A logbook is a crucial document that serves as ownership documentation for vehicles. When selling your car, you must present this paperwork, or you can use it as security when requesting a loan from a financial institution. Your only alternative would be to replace your logbook if it were to become misplaced or lost. What then should you do to replace a lost logbook? 

In the past, replacing a lost logbook in Kenya required human labor at the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) or Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) offices. To replace it, one had to stand in line at the nearby KRA or NTSA office with the required paperwork. The NTSA TIMS portal is used to conduct the process in the present digital era. Simply create a TIMS account, log in, scan and attach the necessary paperwork, pay the fee, and wait to pick up your logbook. 

Documents needed to apply for a logbook misplacement

 You require scanned copies of the following records if your logbook is lost:

You should begin by visiting the nearest Huduma Centre or police station to request a police abstract. 

• The abstract form should contain the name of the person whose name appears on the logbook. 
• You also need the tape lift report for the engine of your vehicle from the CID department an affidavit statement of the current owner.
•  Copy of ID/ Certificate of Incorporation/Business Registration Certificate 

Creating the TIMS account

• The TIMS Kenya account is used to replace lost logbooks. If you don’t already have one, you should create a TIMS account once you’ve gathered the required paperwork. 
• You will be asked for information while setting up a TIMS account for a specific person, including the ID serial number, mother’s name, profession, KRA PIN, phone number, county, sub-county, and postal address. In the case of a company, you must present both the Certificate of Incorporation and the company KRA pin. 
• You will receive the password you will use to access your TIMS account after establishing it. In case you have forgotten your password or you want to change it, you should reset your password on the portal.

How to get a Kenyan logbook replacement

 Once the TIMS account has been successfully set up, follow these steps to replace the lost logbook:

•  Use the username, ID number, certificate of incorporation, alien ID, or diplomatic ID number to access your TIMS account. After submitting the password, select “Get Code”. You will receive a six-digit code at the phone number you provided during account registration. 
• Go to “Create New” and select the “Apply for Duplicate Logbook” option. The ‘Apply’ button should be clicked when the registration number of the car whose logbook is missing is displayed. The information about the vehicle will be displayed on a new page. Select either SMS or email as your notification method. selecting the counter collection office Choose ‘Lost’ under “Reason of Duplicate Logbook” in the section. 
• Enter the ID number or Alien ID of the authorized person to collect and click on ‘Inquire’. Enter the mobile number of the person authorized to collect the logbook, if it does not appear automatically. Upload the police abstract, tape lift, and sworn affidavit by clicking the “file upload” button Once the files have been uploaded completely, proceed to the payment section To pay for this service, choose the payment method which suits you best from the options available. Click on the “complete” button after making the payment.
• An invoice will be generated by the system as proof of the payment. Print and keep it. If the application is successful, you will be notified via phone or email that the vehicle has passed the application for a duplicate logbook. A message will be sent to the phone number or email of the authorized person to collect the logbook when it is ready for collection. 

The processing charge for duplicate logbooks is Kshs. 2500. It is important to note that the service carries a Kshs. 50 convenience fee. Sending money to the NTSA pay bill number will also result in additional mobile money transfer fees. 

The processing period varies depending on a variety of criteria, including the center of collection and the number of due duplicate logbook applications, but it typically takes seven days. 

If you want to know if your application has been accepted by NTSA, you can check its status. You can only verify the status of the logbook by logging into your TIMS account, which is your sole available tool. Until it is handled by NTSA officials, the status will say “Waiting for NTSA approval”. Until it says “Waiting to dispatch logbook” or “Waiting to print logbook,” keep monitoring the status. You can now pick up your logbook by going to the collecting center. 

If you chose the Nairobi counter collecting office and are unsure of where to pick up your logbook, you must go to the NTSA headquarters in Upper Hill. In the city, there isn’t a single other logbook collection. When visiting the NTSA office, the authorized individual to pick up the logbook should bring their original ID and the prior logbook.

If you have lost your logbook, there is no need to panic. All you have to do to replace a lost logbook in Kenya is scan the aforementioned documents and follow the steps above. The process is simple, and depending on the center of collection you selected, you may just have to wait a few days or weeks to pick up the logbook.