Career advice · Updated October 2026

How to Register as a Graduate Engineer With EBK: Documents, Fees and the Path to Professional Engineer

You have finished an engineering degree and the job adverts all say the same thing: “registered with the Engineers Board of Kenya”. EBK graduate engineer registration is the first step on the professional ladder for engineers in Kenya, and it is the one many fresh graduates put off for months. This guide explains who can register, what goes into the application, what it costs, and how the graduate stage leads to becoming a Professional Engineer.

What EBK registration is and why employers ask for it

The Engineers Board of Kenya (EBK) was set up under the Engineers Act, 2011 to register engineers and regulate engineering practice. The Board keeps separate registers, and the graduate engineer register is the entry level for people who hold a recognised engineering degree but have not yet built the supervised experience needed to practise on their own.

Being on the graduate register tells an employer three things: your degree has been checked by the regulator, you have agreed to be bound by the Engineers Act, and you are on the road to full professional registration. That is why county governments, state corporations and consulting firms often list it as a requirement, even for entry-level posts. If a job asks for registration “or eligibility for registration”, apply anyway and start your EBK application at the same time.

Who can register as a graduate engineer

The Engineers Rules, 2019 (Legal Notice 18 of 2019) set the requirements. Under rule 4, a person applying for registration as a graduate engineer under section 18 of the Act must:

• apply on Form EBK 3, the graduate engineer application form;
• provide certified copies of their degree certificate, or its equivalent, from a recognised university; and
• provide proof of Kenyan citizenship or permanent residence in Kenya.

All documents must be in English, and any translations must be done by competent authorities. The rules also allow the Board to ask for original certificates for authentication, request more information, or call an applicant in person for evaluation.

The practical test is whether your degree is one EBK recognises. If you studied abroad, or at a university whose programme was not accredited at the time you studied, expect closer checks. Business Radar’s guide on how to check if a professional is registered in Kenya shows how the public registers work, which is also a quick way to confirm your own entry once you are approved.

Documents you need

The note on Form EBK 3, published on EBK’s website, lists what must go with the application:

• two coloured passport-size photographs;
• a certified copy of your original degree certificate;
• a certified copy of your O-level (KCSE) certificate;
• a certified copy of your national ID card or passport.

The copies must be certified by a Commissioner of Oaths whose name and address appear in full on the rubber stamp. A stamp without a readable name and address is a common reason files are sent back, so check it before you leave the advocate’s office.

If you graduated from a foreign university, attach certified copies of your transcripts and give the university’s address or email and a contact person, so the Board can verify the degree.

The form itself asks for your personal details, academic qualifications, discipline, current employer, and your education history with dates. You also sign a declaration that you have read the Engineers Act, 2011 and will be bound by it while your name is on the register.

Fees and how to pay

EBK’s fees page lists the application fee for graduate engineers as KSh 4,000, paid through eCitizen under Engineers Board of Kenya services (ebk.ecitizen.go.ke). The fee is not refundable. Business Radar has a short guide on how to log in to your eCitizen account if you have not used it in a while.

Once registered, you pay an annual subscription. Under rule 13 of the Engineers Rules, annual licence fees fall due on 1 January every year, and the Board charges a penalty of five per cent for every calendar month on fees for a licence that has gone unrenewed for a year or longer. EBK’s annual subscription page lists KSh 4,000 a year for graduate engineers. Check the current amount on the EBK website before paying, because fees are set in the rules and can be changed.

For comparison, the same fees page lists KSh 10,000 for a Professional Engineer application and KSh 20,000 for a Consulting Engineer application.

Step by step

1. Gather your documents and get the copies certified by a Commissioner of Oaths.
2. Download Form EBK 3 from the EBK website and fill it in, in English. List every institution you attended with dates.
3. Pay the KSh 4,000 application fee on eCitizen and keep the receipt.
4. Submit the application through the channel EBK specifies on its registration page, with the receipt and certified documents.
5. Respond quickly if the Board asks for originals, more information or an interview.
6. Check the register once you are notified, and add your registration number to your CV.

From graduate engineer to Professional Engineer

The graduate register is a stage, not the end point. EBK’s professional engineer registration page sets out the next step. You must already be registered as a graduate engineer, and have at least three years of working experience from the date of that registration, gained under the supervision of a Professional Engineer. The application also asks for evidence of membership of the Institution of Engineers of Kenya (IEK), certified documents, a CV and photographs.

EBK assesses applicants through submitted work, an experience report and a professional interview that tests competence and professional maturity. In practice this means the three years count for much more if you keep records from day one:

• Keep a logbook of projects, your role, and what you designed, checked or supervised.
• Ask your supervising engineer to review your log every few months, while the work is fresh.
• Keep copies of calculations and drawings you prepared, where your employer allows it.

Graduates who skip this find it hard to write a credible experience report three years later.

Where registration helps in the job market

Registration matters most for jobs in government, roads and water agencies, county works departments, and consulting firms that bid for public contracts. Our civil engineer salary guide shows what the role pays, and the engineering jobs page lists current openings. For public service posts, read our guide on how to apply for government jobs in Kenya; many panels use competency questions, so prepare with the STAR method.

On your CV, put your EBK registration number near the top, under your name or in a short “Professional registration” line. Our free CV builder has a field for it, and the cover letter generator can mention it in your first paragraph.

Key takeaways

• Graduate engineer registration is on Form EBK 3 under rule 4 of the Engineers Rules, 2019.
• You need certified copies of your degree, KCSE certificate and ID, two passport photos, and proof of citizenship or permanent residence.
• The application fee is KSh 4,000 on eCitizen, and annual fees fall due on 1 January.
• After at least three years of supervised experience as a registered graduate, you can apply to become a Professional Engineer.

Frequently asked questions

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