Processing of Environmental Licenses and Permits

The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), is established under the Environmental Management and Co-ordination Act No. 8 of 1999 (EMCA)- CAP 387 to exercise general supervision and coordination over all matters relating to the environment and to be the principal instrument of the Government of Kenya in the implementation of all policies relating to the environment.

The Authority uses various Environmental Assessment tools and pollution control mechanisms highlighted in EMCA CAP 387 in ensuring sustainable development by mainstreaming environmental and social safeguards in all projects, plans, programs and policies. To support the pillars of Kenya vision 2030 and the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) for the national development plan focused on economic recovery and inclusive growth, the Authority has implemented an Integrated Environment Information Management System (ENVIS) and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) System.

The new systems (ENVIS and ERP) will ensure efficient service delivery and support ease of doing business in the country by enabling the public, stakeholders and proponents to access all our services online. The systems will enable integration with other lead agencies for sectoral review ccordination and provide real time information sharing for informed decision making.

Subsequently, the Authority has digitized the following environmental services;

1. Application for the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIAs) licenses under the Environmental (Impact Assessment and Audit) Regulations.
2. Application for Registration as an environmental expert and License to practice as an environmental expert under the Environmental (Impact Assessment and Audit) Regulations.
3. Application for Effluent Discharge License (EDL) under the Environmental Management and Coordination (Water Quality) Regulations, 2024.
4. Application for Waste Licenses and Permits under the Environmental Management and Coordination (Waste Management) Regulations, 2024.
5. Application for Emissions License under the Environmental Management and Coordination (Air Quality) Regulations, 2024.
6. Application for licenses for manufacture, importation and use of plastic packaging material under the Environmental Management and Coordination (Management and Control of Plastic Packaging Materials) Regulations, 2024.
7. Application for Chemicals licenses and permit under the Environmental Management and Coordination (Management of Toxic and Hazardous Chemicals and Materials) Regulations, 2024.
8. Application for Access Permits under the Environmental Management and Coordination (Access to Biological Resources and Benefit Sharing) Regulations.
9. Application for Import and export Licenses and Permits for Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS) under the Environmental Management and Coordination (Controlled Substances) Regulations.
10. Submission and processing of Environmental Audits under Section 68 of Environmental Management and Coordination Act.
11. Environmental Incident Management under Section 9 of Environmental Management and Coordination Act.
12. Environmental Inspections under Parts IX and X of Environmental Management and Coordination Act.
13. Designation of Analytical/ reference Laboratories under Section 119 of Environmental Management and Coordination Act.
14. Designation of vehicular emission testing centre under the Environmental Management and Coordination (Air Quality) Regulations, 2024.

In view of the above, the public is hereby notified of following:

1. The current NEMA Licensing System Portal will be offline from 25^th July 2025 at 1159hours.
2. All pending invoices under the currentl liencing system should be paid for by 25^th July, 2025, latest 1159 hours to enable processing of related applications of licenses and permits.

Note:

• Clients are highly encouraged to ensure that they submit hard copies of ESIA reports (for Comprehensive Project Reports and Study Reports) for the issuance of Acknowledgement Letters by the set deadline;
• All the pending applications that will not have been paid for by the set deadline, will not be processed and the applications will have to be re-submitted on the new ENVIS

3. The newly designed NEMA ENVIS Licensing System Portal will be accessible via https://licensing.nema.go.ke as from 28^th July, 2025. All new applications will be lodged on this platform.

Dated: 24^th July 2025

For further inquiries and information please contact:

DIRECTOR GENERAL

National Environment Management Authority

Popo Road, off Mombasa Road P.O. Box 67839- 00200, Nairobi, Kenya

Tel: 020 2183718, 020 2101370, 0723 363010, 0735 013046

Report incidences and complaints on line: 0786 101 100, 0741 101 100

Email: info@nema.go.ke