What the eTIMS portal is for
eTIMS, the Electronic Tax Invoice Management System, is KRA's platform for issuing and transmitting tax invoices. The web portal at etims.kra.go.ke is where a business registers, sets up its items, and can issue invoices manually. It is separate from iTax (where you file returns) but uses the same KRA PIN as your identity, so the two are linked.
There are several ways to use eTIMS: the online portal, the eTIMS taxpayer apps, or an integration through a KRA-certified provider that connects your POS directly to KRA. The portal login matters most for businesses that issue invoices by hand or that need to check their setup and transmitted records. Higher-volume businesses usually issue invoices from their POS, which transmits to KRA in the background.
Knowing how to log in, and how to recover access when something goes wrong, is essential during setup and whenever you need to verify your records. Even if you issue invoices through a POS, you may still log in to the portal occasionally to confirm transmissions or update details.
How to log in to eTIMS step by step
Use these steps the first time and every time you access the portal directly.
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Step 1: Go to etims.kra.go.ke
Open a browser and visit etims.kra.go.ke. Always type the address yourself or use a bookmark rather than following links from messages, so you are sure you are on the genuine KRA domain. The page should load over https.
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Step 2: Enter your KRA PIN
Enter your KRA PIN exactly as it appears on iTax, with no spaces. This is the same PIN you use for all KRA services. If the system says the PIN is invalid or inactive, confirm it on iTax first; the eTIMS account is tied to an active PIN with the right tax obligation registered.
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Step 3: Enter your password
Type the password you created during eTIMS registration. This is not your iTax password; it is the one set specifically for eTIMS. Enter it carefully, as repeated wrong attempts can lock the account temporarily.
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Step 4: Complete any verification
Depending on your setup, you may be asked for a one-time code or additional verification. Complete it to reach your dashboard. If you do not receive a code, check that the contact details on your KRA profile are current.
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Step 5: Land on the dashboard
Once in, you will see your eTIMS dashboard: options to issue invoices, manage items and their codes, view transmitted sales and credit notes, and check your branch and device details. From here you can confirm that your sales are reaching KRA.
What to do when login fails
"Invalid or inactive PIN"
This means KRA cannot match or activate the PIN. Log in to iTax to confirm the PIN is correct and active, and that your business details match. Re-enter the PIN without spaces. If it is genuinely inactive or the eTIMS obligation is not registered, contact the KRA contact centre or your eTIMS integrator to activate it.
Forgotten password
Use the password reset option on the eTIMS login page. The reset is sent to the contact details registered with KRA, so make sure your email and phone on your KRA profile are current. Remember the eTIMS password is separate from your iTax password.
Locked account
Too many failed attempts can temporarily lock access. Wait the required period and try again with the correct details, or reset the password. If it stays locked, KRA support can help unlock it.
Account not fully activated
If you registered recently, your eTIMS account or device may not be fully activated yet. Check your registration status, and if it is pending, follow up with KRA or the certified integrator who set you up.
Mistake: confusing iTax and eTIMS credentials
iTax and eTIMS share your PIN but have separate passwords. Trying your iTax password on eTIMS (or vice versa) is a frequent reason logins fail. Keep them distinct and reset the eTIMS one if unsure.
A first-time user gets into eTIMS during setup
A hardware store owner in Nakuru had just registered for eTIMS and tried to log in to issue his first invoice. He typed his KRA PIN and his iTax password, and the portal rejected it. He assumed the registration had failed.
In fact his PIN was active; he was simply using the wrong password. eTIMS uses a password he had set during eTIMS registration, separate from iTax. He used the reset option, received the link on the email registered with KRA, set a new eTIMS password, and logged in on the next try. His dashboard showed his branch and device already set up.
From there he registered a few item codes and issued a test invoice, which transmitted to KRA within seconds. The whole blockage had been the credential mix-up. Knowing that iTax and eTIMS share a PIN but not a password is often the difference between a five-minute login and an afternoon of frustration.
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 removes the need to log in for every sale
Veira connects to eTIMS as a KRA-certified integrator, so once your account is set up you issue compliant invoices straight from the Veira app or terminal. Each sale is signed and transmitted to KRA in the background, with the control number and QR code printed on the receipt. You do not log in to etims.kra.go.ke for every transaction; you just ring up the sale.
This matters most for busy businesses. Logging in to the portal and keying invoices by hand is fine for a handful of sales a day, but it does not scale to a supermarket queue or a restaurant service. Veira issues and transmits invoices at the speed of selling, and keeps your records so you can confirm what reached KRA whenever you need to.
You still keep your eTIMS portal access for checks and updates, but the day-to-day work of issuing compliant receipts happens automatically inside Veira, on the phone you already own or a free terminal.
Frequently asked questions
What is the eTIMS login URL?
What password do I use for eTIMS login?
Why does eTIMS say my PIN is invalid or inactive?
How do I reset my eTIMS password?
Do I have to log in to eTIMS for every invoice?
Is the eTIMS login the same as iTax?
Logging in to eTIMS is straightforward once you know the URL is etims.kra.go.ke and that it uses your KRA PIN with a password separate from iTax. Keep your contact details current so resets work, and remember most failures are credential mix-ups. Better still, let Veira issue and transmit compliant invoices automatically so you rarely need the portal. See how Veira handles eTIMS and book a free demo.