KRA iTax Downtime Waiver: What to Do If You Were Charged Penalties in September 2026
By Kelvin Kibet | October 1, 2026
If you tried to file a return or make a tax payment in September but could not complete the process because iTax was unavailable, KRA has announced a waiver for penalties and interest that arose from verified system downtime.
What KRA Announced
KRA said intermittent iTax downtime affected normal return-filing and payment services during September 2026. The Authority says penalties and interest attributable to the verified downtime period will be waived under the Tax Procedures Act.
Do You Need to Apply?
KRA’s notice says it will undertake the necessary system processes to identify and waive charges attributable to the verified downtime. Taxpayers should therefore first check their iTax ledger before assuming a separate application is required.
What You Should Check
- Log in to iTax and review the relevant tax period.
- Compare the filing or payment due date with the downtime period.
- Check whether penalties or interest remain on your ledger.
- Keep payment receipts, screenshots or other records if you experienced an error.
- Contact KRA if a charge you believe resulted from the downtime remains unresolved.
The Waiver Is Not a General Penalty Cancellation
The notice applies to penalties and interest linked to the verified iTax downtime. It does not automatically cancel unrelated tax liabilities or penalties from other periods.
Keep Evidence of the Failed Attempt
If you encountered an error during the downtime, keep any screenshot, email, payment instruction or system message that shows when you tried to file or pay. KRA said it would identify affected cases through system processes, but supporting evidence is useful if your account is not corrected automatically.
Check the Correct Tax Obligation
Review the specific return or payment that was due during the affected period. A penalty on a different tax obligation or from an earlier filing period may not be related to the September downtime and may require a separate explanation or objection.
What to Do if the Charge Remains
If the penalty or interest is still showing after KRA has processed the waiver, contact the Authority using an official support channel and provide the tax period, obligation, payment reference and any evidence of the system problem.
Do not rely on screenshots circulating on social media to determine whether your account qualifies. The final position is the tax ledger and communication from KRA.
