Why invoices are not reaching KRA
Transmission is the step where your invoice data is sent to KRA. When it is not happening, the invoice may still have been issued to the customer but is not yet recorded with KRA, which you need to resolve. The usual causes are a dropped or unstable internet connection, a sync that has not run, or a setup or credentials issue on the device.
In Kenyan conditions, intermittent connectivity is the most common reason, which is exactly why offline capability matters: a good system records the invoice locally and transmits it automatically once the connection returns, so a temporary outage does not become lost data. If invoices are genuinely stuck rather than just waiting for connectivity, the cause is more likely a setup or credentials issue to resolve. Confirm any KRA-side requirements with KRA.
Most eTIMS errors are not mysteries; they are a missing field, a sync gap or a wrong setting, each quick to fix.
How to fix it, step by step
Work through these in order. Stop when the issue clears.
- 1
Check your internet connection
Confirm the device is online. Intermittent connectivity is the most common reason invoices wait to transmit.
- 2
Let the system sync, then recheck
Give an offline-capable system a chance to sync when the connection returns, and confirm the pending invoices clear.
- 3
Confirm device setup and credentials
If invoices stay stuck while online, check the device's eTIMS setup and credentials are valid, and re-authenticate if needed.
- 4
Escalate genuinely stuck invoices
If invoices remain unsent after syncing and a valid setup, contact your provider or KRA support with the details.
How to stop it happening again
Re-issuing invoices that are just waiting to sync
Invoices pending transmission usually clear when the line returns. Re-issuing them double-counts the sale. Let them sync first.
Relying on constant internet
A system that only transmits online stalls during outages. Use offline-capable software that records locally and syncs later.
Ignoring a stuck backlog
If invoices stay unsent after syncing, that is a real issue to resolve, not ignore. Escalate it.
A shop clears a transmission backlog
A shop in Eldoret noticed a batch of invoices showing as not transmitted after an afternoon of patchy internet.
Once the connection stabilised, the offline-capable system synced and the pending invoices transmitted to KRA automatically. The owner confirmed they had cleared.
Because the system had recorded each invoice locally, nothing was lost; the backlog simply caught up when the line came back.
Trading without eTIMS-compliant tax invoices risks KRA penalties, blocked VAT input claims for your customers, and receipts a business buyer cannot expense.
Veira signs every sale to KRA eTIMS automatically, so each receipt is compliant the moment it prints, with no separate device to reconcile.
How Veira avoids this
Veira is built so most eTIMS errors never reach you. It issues compliant KRA eTIMS invoices automatically with the right fields and tax treatment, validates as you go, captures the buyer PIN for business customers, and transmits to KRA, recording locally and syncing when you are offline so nothing gets stuck.
When something does need attention, Veira surfaces it clearly and local support helps you resolve it, rather than leaving you to decode a raw error. It runs on a free terminal or the phone you own, from KES 2,999 a month with a 30-day money-back guarantee. See how Veira works, or book a free demo.
Frequently asked questions
Why are my eTIMS invoices not transmitting to KRA?
What happens to invoices that did not transmit?
Should I re-issue an invoice that has not transmitted?
How do I prevent transmission problems?
Will Veira stop this error happening?
Where do I confirm KRA-specific details?
eTIMS not transmitting is usually a quick fix once you know the cause, and with a compliant system like Veira it rarely arises at all. See how Veira works, or book a free demo. Always read the exact error and confirm KRA-specific steps at kra.go.ke.