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KRA eTIMS and ETR

What does eTIMS error 90001 (inactive or invalid PIN) mean?

Updated June 2026

Short answer

eTIMS error 90001 with the message “inactive/invalid pin” means the KRA PIN you are trying to activate e-invoicing with is not recognised as active for eTIMS at KRA’s end. It is almost always a PIN or registration issue, not a fault in your device. Confirm the PIN is correct, that it is active on iTax, and that it has been onboarded for eTIMS before trying again.

More detail

The code is returned by KRA’s system, not your point of sale, so retrying the same details repeatedly will keep failing. Check three things in order: that you typed the PIN exactly as it appears on your KRA certificate, that the PIN is active (not dormant) on iTax, and that this PIN has actually been registered for eTIMS rather than only for general tax filing.

If all three look right and 90001 still shows, the fastest resolution is to confirm the eTIMS onboarding status with KRA directly, since only KRA can flip a PIN to active for e-invoicing. Once the PIN is active for eTIMS, activation goes through and you can issue invoices normally. Veira support can walk you through where each of these checks lives if you are setting up with us.

Free tools for this
eTIMS Readiness Checker for Kenyan Businesses

Related questions

Is error 90001 a problem with my machine?
No. 90001 comes from KRA and refers to the PIN, so it is a registration or PIN-status issue rather than a hardware fault. Swapping devices will not clear it.
How do I make my PIN active for eTIMS?
The PIN has to be onboarded for eTIMS at KRA, separately from ordinary iTax filing. Confirm the eTIMS onboarding status with KRA, as only they can activate it.
Can I keep selling while 90001 is unresolved?
Keep a manual record of sales so nothing is lost, then re-issue compliant invoices once the PIN is active. Do not abandon the records in the meantime.

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Terms explained
eTIMS (Electronic Tax Invoice Management System)KRA PIN

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