CA Announces New System to Align Aircraft Radio Licenses with Airworthiness Certification

The Authority, in collaboration with the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA), has announced new conditions on how aircraft radio licenses will be issued and renewed effective July, 1st 2026.

The Authority, in a public notice, said the move is aimed at strengthening safety compliance in the aviation sector. In the new move, aircraft radio license validity will no longer follow the traditional June 30 annual expiry date. Instead, licenses will now be synchronized with the validity period of each aircraft’s Certificate of Airworthiness (COA).

The change is also intended to ensure that aircraft operators maintain up-to-date documentation across both regulatory bodies simultaneously.

To facilitate a smooth transition, the Authority outlined a phased approach. After the current licenses expire on June 30, 2026, operators who pay the required annual fees will receive a temporary license valid until 30 days after their aircraft’s existing COA expires.

This one-time grace period is designed to give operators adequate time to renew their COA with KCAA before applying for a newly aligned aircraft radio license.

Once operators submit a renewed COA,  CA will issue a fresh aircraft radio license valid for 12 months and aligned directly with the COA’s validity period. The Authority clarified that no additional frequency fees will be charged for this second issuance within the same financial year.

Going forward, all aircraft radio licenses will follow a standard 12-month renewal cycle tied to the COA. A built-in 30-day buffer will remain in place to allow operators sufficient time to complete renewals without falling out of compliance.