What eTIMS software does and why your business needs it
eTIMS (the Electronic Tax Invoice Management System) is KRA's digital invoicing platform. eTIMS software is any KRA-certified system that creates a compliant invoice, signs it, and sends it to KRA the moment a sale happens. KRA validates the invoice and returns a control number and QR code, which print on the customer's receipt. The whole exchange takes seconds. Without certified software you are issuing receipts KRA does not recognise, which exposes you to penalties and rejected VAT claims.
Every VAT-registered business in Kenya must use eTIMS, and KRA is extending the requirement to more businesses each year. The legal basis is the VAT Act and the Tax Procedures (Electronic Tax Invoice) Regulations. The practical point is simpler: if KRA cannot see your sales through eTIMS, your business is non-compliant, and the penalties for non-compliance dwarf the cost of the software.
Good eTIMS software does more than transmit invoices. It manages your item codes and tax types, keeps selling when the internet drops, reconciles your sales so your VAT return matches your eTIMS records, and stores everything for audits. The difference between compliant-but-painful and compliant-and-effortless is the software you choose.
What to look for in eTIMS software
Not all eTIMS solutions are equal. These are the features that matter for a Kenyan business.
- 1
KRA certification
The provider must be listed on the KRA eTIMS certified software page. Veira is. Uncertified tools cannot legally transmit compliant invoices, so this is non-negotiable.
- 2
Automatic transmission on every sale
The invoice should be created and sent to KRA the instant you complete a sale, with the control number on the receipt, not batched or keyed in later.
- 3
Offline mode
Kenyan connections drop. The software must keep selling offline, sign invoices locally, and sync them to KRA automatically when the line returns, so you never lose a sale or fall out of compliance.
- 4
Item-code and tax-type management
It should map your products to KRA item codes and the correct tax type (16% VAT, zero-rated, exempt) so invoices transmit cleanly and your VAT return reconciles.
- 5
M-Pesa and card integration
eTIMS software for Kenya should reconcile M-Pesa and card payments to each sale, so your compliant invoice and your payment record are one and the same.
- 6
Reporting and audit trail
You should be able to see every transmitted invoice, every credit note, and your VAT position at any time, and export it for an audit in minutes.
- 7
Runs on what you have
The best eTIMS software runs on a phone you already own or an affordable terminal, with no expensive hardware to buy.
Veira vs a typical legacy POS for eTIMS
| Veira | Typical legacy POS | |
|---|---|---|
| KRA eTIMS certified | Yes (listed on kra.go.ke) | Often not certified |
| eTIMS on every sale | Automatic | Manual or add-on |
| Offline mode | Yes, syncs on reconnect | Frequently no |
| M-Pesa reconciliation | Built in | Rarely native |
| Hardware | Free terminal or your phone | Expensive machine |
| Starting price | KES 2,999 / month | High upfront + fees |
eTIMS, M-Pesa and pricing with Veira
How Veira handles eTIMS
Ring up a sale and Veira generates the eTIMS invoice, signs it, transmits it to KRA, receives the control number, and prints the receipt with the QR code, automatically. Item codes and tax types are set once at setup. Offline sales queue and sync on reconnect. Your VAT return reconciles with your eTIMS data with no manual matching.
How Veira handles M-Pesa
Veira accepts M-Pesa Till, Paybill, Pochi la Biashara and card, and reconciles each payment to the sale and its eTIMS invoice. One system, one record, no end-of-day guesswork.
Pricing
Veira starts at KES 2,999/month (eTIMS plan), KES 5,999/month (Growth) and KES 9,999/month (Pro), often with a free terminal. Against the KES 50,000-per-day penalties for non-compliance and the time saved, certified software pays for itself immediately.
Mistake: relying on M-Pesa messages or manual receipts
An M-Pesa confirmation is not a compliant tax invoice. Manual receipts are not transmitted to KRA. Both leave you exposed. Only certified eTIMS software makes you compliant.
Mistake: choosing uncertified software on price
A cheap tool that is not on the KRA certified list cannot make you compliant, whatever it claims. Always confirm certification before you buy.
A Nairobi retailer goes from a KRA letter to compliant in a day
A retailer in Nairobi received a KRA letter about eTIMS non-compliance and panicked. He had been issuing handwritten receipts and assumed becoming compliant meant buying an expensive machine and hiring a consultant.
He set up Veira instead. Because Veira is KRA eTIMS certified, there was no separate hardware to buy: he registered, mapped his top products to item codes, and started selling from a terminal. His first sale the next morning transmitted to KRA in seconds and printed a receipt with a control number and QR code.
By the end of the month he had issued hundreds of compliant invoices, his VAT data reconciled automatically, and the KRA worry was gone. The cost was a monthly subscription, a fraction of the penalty he had been risking.
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.
Why Veira is the eTIMS software Kenyan businesses choose
Veira is eTIMS certified by KRA and listed on kra.go.ke, the most authoritative credential an invoicing provider can hold in this market. Compliance is automatic on every sale, it works offline, and it sits in the same app that handles your M-Pesa, your stock and your reporting, so your tax records and your business records are one source of truth.
It is built for Kenya, not adapted to it: M-Pesa-native, offline-capable for unreliable connections, and affordable from KES 2,999 a month with a free terminal. Whether you are a single duka or a multi-branch chain, the same system scales with you and keeps every branch compliant.
Frequently asked questions
What is eTIMS software?
Is Veira certified by KRA for eTIMS?
How much does eTIMS software cost in Kenya?
Does eTIMS software work without internet?
Do I need to buy a machine to use eTIMS software?
What happens if I do not use eTIMS software?
eTIMS is not optional, but compliance does not have to be painful. Veira is KRA eTIMS certified and handles it automatically on every sale, offline and online, alongside your M-Pesa, stock and reporting, from KES 2,999 a month. Book a free demo and be compliant from your first sale.