The government has rolled out Smart Driving Licence biometric services at 15 Huduma Centres across the country, making it easier for Kenyans to access the upgraded licences.
Huduma Kenya, in a statement posted on its X platform on Friday, announced that the centres offering the service include GPO and Kibra in Nairobi, as well as Mombasa, Nyeri, Garissa, Kisumu, Machakos, Embu, Meru, Kakamega, Eldoret, Thika, Kericho, Nakuru, and Kisii.
The announcement came a day after the government issued another notice indicating that 82,506 national IDs, 57,444 driving licences, and 22,524 birth certificates are ready for collection from Huduma Centres countrywide.
“Your government documents are ready for collection. Visit any of our 59 Huduma Centres nationwide and pick them today,” the notice read in part.
Huduma Kenya explained that processing a smart driving licence takes about five days, while the issuance of a national ID or birth certificate generally takes two weeks.
Those seeking to replace lost or damaged IDs must apply online through the eCitizen portal and pay a fee of Sh1,050.
Applicants for new or replacement birth certificates are required to submit their forms online, upload the birth notification, and provide a parent’s ID number.
Any corrections to birth certificate details, such as spelling errors, must be handled through the Civil Registration office.
The update comes shortly after eCitizen Services Director General Isaac Ochieng revealed plans to introduce digital notifications for citizens whose IDs are ready.
Speaking during an interview on Radio Generation on September 4, Ochieng said the government intends to begin ID applications at birth, with parents receiving alerts when their children turn 18.
“Where we are now, if you attain the age of 18, we will notify your parents on their phone because we have their details. We will tell them that the national ID for your son or daughter is ready for collection,” Ochieng stated.
He assured that the new process would be quicker and more efficient, relying on existing parental records already captured by the government.
