Planning a wedding, roadshow, night event or religious gathering in Nairobi may now come with an additional cost.

Under the Nairobi City County Finance Act, 2026, residents and organisations using amplified sound will be required to pay new noise permit fees depending on the event, location and type of activity.

The new charges include:

Weddings in residential areas — KSh20,000 per event
Weddings held in gardens — KSh10,000 per event
Roadshows — between KSh10,000 and KSh50,000, depending on the vehicle used
Churches and mosques — KSh5,000 annually
Short-term night events — up to KSh100,000
Noisy construction work — KSh20,000

For roadshows, a saloon car will attract a KSh10,000 fee, a minivan KSh30,000, while larger vehicles such as trucks and canters may be charged KSh50,000.

The changes are part of the county government’s wider effort to regulate noise pollution, especially in residential neighbourhoods where complaints involving entertainment venues, religious institutions, construction sites and private events have increased.

However, paying for a permit does not give organisers unlimited permission to make excessive noise. Events will still be expected to observe approved sound levels, operating hours and other conditions set by the relevant authorities. Failure to comply may attract penalties of up to three times the applicable permit fee.

For Nairobi residents, churches, DJs, wedding planners, promoters and roadshow operators, noise permits will now have to be included when preparing event budgets.The fee details were reported under the Nairobi City County Finance Act, 2026.