registry review, interpretation and follow-up where the record is incomplete.
Enhanced corporate due diligence	Quoted according to scope	Used where a raw registry extract is not enough for the client’s commercial or legal decision.

Last reviewed: 24 September 2026. Primary source: Business Registration Service fee schedule and Official Search guidance. Official fees and portal workflows may change.

Why can a company search take longer than the BRS estimate?

• The company record is not verified or has not been fully migrated.
• The company is older and parts of the file are manual or historical.
• Recent director, shareholder, address or capital changes are still being processed.
• The client requires certified copies, perusal or additional registry documents rather than only the automated Official Search.
• The company name supplied does not match the precise registered entity.

Procedure and Requirements for an Official Search

Minimum information to start

• Registered company name and/or company registration number.
• Applicant details required by the eCitizen/BRS portal.
• The purpose of the search.
• The output required: Official Search, certified records, director/shareholder verification or enhanced due diligence.

Which identifier is better: company name or registration number?

You can begin with a company name, but the registration number is safer for precise entity matching , especially where similar names exist, a company has changed its name, or the search is being used for a legal, banking, procurement or investment decision.

Can a foreign client request a Kenya company search?

Yes. Overseas investors, lawyers, lenders, procurement teams and businesses commonly need Kenyan company records. Where the client is not personally carrying out the eCitizen request, professional assistance can be used to identify the correct entity, obtain the appropriate output and explain what the registry record does—and does not—establish.

How to verify a BRS company search output

Where the authenticity of a BRS-issued company record matters, use the official BRS Verify Output facility rather than relying only on a PDF supplied by a company or counterparty. The verification page allows a user to select the service and check an output using its application number.

When a CR12 or Official Search Is Not Enough

An Official Search is a registry check, not a complete corporate investigation. For a low-risk confirmation it may be enough. For a significant transaction, supplier appointment, loan, investment or dispute, additional checks may be necessary.

Your question	Best starting document / check	When to go further
Who are the recorded directors and shareholders?	BRS Official Search / CR12	If identity, control, recent changes or ultimate ownership is material.
Does the company legally exist?	Official Search plus Certificate of Incorporation where required	If the company name, status or supplied documents appear inconsistent.
Who ultimately owns or controls the company?	Do not rely on the standard Official Search alone	Consider the separate beneficial ownership framework and other lawful KYC checks.
Is the company safe to contract with?	Official Search is only the first layer	Use broader corporate due diligence in Kenya where the value or risk justifies it.
Do I need certified registry documents?	Identify the exact document first	Request certified copies or file perusal where the receiving institution requires them.

Common mistakes when checking a Kenyan company

• Treating a trading name, brand name or invoice header as proof of the legal entity.
• Searching the wrong company because the registration number was not checked.
• Assuming shareholders shown on an extract necessarily identify every beneficial owner.
• Relying on an old CR12 without checking whether directors or shareholding have changed.
• Assuming a registry extract proves tax compliance, financial strength, trading history, litigation status or asset ownership.
• Using a simple company search where the real decision requires a full due diligence review.

FAQs: Kenya Company Search and CR12

How do I check the directors of a company in Kenya?

Request the company’s Official Search through BRS/eCitizen. The output can be used to check the directors currently reflected in the Companies Registry record.

How do I check the shareholders or owners of a Kenyan company?

Start with the Official Search to review registered shareholders and shareholding information. If you need ultimate beneficial ownership rather than registered shareholding, treat that as a separate legal and due diligence question.

How much does a company Official Search cost in Kenya?

The current BRS fee schedule lists the Official Search for companies at KES 650 . The portal invoice at the time of application is final.

How long does a Kenya company search take?

BRS lists verified company searches as instant and non-verified company searches as approximately 3–5 days . Older or incomplete records may take longer.

Is CR12 the same as an Official Search?

For company-search purposes, the terms are commonly used together because BRS describes the current Official Search service as formerly “CR12”. For clarity when making a fresh request, ask for the Official Search for the company .

What is the difference between an Official Search and a Certificate of Incorporation?

A Certificate of Incorporation proves that a company was incorporated. An Official Search is used to review the company particulars currently reflected in the registry. One does not replace the other where the receiving institution requires both. If you are forming a new entity rather than checking an existing one, see our company registration in Kenya service.

Does a CR12 prove that a company is reputable?

No. It helps confirm registered particulars, but it does not by itself establish financial standing, tax compliance, litigation risk, trading history, assets, regulatory compliance or commercial reputation.

Can I search a company by name only?

Yes, but use the registration number where available. It reduces the risk of matching the wrong entity and is especially useful for legal, KYC and procurement work.

What if the official record appears outdated or inconsistent?

Further registry work may be necessary, including checking recent filings, requesting certified records or perusal, and reviewing changes of directors, shareholders, registered office, share capital or charges.

Official Sources & Author Review

This guide was checked against the Business Registration Service Companies Registry, the BRS company fee schedule, the BRS Official Search guide, the Companies Act, 2015 and the BRS Verify Output service.

• BRS Companies Registry Fee Schedule
• BRS: How to Apply for an Official Search (CR12)
• Business Registration Service — Companies Registry
• Companies Act, 2015
• BRS Verify Output

Last updated: 24 September 2026.
Written and reviewed by: Edward Omondi Ochieng — Kenya Immigration, Business Registration and Regulatory Compliance Consultant, Biz Brokers Kenya.

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