NAIROBI, Kenya, June 2 – Motorists across Kenya will now be able to settle minor traffic offences without appearing in court under a new digital enforcement framework that the government says will improve road safety, enhance compliance and reduce pressure on the country’s traffic courts.
The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) announced that the modernized enforcement system for minor traffic offences took effect on June 1, 2026, following a review conducted jointly with the Office of the Attorney General, the National Police Service (NPS), the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), the Judiciary and other enforcement agencies.
The framework, anchored under Section 117 of the Traffic Act and the Traffic (Minor Offences) Rules, 2016, introduces a notification-based system that allows motorists to pay prescribed fines for minor offences without an immediate court appearance.
The move marks a significant shift in traffic law enforcement and comes as the government increasingly adopts digital technologies to improve service delivery and strengthen compliance across the transport sector.
“Under the new framework, motorists who commit any of the offences listed in the Traffic (Minor Offences) Rules 2016 will no longer need to appear in court immediately. Instead, they may receive a Police Notification of Traffic Offence.”
“Offences can be detected either by police officers during routine enforcement or electronically via traffic cameras and other digital monitoring systems.”
According to NTSA, notifications may be delivered physically by police officers, attached to vehicles or sent electronically through SMS, email and approved digital enforcement platforms.
The authority said motorists should ensure that their contact information in the NTSA registration database is accurate and up to date to facilitate communication and compliance.
Each notification will contain details of the alleged offence, including the date, time and location of the violation, the applicable penalty, payment instructions and response timelines.
Drivers who receive notices will have the option of admitting liability and paying the prescribed fine or contesting the allegations in court.
The authority noted that courts will retain oversight powers, including the ability to reduce or refund penalties based on mitigating circumstances and impose demerit points where applicable.
However, NTSA warned that failure to respond to notifications, pay fines or attend court when required could attract stricter penalties imposed by the courts.
The authority emphasized that motorists will have the right to access evidence supporting alleged offences, including photographs and video recordings captured by enforcement systems.
To address privacy concerns arising from increased use of digital monitoring technologies, NTSA said all personal information collected under the system will be handled in accordance with the Constitution and the Data Protection Act.
