NITA trade test in Kenya: how to register, book and pass, and how to get your certificate

Source: NITA, undated

Source: The Kenya Times, 2026

You book a NITA trade test by filling in the prescribed booking form at a NITA booking outlet, then sitting the test in the series for your grade. NITA runs the tests three times a year, in April, August and December, and each series lasts about two weeks at approved testing centres. This guide uses NITA's own pages, a public notice, a news report and one third-party guide. Checked on 26 October 2026, some details still do not match across sources, and we say so below.

Source: NITA, undated

Trade testing is how NITA checks what an artisan or apprentice can actually do in a trade. NITA describes it as a systematic way of evaluating those skills to confirm the competencies a person has in a given trade area. The Industrial Training Act gives NITA the job of conducting trade tests and issuing the certificates.

Source: NITA, undated

Passing is a separate question from sitting the test. The NITA pages we read explain the route, the booking form and the series, but they do not describe the marking criteria. We cannot tell you what examiners look for, so this guide sticks to the booking, dates, fees and certificate steps that the sources do confirm.

Source: NITA, undated

Who qualifies for a trade test?

The grade you are attempting decides which series you sit. NITA lists the April series for candidates attempting Grade I, II and III. The August series is for Grade II and Grade I, and the December series is for Grade III. Grade III is the usual starting point in the conventional route, with Grade II and Grade I following it.

Source: NITA, undated

Source: Newton Institute of Technology, 2026

Experienced workers have another route. Recognition of Prior Learning assesses skills you gained through work, so you do not have to take a course first.

Source: Newton Institute of Technology, 2026

We could not confirm what work-experience evidence industrial candidates need. NITA's pages we read do not say, so check the official NITA site before you apply.

How to book a NITA trade test

NITA's booking system is at portal.nita.go.ke/booking. We could not find a published step-by-step guide for it, so the steps below follow NITA's trade testing page and the sign-up screen of the booking system.

1. Open the booking system and choose Register Now if you do not have an account yet.
2. Fill in the prescribed booking form. NITA accepts it at every booking outlet in the country.
3. Write the postal address where you want your certificate sent, because printed certificates go to that address.
4. Attach the supporting documents. NITA checks your form against them and against the minimum requirements before it accepts the booking.
5. Sit the test in the series for your grade at an approved NITA testing centre. Each series runs for about two weeks.
6. Wait for your results. NITA enters them into its database, then prints the certificates and posts them.

Source: NITA, undated

Source: NITA, undated

Some parts of online booking are unconfirmed. Some guides say you can apply and pay through eCitizen, but NITA's own pages we read do not confirm this. Checked on 26 October 2026, check the official NITA site before you pay anything.

The 2026 booking window is also unconfirmed. The NITA trade testing page is undated and refers to older series, so its booking dates may be out of date. Check the official NITA site for the deadline for each series.

When are the NITA trade tests in 2026?

NITA released its official 2026 training and assessment dates in January 2026, according to The Kenya Times. The table below shows the government trade test series as that report gives them.

Source: The Kenya Times, 2026

The December dates do not match across sources. Newton Institute of Technology gives 1 to 18 December for the same series, citing a 2026 circular. Checked on 26 October 2026, we could not settle which date is right, so confirm the final dates with NITA before you plan around them.

Source: Newton Institute of Technology, 2026

Training dates for demand-based industrial programmes are agreed between the training centre and the employer. Assessment dates for Recognition of Prior Learning and other skills upgrading programmes were not set in the January notice, and NITA will issue them later.

Source: The Kenya Times, 2026

How much is the NITA exam fee?

A third-party guide gives the exam fees below and says it cites NITA sources. We did not find a current fee list on NITA's own pages, so treat these figures as unconfirmed for 2026.

Source: Newton Institute of Technology, 2026

Replacement fees are clearer. If you lose or damage a trade test certificate, you pay KSh 5,000 into NITA accounts. You must also submit documents that NITA can match against its records.

Source: NITA, undated

If you need help with the cost of training, read our HELB loans guide.

Where is the NITA headquarters located?

NITA's head office is on Commercial Street, Industrial Area, Nairobi. The public notice on booking and registration of government trade tests gives this address.

Source: NITA, undated

What are the NITA deductions in Kenya?

We could not find any NITA page that explains deductions or the industrial training levy. The trade testing and booking pages we read do not cover this topic, so we will not guess a rate. Check the official NITA site, or call the public hotline on +254 753 244 676.

Source: NITA, undated

How long do NITA results and certificates take?

NITA's pages we read do not give a timeline for results. After marking, NITA enters the results into its database and prints certificates, which are sent to the address on your booking form. Check that address before you submit the form.

Source: NITA, undated

A third-party guide mentions a six-month service period for trade test certificates, citing a NITA FAQ. We could not tell from that quote what the period covers, so ask NITA before you rely on it.

Source: Newton Institute of Technology, 2026

Key figures to cite

• NITA is mandated under the Industrial Training Act to conduct trade testing and issue certificates.

Source: NITA, undated

• NITA holds trade tests three times a year, in April, August and December.

Source: NITA, undated

• The August 2026 series ran from 10 to 22 August and covered 21,801 candidates in 46 trades at 512 centres.

Source: Newton Institute of Technology, 2026

• A lost or defaced trade test certificate costs KSh 5,000 to replace.

Source: NITA, undated

• Trade test certificates carry a six-month service period, according to a NITA FAQ cited by a third-party guide.

Source: Newton Institute of Technology, 2026

• The public hotline for NITA is +254 753 244 676.

Source: NITA, undated

• NITA reports more than 500 approved testing institutions and workplaces across Kenya.

Source: Newton Institute of Technology, 2026

Read next

• KMTC courses, fees and intakes
• Online jobs that pay through M-Pesa
• KUCCPS application and cluster points
• How many schools are in Kenya?

Looking for a school? Search every school on the register or find schools near you. We explain how the register is built on the methodology page.

Questions people ask

What courses are offered at NITA?

We did not find a NITA source that lists the courses it offers, so we cannot list them here. The trade testing pages we read cover grades and series, not a course catalogue. Check the official NITA site for current courses.

Which course is marketable right now?

We found no source that ranks trades or courses by demand. Checked on 26 October 2026, we will not name a most marketable trade without evidence. For college courses with fees and intake months, see our KMTC courses guide.

What is the best course to study in 2026?

The sources we checked do not say which course is best. The right choice depends on the grade you are aiming for, your interests and the training options near you. Start with the official NITA trade testing page and ask the hotline about your grade.

How do I get a replacement NITA certificate?

Pay the KSh 5,000 replacement fee into NITA accounts. Submit documents that NITA can match against its records, so it can confirm the certificate is authentic.

Source: NITA, undated

Can I download a NITA certificate online?

No source we read describes a download or verification process. The NITA pages we read say printed certificates are posted to the address on your booking form. Ask NITA directly how to get a copy.

Source: NITA, undated

Where can I find NITA trade test past papers?

We found no official NITA source that publishes trade test past papers, questions or PDFs. The NITA site names an Assessors portal, but the pages we read give no booking steps for it. Check the official NITA site before you trust any download.