KFCB ISSUES COMPLIANCE NOTICE TO FILMMAKERS

The Kenya Film Classification Board (KFCB) has issued a compliance notice to all filmmakers, distributors, broadcasters and exhibitors regarding their obligations under the Films and Stage Plays Act (Cap. 222).

The Board has reminded industry players that it is a regulatory State Corporation established under the Act to regulate the creation, broadcasting, possession, distribution, and exhibition of film and audiovisual content in the country. 

This regulation is to ensure that all content conforms to Kenya’s culture and national values, as well as protecting consumers especially children and vulnerable sections of society from exposure to inappropriate material.

In the notice, the Board wishes to remind all filmmakers that Section 4 of the Act requires every filmmaker to obtain a filming licence from the Board prior to undertaking any filming activities within the Republic of Kenya.

Furthermore, Sections 13 and 14 of the Act require that all films and related promotional materials, including posters and trailers, be submitted to theBoard for examination and classification before they are distributed, broadcast or exhibited to thepublic.

The Board has noted with concern that a number of filmmakers have been unable to commercially exploit their work or showcase them in film festivals due to non-compliance with filming, distribution, and exhibition requirements. This has denied them the opportunity to earn income from their films.

In order to facilitate compliance, the Board hereby grants a 3-month grace period from 4th March to 4th June 2026 for the submission of films produced from 2018 to date that may not have complied with the statutory requirements. Filmmakers are therefore encouraged to take advantage of this window to obtain the necessary approvals to lawfully distribute and monetise their works.

The Board issued a warning regarding the consequences of non-compliance once the window closes. “Upon the lapse of this notice, any film that will not have been duly licensed and classified for age appropriateness shall not be distributed, broadcast, or exhibited to the public,” read the statement. “Contravention of the same shall be dealt with in accordance with the law.”