KNEC Verifier Wallet & Credits — Prepaid Verification Top-Up Guide
The KNEC verifier prepaid wallet allows approved verifier organizations to pre-fund their verification activity and pay for each verification by deducting credits instantly — instead of going through the eCitizen payment gateway every time. This guide covers everything in the wallet system: how to access it, how to top up, how credits are priced, how to pay for verifications using credits, and what happens when your balance runs low.
This page is for verifier organizations only. If you are a student or alumni looking to download your own certificate, see our KCSE certificate guide or KCPE certificate guide instead.
Prerequisites: To access the prepaid wallet, your organization must already have an approved verifier account. If you have not yet signed up or your account is pending approval, see our Verifier Organization Signup guide first.
What the Prepaid Wallet Is For
The prepaid wallet is designed for organizations that run high volumes of verifications. Instead of completing a separate eCitizen payment transaction for every single verification request, you load funds into your wallet in advance and each verification simply deducts the equivalent credit from your balance — instantly, with no external gateway interaction at that moment.
The wallet is optional. Every verification request — single or bulk — always gives you the choice between paying with credits or paying via eCitizen at the payment step. You are never required to use the wallet.
Accessing the Wallet
After logging in to your verifier dashboard, the wallet is accessible in two ways:
- Wallet indicator in the navbar: The navbar shows your current credit balance at all times and links directly to the wallet page.
- From the dashboard: The wallet shortcut in the navbar shows your current credit balance and links straight to the wallet page.
The wallet page shows your current credit balance, your top-up history, and the Top Up button.
How Credits Are Priced
1 credit = 1 verification fee. Credits are priced at exactly the same rate as a single verification. The Top Up page shows the exact KES amount before you confirm any transaction — there are no hidden markups on credits versus paying per-transaction via eCitizen.
Topping Up Your Wallet
Click Top Up on the wallet page. You can specify how much to add in either of two ways, depending on how you prefer to think about your purchases:
Both routes arrive at the same confirmation before payment — the system just lets you work from whichever number is more natural for your planning.
Payment Method for Top-Ups
Once you have chosen the amount, select your payment method. The wallet supports eCitizen, which includes:
- M-Pesa
- Visa / Mastercard
- Any other channel eCitizen supports
A payment popup confirms the amount and the method before redirecting you to eCitizen to complete payment.
When Credits Arrive
After the payment is captured, credits are added to your wallet — typically within seconds. The top-up transaction also appears in the Transactions tab with a clear “Top Up” label, so you can distinguish top-ups from verification charges in your history.
Paying for Verifications Using Credits
Whenever you start a new verification — whether a single verification request or a bulk verification run — the payment step shows two options:
If your wallet has sufficient balance, selecting this option deducts the required credits instantly. There is no redirect to an external payment gateway — the deduction happens immediately and the verification proceeds.
Falls back to the standard eCitizen payment flow — M-Pesa, Visa/Mastercard, or any other supported channel. Use this if you prefer not to spend credits for a particular request, or if your wallet balance is insufficient.
Insufficient Balance
If your wallet does not have enough credits for a request, the “Pay with credits” option disables automatically. You are prompted to either top up your wallet or pay for that request via eCitizen. The system will not start a verification run — single or bulk — without confirmed payment.
Importantly, for bulk verification runs, the wallet balance check happens at payment time, before the run starts. The system will not consume more credits than the run requires and will not let a run begin if your balance is insufficient. There is no risk of a run starting and then stopping partway through due to an empty wallet.
Credits in Bulk Verification
The prepaid wallet is particularly useful for bulk verification, where the fee scales with the number of certificates in the batch. At the bulk verification payment step, you will see the same two options — pay with credits or pay via eCitizen. If your wallet has the required balance, selecting “Pay with credits” deducts the full amount instantly and the run begins immediately with no further payment steps.
For reference on the bulk verification process itself, see our Bulk Verification guide.
Tracking Wallet Activity
All wallet-related activity is visible in the Transaction History section of your dashboard:
- Every wallet top-up appears with a clear “Top Up” label.
- Every verification paid by credits appears alongside verifications paid via eCitizen, with the payment method shown.
- The wallet page itself shows your current credit balance and your top-up history.
If a top-up payment was made but the wallet balance has not updated, use the Check Status Now button on the relevant transaction row in Transaction History to reconcile with eCitizen.
Credit Expiry & Refunds
| Topic | How it works |
|---|---|
| Do credits expire? | No. Credits do not expire. They remain on your wallet until you use them or KNEC explicitly clears them on account closure. |
| Can I get a refund on unused credits? | Refund requests are reviewed case-by-case by KNEC support. Email your registered KNEC support contact with the wallet balance you would like refunded and the reason for the request. |
| What if I overfund my wallet? | Since credits do not expire, overfunding is not a problem — unused credits remain available for future verifications indefinitely. |
Frequently Asked Questions
How are credits priced — is there a discount for buying in bulk?
Credits are priced at the same rate as a single verification — 1 credit equals 1 verification fee. The Top Up page shows the exact KES amount before you confirm. The official guide does not describe volume discounts; the rate is the same regardless of how many credits you buy.
Do credits expire if I don’t use them?
No. Credits do not expire. They remain on your wallet until you use them or KNEC explicitly clears them on account closure.
Can I get a refund on unused credits?
Refund requests are reviewed case-by-case by KNEC support. Email your registered KNEC support contact with the wallet balance you would like refunded and the reason. Refunds are not automatic.
What happens if my wallet balance runs out before I finish a bulk run?
It cannot happen mid-run. The wallet check happens at payment time, before the run starts. If you do not have enough credits, the “Pay with credits” option disables and you are prompted to either top up or pay via eCitizen for the full batch. The system will not start a run without sufficient confirmed payment.
What payment methods can I use to top up?
The wallet supports eCitizen payment channels: M-Pesa, Visa/Mastercard, and any other channel eCitizen supports. Payment method selection happens after you choose the top-up amount.
I topped up but my wallet balance has not changed. What do I do?
Go to Transaction History and find the relevant top-up row. Click the Check Status Now button to reconcile the payment with eCitizen. If the payment was successful on the eCitizen side, the balance will update.
Do I have to use the wallet, or can I always pay per verification?
The wallet is optional. Every verification request — single or bulk — always presents both options at the payment step: pay with credits or pay via eCitizen. You can use eCitizen for every transaction if you prefer, without ever loading the wallet.
Is the wallet available to all verifier organization account types?
The official KNEC guide describes the prepaid wallet as available to all approved verifier organizations. There is no mention of it being restricted to specific organization types (universities, employers, professional bodies, etc.).
Disclaimer: MyCyber Kenya is an independent assisted-services provider and is not affiliated with the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC). All process details reflect official KNEC information as documented in their E-Certificate Combined User Guide (Version 3.0, June 2026). Process flows, fees, and system behaviour may change — always verify directly with KNEC at knec.ac.ke before acting on any information here.
