How to Activate SHA Account in Kenya — Fix Inactive Status, Complete Means Test & Make First Payment
How to activate SHA account — you registered on *147# or the SHA portal, you got a confirmation SMS, and now your account is showing Inactive and the hospital says you are not covered. This is the most common problem Kenyans face after completing SHA registration.
Registration and activation are two completely separate steps. This guide covers exactly what you need to do after registering to move your SHA account from Inactive to Active — online, via phone, and for every type of member.
An Inactive SHA account does not cover you at any hospital. You need to complete the Means Test (if self-employed or unemployed) and make your first annual payment before your cover switches to Active. If you want it done in 30 minutes, WhatsApp us — KES 200 →
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Activate online | Log into the SHA portal using your National ID and 4-digit PIN |
| Activate via phone | Dial *147# — works on any network, no internet needed |
| SHA M-Pesa Paybill | 200222 — Account Number = your National ID number |
| Lipa SHA Pole Pole | *147# → Lipa Pole Pole | *254# → Option 4 |
| SHA Helpline | 0800 720 601 (toll-free, 24/7) |
| Time to activate after payment | A few hours — allow up to 24 hours |
- What Inactive vs Active means
- Which activation steps apply to you
- Step 1 — Complete the Means Test
- Step 2 — Make your first annual payment
- Step 3 — Lipa SHA Pole Pole (pay in instalments)
- How to activate SHA online
- How to activate SHA via phone (*147#)
- How to confirm your account is Active
- Still Inactive after payment?
- Frequently asked questions
What “Inactive” vs “Active” Actually Means on Your SHA Account
When you log into the SHA portal after registering, your membership status shows either Inactive or Active. Only one of these lets you walk into a hospital and use your cover.
Your account exists in the SHA system but your cover is not live. A hospital scanning your National ID will show you as not covered. You cannot use any SHA benefits until this changes to Active.
Your cover is live. Any SHA-accredited hospital can verify you in real time using your National ID or SHA number. Your registered dependants are also covered as long as payments are up to date.
Registration does not mean activation. For self-employed and unemployed Kenyans, two additional steps are required after registration — completing the Means Test and making the first annual payment. Skipping either one leaves your account Inactive indefinitely.
Which Activation Steps Apply to You
Find your category below. Each one requires different steps to move from Inactive to Active.
Salaried worker
Your employer registers you and remits 2.75% of your gross salary each month. Your account activates once your employer links you to SHA and makes the first remittance. You do not do the Means Test. If your account is still Inactive, contact your HR — your employer may not have completed their side.
Boda boda, trader, fundi
You must complete the Means Test on the SHA portal to determine your annual premium, then make your first payment yourself. Without the Means Test, SHA does not know what to charge you and your account stays Inactive.
No regular income
You also complete the Means Test. Your annual premium may come out at the minimum — KES 3,600 per year. Lipa SHA Pole Pole is the best option if you cannot pay the full annual amount at once.
Step 1 — Complete the Means Test
The Means Test is a set of questions on the SHA portal that calculates your annual premium based on your household income, size, and assets. Without completing it, SHA has no figure to charge you — your account cannot switch to Active.
Formally employed Kenyans skip this step entirely. Your premium is calculated automatically by your employer at 2.75% of gross salary.
Complete the Means Test on the SHA portal (online)
Open the SHA portal on your browser. Enter your National ID number and the 4-digit PIN you created during registration. If you forgot your PIN, use the Forgot PIN option on the login screen.
Once on your dashboard, navigate to My Profile then select Income. Indicate your employment status — Self-Employed or Unemployed as applicable.
SHA will ask about:
- SHA will ask a series of questions
Take your time. Overestimating your income leads to a higher premium. You cannot easily redo a submitted Means Test. If you need help, WhatsApp us for KES 150 →
After submitting, the SHA portal displays your calculated annual premium. Write it down. This is the total you pay for one full year of cover. The minimum is KES 3,600 per year. You will use this figure in the next step.
Complete the Means Test via *147# (no internet needed)
Enter your National ID number and 4-digit PIN when prompted. If no profile is found, your registration may be incomplete — dial *147# and follow the registration prompts first.
Look for Means Test or Update Income Details in the *147# menu. Answer the income questions as prompted. The questions are shorter than the online version but cover the same information.
Once complete, SHA sends you an SMS with your annual premium figure. Save this message — it tells you exactly how much to pay in the next step.
Kwa Kifupi: Ukimaliza Means Test, utapata ujumbe wa SMS ukionyesha kiasi cha kulipa kwa mwaka mzima — sio kwa mwezi. Kama huwezi kulipa yote kwa wakati mmoja, angalia sehemu ya Lipa SHA Pole Pole hapa chini.
