Nairobi — Thousands of building contractors risk being struck off the official register and barred from operating after the National Construction Authority (NCA) issued a final warning to firms that have failed to renew their licences for two consecutive years.
In a public notice issued on Tuesday, the NCA said contractors who have not paid their annual subscription fees for the last two years, as of January 1, 2026, will be deleted from the national register in line with the law.
The move is anchored in Section 25 of the National Construction Authority Act, which empowers the regulator to deregister contractors who default on annual licence renewals. Once removed, such contractors cannot be registered again under a different name.
"Contractors who have not renewed their Annual Practising Licences for two consecutive years now stand to be deleted from the NCA Register of Contractors," the Authority said.
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The regulator has given affected firms until February 10, 2026, to clear all outstanding fees and regularise their status to avoid deregistration.
Beyond payment of fees, contractors must also meet professional development requirements.
The NCA said renewal of licences will only be processed for contractors who have accrued at least 10 Continuous Professional Development (CPD) points, obtained through participation in NCA or NCA-accredited training seminars, as required under the 2014 regulations.
"All renewals shall be processed through the NCA online portal," the Authority stated.
NCA Executive Director and Registrar of Contractors, Eng. Maurice Akech, said the enforcement drive is part of efforts to professionalise the construction sector and ensure only compliant firms participate in public and private projects.
The crackdown comes amid ongoing concerns over poor workmanship, stalled projects and safety lapses in the construction industry, with regulators under pressure to tighten oversight and weed out non-compliant operators.
Deletion from the register effectively locks contractors out of the formal construction market, including government and county projects, since NCA registration is a mandatory legal requirement to undertake construction works in Kenya.
Industry players have previously warned that small and medium contractors are the most affected by licence compliance costs, but the Authority maintains that regulation is necessary to safeguard public safety and improve quality standards across the sector.
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