News and Analysis
June 30, 2026
The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) launched the E-Certificate platform that allows former KCPE and KCSE candidates to download digital copies of certificates.
Unlike the previous process that required applicants to physically present their certificates or apply for replacements after loss or damage, the platform enables users to generate a secure digital certificate that can also be verified by employers and institutions.
Before downloading your certificate, one is required to register in the portal.
1. To get started, visit the KNEC website and select the E-Certificate portal.
2. Click sign up/register and choose Applicant (Student/Alumni) as your account type.
3. During registration, you will be required to enter your full name and provide a valid email address.
4. Enter the OTP, which will be sent to your email to complete registration. If you already have an account, simply log in using your email address and request an OTP to access your dashboard. The OTP expires after 10 minutes if not used.
5. Once logged in, click update your profile on your dashboard. You will be required to provide your citizenship, full name as it appears on your National ID, email address, date of birth, phone number, and ID number. You can also provide a profile photo, but that is optional.
6. After reviewing the information, the system will automatically verify your identity against the Integrated Population Registration System (IPRS). After that you can then proceed to download your certificate.
After your profile has been verified, click Generate E-Certificate. The system will ask for your examination details examination index number, examination type (KCSE or KCPE) and examination year ( for example 2013)
Your personal details, including your name, National ID, phone number and date of birth, will already be populated from your profile.
The portal then carries out two automatic checks which is the identity verification through IPRS and certificate lookup in the KNEC database using your index number, examination type and year.
If either verification fails, you will need to review your details before trying again.
Once your details have been successfully verified, proceed to payment.
According to KNEC, the certificate generation fee is Ksh1,200 plus a 16% VAT and applicable eCitizen service charges as the payment is processed through the eCitizen platform.
Applicants can pay using M-Pesa (via STK Push), Visa or Mastercard or any other payment option available on eCitizen.
For M-Pesa users, an STK Push notification will be sent to the registered phone number. After entering the M-Pesa PIN, payment confirmation is typically completed within 10 to 30 seconds.
After payment has been confirmed, click Download Certificate, and the system will generate a PDF copy that opens in a new browser tab.
The downloaded certificate includes a blockchain verification hash designed to help institutions confirm its authenticity.
KNEC notes that the downloaded certificate remains available in the ‘My Certificates’ section for six months from the date of issue.
After six months, the certificate history remains visible, but the download option is disabled. Applicants who need another copy after this period will be required to generate a fresh certificate and pay the applicable fee again.
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