Step 2 — Make Your First Annual Payment via M-Pesa
SHA contributions are paid annually. The Means Test gives you your annual figure. Once you pay it, your account activates.
Important: The monthly payment option for self-employed and unemployed Kenyans was a temporary measure that was removed in mid-2025. The legal requirement is one annual payment per year. If you cannot pay it all at once, Lipa SHA Pole Pole in the next section lets you pay the annual amount in small daily, weekly, or monthly instalments.
Open M-Pesa on your phone. Select Lipa na M-Pesa then Pay Bill. Do not select Buy Goods — SHA uses a paybill number.
Enter 200222 as the business number. Double-check before pressing OK — sending to the wrong number means your money goes somewhere else and is not easy to recover.
Enter your National ID number as the account number. Not your phone number. Not your SHA membership number. Your ID number, no spaces, exactly as it appears on your card.
Enter the annual amount from your Means Test SMS. Enter your M-Pesa PIN and confirm. You will receive an M-Pesa confirmation SMS with a transaction code. Screenshot it and keep it — this is your payment proof if anything goes wrong.
Your SHA status should update to Active within a few hours. Allow up to 24 hours. If it has not changed after 48 hours, see the troubleshooting section below.
Step 3 — Lipa SHA Pole Pole: Pay Your Annual Premium in Instalments
What is Lipa SHA Pole Pole?
Lipa SHA Pole Pole (pay slowly) is a payment plan launched on June 1, 2025. It solves the problem of paying a full annual premium in one lump sum — which most informal sector Kenyans cannot afford.
It lets you pay your annual SHA premium in daily, weekly, or monthly instalments depending on how you earn. The plan runs through the Hustler Fund.
- No interest charged
- No hidden fees
- No limit on the amount you can finance
- You must have cleared any existing Hustler Fund loans first
- Your cover activates from the moment you enrol and the first instalment is processed
How to enrol via *147#:
- Dial *147# on your phone
- Log in with your National ID and 4-digit PIN
- Select Lipa Pole Pole from the menu
- Your annual SHA premium amount is shown on screen
- Select Hustler Fund as your financier
- Choose your instalment frequency: daily, weekly, or monthly
- Confirm and proceed
Alternatively, via *254# (Hustler Fund USSD):
- Dial *254#
- Select Option 4 — Lipa Pole Pole
- Your SHA annual premium is displayed
- Select Hustler Fund as financier and confirm your instalment schedule
How to Activate SHA Online — Full Process via the SHA Portal
Open the SHA portal on your browser — Chrome or Firefox works best. Enter your National ID number and 4-digit PIN to log in. If you registered via *147# and have not yet logged into the portal, use the same National ID and phone number from your *147# registration.
Your dashboard shows your membership status. If it shows Active, you are done — nothing further needed. If it shows Inactive, continue with the steps below.
Go to My Profile → Income. If the Means Test section is still empty, complete it now. Your annual premium will be displayed at the end. Salaried employees whose deductions are remitted by their employer skip this step.
Follow the M-Pesa payment steps in Step 2 above. Use your National ID number as the account number and your annual premium as the amount.
After payment, allow a few hours and log back into the SHA portal. Your status card should now show Active. If still showing Inactive after 48 hours, call SHA on 0800 720 601 with your National ID and M-Pesa transaction code.
How to Activate SHA via Phone — *147# (No Internet Required)
Everything you need to activate SHA can be done on *147# without any internet connection. Works on Safaricom, Airtel, and Telkom — including basic feature phones.
Enter your National ID number and 4-digit PIN. If you cannot remember your PIN, use the PIN reset option in the *147# menu.
If the menu shows a Means Test option and you have not done it yet, complete it now. Answer all income questions. Your annual premium will be sent to you by SMS.
To pay the full annual amount: select Make Payment and follow the M-Pesa prompts. To pay in instalments: select Lipa Pole Pole, choose Hustler Fund as your financier, and set your instalment schedule.
After payment, dial *147# again and check your profile. Your status should show Active within a few hours. If still Inactive after 24 hours, call SHA on 0800 720 601.
Stuck activating your SHA account? We do it for you.
Means Test, first payment, Lipa Pole Pole setup — we handle everything via WhatsApp. Available Mon–Sat, 7am–9pm.
💬 WhatsApp Us — KES 200 Independent service. Not affiliated with SHA or the government.How to Confirm Your SHA Account Is Active
| Method | What to do | What to look for |
|---|---|---|
| SHA portal (online) | Log in with your National ID and PIN → check dashboard | Membership status shows Active |
| *147# USSD | Dial *147# → log in → Profile → Check Status | Status returns as Active |
| At the hospital | Give your National ID number at reception | Hospital system confirms you are covered in real time |
Tip: Always check your status before a planned hospital visit. Do not assume you are Active because you paid. Verify it and screenshot your Active status so you have proof if any question arises at the hospital desk.
