How to check a used car's service history in Kenya
Checked 23 September 2026
The short answer
Ask the seller for the service book and receipts, check the mileage goes up with every entry, call the garages named on them, and run an NTSA copy of records on eCitizen to confirm who owns the car. The NTSA search covers ownership, not servicing, so you need both. Then have a mechanic look at the car.
Step by step
- 01
Ask for the paperwork
Service book, job cards and receipts. Photos are fine to start with. If the seller says it was always serviced at the dealer, they should be able to show you a few of those visits.
- 02
Put it in date order and check the mileage
The odometer reading should go up every time. A later visit with fewer kilometres than an earlier one is a red flag, either a wound-back odometer or paperwork from a different car.
- 03
Look for gaps and repeats
A year or more with nothing, or the same fault fixed again and again (brakes every few months, overheating that keeps coming back), is worth asking about.
- 04
Call the garage
Phone the workshop on the receipt, give them the number plate and the date, and ask if they did that job. Most will tell you.
- 05
Run an NTSA copy of records
Log in to eCitizen, open the NTSA service, choose motor vehicle copy of records, enter the plate or chassis number and pay. It shows the registered owner, chassis and engine numbers, make, model, year of manufacture, registration date and caveat status. Check the chassis number matches the car in front of you.
- 06
Get the car inspected
Paperwork tells you what was done. A mechanic you trust tells you what state it is in now. Do this before any money changes hands.
If the seller uses GarageStacks
They can send you a link to the car's record. Each line shows whether the owner typed it or a garage confirmed it, and the condition read points out long gaps between services and faults that keep coming back.
It is a private record, not a government document. Use it alongside the NTSA search and an inspection, not instead of them.
Questions
Does the NTSA search show service history?
No. It shows ownership and registration details: the owner, chassis and engine numbers, make, model, year and caveat status. Servicing comes from the seller's paperwork and the garages that did the work.
How much does an NTSA vehicle search cost?
About KSh 550 for a copy of records on eCitizen when we last checked. The fee can change, so confirm it on eCitizen before you pay.
What does a caveat on a car mean?
Someone has registered an interest or restriction on the car, for example a lender or a dispute. Don't pay for the car until you know what it is and it has been cleared.
What if the seller has no service records?
It doesn't mean the car is bad, but you are buying on the inspection alone. Price it that way, and budget for a full service straight after you buy.
Selling a car? Keep its history in one place so the buyer can check it.
Sources: NTSA copy of records via eCitizen (Kenyans.co.ke) · NTSA service portal