SHA Employer Registration Kenya: Documents and Steps

Written on 5 October 2026 from the fields on SHA’s employer registration screens, the SHA Employer Portal Terms and Conditions (effective 1 October 2024) and the Social Health Insurance Act, 2023.

Every employer in Kenya has to be on the SHA Employer Portal before it can declare staff and remit the monthly deduction. Section 27(1) of the Social Health Insurance Act, 2023 makes every employer liable to contribute, whether national government, county government or private. This page walks through SHA employer registration field by field, so you know what to have ready before you open the form. It is part of our SHA for employers guide.

SHA Employer Registration at a Glance

Item	What applies
Where	employers.sha.go.ke, then Register. This is separate from the individual member login on afyayangu.go.ke.
Two routes	Activate with NHIF e-Services for employers who held an NHIF e-services account, or New Business for everyone else.
Core documents	KRA PIN certificate and a business registration document (BRS file) or Act of Parliament
Upload limits	BRS file or Act of Parliament: PDF, PNG or JPG, max 2MB. KRA PIN: PDF, PNG, JPG or BMP, max 2MB.
You also need	A contact person and an admin user, each with a working phone number and email address
Decision	SHA verifies the details and can approve or reject the registration (Employer Portal Terms)

Which Route Are You On, and Are You Ready?

How to Register as a New Business, Step by Step

Every field on the New Business form

Field	Required	What to enter
Organization Name	Yes	The registered name as it appears on your BRS document
Contact Name	Yes	The person SHA should reach about the registration
Contact Phone Number	Yes	A number that is answered during working hours
Physical Address	Yes	Where the business operates
Postal Address	No	Optional
KRA PIN	Yes	The organisation’s PIN, not the director’s personal PIN
BRS File / Act of Parliament	Yes	Upload as PDF, PNG or JPG, max 2MB
KRA PIN upload	Yes	Upload as PDF, PNG, JPG or BMP, max 2MB
Admin: First Name, Last Name	Yes	The person who will manage the account
Admin: Phone	Yes	A number that person controls
Admin: Email and Confirm Email	Yes	Type it twice and check both match

Activating With NHIF e-Services

The other route is for employers who already had an NHIF e-services account. The screen asks for your Employer Code/Number and your E-Service Password, and lists the same supporting documents: a valid business registration number or Act of Parliament, a KRA PIN file as a PDF or clearly scanned image, a BRS file or Act of Parliament, and a contact person with a valid phone number and email.

Some guides describe a third route for domestic employers, such as a household with a house help. The screens we checked show only the two routes above, so confirm on the portal if that is you.

After You Submit: Approval or Rejection

The Employer Portal Terms say SHA can verify, approve or reject a registration. We have not found a published turnaround time, so do not assume a date. If you have heard nothing after a reasonable wait, call 0800 720 601 or email info@sha.go.ke with your organisation name and KRA PIN.

What to Do After Your Account Is Approved

1. Sign in on employers.sha.go.ke. If login fails, see the employer portal login guide.
2. Add your staff. Per SHA’s employer portal user guide, the portal lets you add employees and download a payroll template. Get each employee’s consent before submitting their personal data. See adding and removing staff.
3. Add other users from the admin account if more than one person handles payroll.
4. Deduct and remit. Deduct 2.75% of gross pay and remit by the 9th of the following month. The payment steps are in the SHA e-slip guide.
5. Do not miss the first deadline. A late remittance triggers the 2% monthly penalty. See the SHA employer penalty guide.

Related Employer Guides

Frequently Asked Questions

What documents do I need for SHA employer registration?

A KRA PIN certificate and a business registration document (the BRS file) or an Act of Parliament for state bodies. You also need a contact person and an admin user, each with a working phone number and email. Uploads must be under 2MB.

What file types and sizes does the SHA portal accept?

The BRS file or Act of Parliament accepts PDF, PNG or JPG up to 2MB. The KRA PIN upload accepts PDF, PNG, JPG or BMP up to 2MB.

What is the difference between New Business and Activate with NHIF e-Services?

Activate with NHIF e-Services is for employers who already had an NHIF e-services account and still have the employer code and e-service password. New Business is for everyone else.

Is SHA employer registration free?

The registration screens we checked have no payment step. Be careful with anyone who asks you to send money to SHA for registration.

How long does SHA take to approve an employer?

SHA has not published a turnaround time that we could find. The Employer Portal Terms say SHA verifies details and can approve or reject. If you hear nothing, call 0800 720 601.

Who must register as an employer with SHA?

Section 27(1) of the Social Health Insurance Act, 2023 makes the national government, county governments and any other employer liable to contribute, so every employer with staff on payroll must register.

What happens if I do not register or remit?

Late remittance attracts a 2% monthly penalty under Section 27(6), and failing to pay without lawful excuse is an offence under Section 48(1), with a fine of up to KES 2 million, up to three years in prison, or both.