Still Inactive After Payment? Fix Every Problem Here
❌ Paid but still Inactive after 24 hours
Payment processing can take up to 24 hours. If it has been longer than 48 hours:
❌ Means Test done but status not moving
The most common cause is a mismatch between your ID details on the SHA system and the government ID database. Your name or date of birth may differ slightly.
❌ Wrong ID number entered as M-Pesa account number
If you typed someone else’s ID number as the account number, the payment credited a different person’s SHA account.
❌ Registered via *147# but SHA portal shows no account
The *147# system and the SHA portal sometimes take 1–2 days to sync your registration across both platforms.
❌ Employed but SHA still showing Inactive
For salaried workers, activation depends entirely on your employer completing their SHA registration and remitting the first deduction. If you are Inactive, your employer has likely not done this yet.
SHA Account Activation — Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my SHA account showing Inactive after I registered?
Registration alone does not activate your cover. Self-employed and unemployed Kenyans must complete the Means Test on the SHA portal and make their first annual payment. Without both steps, the account stays Inactive. For formally employed Kenyans, Inactive means your employer has not yet completed their remittance.
How do I activate my SHA account online?
Log into the SHA portal using your National ID and 4-digit PIN. If self-employed or unemployed, go to My Profile → Income and complete the Means Test. Your annual premium is shown at the end. Pay via M-Pesa Paybill 200222 with your National ID as the account number. Your status moves to Active within 24 hours of payment.
How do I activate SHA via phone without internet?
Dial *147# on any Kenyan network. Log in with your National ID and 4-digit PIN. If the Means Test has not been done, complete it from the *147# menu. Then select Make Payment and follow the M-Pesa prompts. For Lipa SHA Pole Pole, select Lipa Pole Pole and choose Hustler Fund as your financier. No internet required for any of this.
Do I have to pay the full annual amount at once to activate SHA?
No. Lipa SHA Pole Pole, launched June 2025, lets you pay your annual premium in daily, weekly, or monthly instalments through the Hustler Fund. No interest, no hidden charges. Enrol by dialling *147# then selecting Lipa Pole Pole, or dial *254# then Option 4. Your cover activates from the moment you enrol and the first instalment is processed.
How long does SHA take to activate after payment?
In most cases, your status moves from Inactive to Active within a few hours of first payment. Allow up to 24 hours. If your status has not updated after 48 hours, call SHA on 0800 720 601 (toll-free, available 24/7) with your National ID and M-Pesa transaction code.
How much do I pay to activate SHA as a self-employed person?
Your annual premium is calculated by the Means Test based on your household income, size, and assets. The minimum is KES 3,600 per year. Your specific amount depends on what you declare in the questionnaire — it cannot be known before completing the Means Test.
What is Lipa SHA Pole Pole and how does it work?
Lipa SHA Pole Pole is a flexible instalment plan for SHA annual premiums, launched June 1, 2025. It allows non-salaried Kenyans to pay their yearly SHA contribution in small daily, weekly, or monthly amounts through the Hustler Fund. No interest. No extra charges. You must have cleared existing Hustler Fund loans before enrolling. Enrol via *147# → Lipa Pole Pole, or *254# → Option 4.
I completed the Means Test weeks ago but I am still Inactive. What do I do?
If more than 7 business days have passed since you completed the Means Test and your status has not moved, there is likely an ID verification issue on the SHA side. Do not resubmit the Means Test. Call SHA on 0800 720 601 and ask them to manually check the verification status for your ID number.
Can I check SHA status without a smartphone or internet?
Yes. Dial *147# on any phone, log in with your National ID and PIN, and navigate to Profile to check your status. You can also visit any SHA-accredited hospital and give your National ID at reception — the hospital system checks your cover in real time.
We activate your SHA account for you. You only need to send your details.
Means Test, first payment guidance, Lipa Pole Pole enrolment — KES 200, done in 30 minutes. Monday to Saturday, 7am–9pm.
💬 WhatsApp Us — KES 200 Unahitaji msaada? Tuandikie WhatsApp — KES 200 tu. Mon–Sat, 7am–9pm.Independent service. Not affiliated with SHA or the government.
Disclaimer: mycyber.co.ke is an independent online cyber service. We are not affiliated with SHA, the Social Health Authority, or any government body. Information on this page is based on publicly available SHA guidelines and Ministry of Health announcements as of June 2026. Policy details including contribution amounts and Lipa SHA Pole Pole terms may change. For official queries, visit the SHA portal or call SHA on 0800 720 601 (toll-free).
