eTIMS for car washes in Kenya
KRA expects every business to issue its invoices through eTIMS, and the companies that bring their cars to you need an eTIMS invoice to claim the expense. Suds, on request, reports each sale to KRA in the background and prints KRA's invoice number on the receipt, so compliance happens at the counter instead of at month end.
What eTIMS is
eTIMS is KRA's electronic Tax Invoice Management System. Instead of a paper invoice book, each sale is sent to KRA as it happens and KRA gives it a number that anyone can check. Since 2024, KRA expects businesses to issue invoices through eTIMS whether or not they are registered for VAT.
For a car wash this matters in two places: your own tax records, and your business customers. A company, taxi operator or government office can only claim a car wash expense that is backed by a valid eTIMS invoice. Without it, your fleet customers have a reason to go elsewhere.
Why it is hard at a car wash counter
A car wash makes many small sales a day, often in a rush, often in cash and M-Pesa. Typing each one into a separate KRA app or portal after the fact means two records that drift apart, invoices issued late and hours of catching up.
The easy way is for the invoice to come from the same record the cashier already makes: the car, the services and the payment.
How Suds handles eTIMS
With eTIMS switched on for your business, every paid sale in Suds is reported to KRA in the background. The cashier does nothing extra. The customer gets their car and their receipt straight away, and KRA's invoice number is added to the receipt.
If KRA or the internet is slow or down, the counter never waits. The sale is queued and sent as soon as KRA answers, minutes or hours later, and retried until it goes through.
Refunds and cancelled sales are sent to KRA as credit notes, so your KRA record matches what really happened, and the tax on each sale is split the way KRA expects.
eTIMS and fleet accounts
Fleet and company customers usually pay monthly. Suds keeps their cars on an account with a credit limit and makes a numbered invoice at the end of the month, so their accounts department gets both the statement and the KRA invoices it needs. See fleet and corporate accounts.
Getting started
eTIMS is set up per business on request. Tell us your KRA PIN when you send a request, and we switch eTIMS on with you once your business is ready. Check your own tax obligations with KRA or your accountant. Weighing up systems? See what to check before you buy car wash software.
Questions
Does Suds support KRA eTIMS?
Yes, on request. Each sale is reported to KRA in the background and KRA's invoice number prints on the receipt.
Do I need eTIMS if I am not registered for VAT?
KRA expects businesses to issue eTIMS invoices whether or not they are VAT-registered. Check your own case with KRA or your accountant.
What happens if KRA's system is down?
The counter keeps selling. Suds queues the sale and sends it to KRA when KRA answers again.
Are refunds handled?
Yes. A refund or cancelled sale is sent to KRA as a credit note.
Why do my company customers ask for eTIMS invoices?
Because a business can only claim an expense that is backed by a valid eTIMS invoice.
Get Suds at your business
Your first month is on us, so you can test Suds before you commit. Leave your details: we reply the same day and set it up with you. Every feature on this page is in the app today.
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