Credit note
A document reducing the value of an invoice already issued, referencing that original invoice.
Also called
You will also see this written as credit memo. Kenyan businesses use these interchangeably in conversation even where the underlying things differ, which is worth knowing when someone tells you what you need.
Where you meet this
You issue a credit note when an invoice you already sent out was too high: goods came back, a price was wrong, a delivery was short. It references the original rather than replacing it, so the pair explains what happened. For distributors and bakeries, where stock comes back as a matter of routine, credit notes are daily work rather than an exception.
What it sits alongside
In Kenyan business records credit note sits alongside Tax invoice, eTIMS and VAT. The pages for each explain how they connect.
Related terms
Common questions
What does Credit note mean in Kenya?
A document reducing the value of an invoice already issued, referencing that original invoice.
Is Credit note the same as credit memo?
In everyday use Kenyan businesses treat these as the same thing. A document reducing the value of an invoice already issued, referencing that original invoice.
How do I know this information is current?
Tax rules in Kenya change with each Finance Act and with regulations made during the year. Before acting on any figure, deadline or threshold, check the current position on KRA's own website.
Sources
- officialValue Added Tax Act, 2013 (Act No. 35 of 2013) — National Council for Law Reporting (Kenya Law), checked 2026-09-18
- officialKenya Revenue Authority — Kenya Revenue Authority, checked 2026-09-18