Government vehicles frequently stand out on Kenyan highways due to their sleek designs and high speeds. They also feature visually distinctive number plates with unique numbering systems that are conspicuous to the eye.
Their registration plates differ from civilian ones by featuring prefixes such as GKA, GKB, and GKC, while ordinary vehicles have plates beginning with K. This distinction signifies their official status and helps differentiate them from privately owned vehicles.
Apart from identification, these number plates ensure that government vehicles adhere to their designated roles, comply with government regulations, and receive specific privileges and exemptions from certain operational controls.
Therefore, GKA, GKB, and GKC number plates are used to specify the vehicles’ roles and ownership within government operations. According to the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), the letters following [GK] represent a category of designated registration series.
GKA number plates are featured on government vehicles used for various official purposes. These include official government cars for ministers, high-ranking officials, and other state functions, as well as administrative and service vehicles used by different government departments.
GKB number plates are used on government vehicles specifically for the Kenya Police. These include land rovers, presidential escorts, and patrol cars.
GKC number plates, on the other hand, are featured on government vehicles used by other government agencies or departments. They include utility vehicles, departmental trucks, and service vehicles used by various government ministries and parastatals.
NTSA clarified that the series is allocated on a first-come, first-served basis and is not specifically assigned to any particular state department.
NTSA stated, adding that Kenyans can expect to see other designations, such as GKD, on government vehicles in the near future.
Additionally, there are other types of number plates used in Kenya which include civilian vehicle number plates, County Government number plates, motorbikes and Tuktuk number plates and diplomatic number plates.
Civilian Vehicle Number Plates
These are the common vehicles on Kenyan roads, typically used by ordinary citizens. Their number plates are white at the front and yellow at the back, with letters and digits printed in black.
Diplomatic Number Plate
These are specific vehicles belonging to foreign embassies based in Kenya. Their number plates feature white text on a red background.
Motorbikes and Tuktuk
Motorbikes and tuk-tuks have number plates with four characters, consisting of letters and digits printed in black to accommodate their specific registration needs. The four-character format helps manage and differentiate a large number of light moto vehicles within these categorie.
Customized Number Plate
Vehicle owners can personalize their number plates with custom names for a fee paid to NTSA. The cost for this customization is up to Kshs 1 million.
County Government Vehicles
These vehicles are used for county operations. Their number plate format includes a County Code, “CG” (for County Government), followed by three numbers and one letter. For example: 019 CG 234A, for a vehicle assigned to Nyeri County which is county number 19.
