By the 254.ke Newsroom.
Kenyan mobile operators must publish a public notice before they deactivate or recycle an inactive SIM card, the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) told Parliament on October 6, 2026. A line that goes without calls, texts, data or airtime top-ups for three months enters a notification phase, and it cannot be recycled until about six months have passed in total. Subscribers can check their number’s status through a USSD code and ask for protection if they expect to be off the network for a long stretch.
What did the CA tell Parliament on SIM card deactivation?
CA Director General David Mugonyi was responding to a question from Thomas Kerongo about how Safaricom handles dormant lines. He said operators must use the contact details held in their Know Your Customer (KYC) records to reach subscribers before any number is touched.
“The notice includes a USSD means for all members of the public to check the status of their numbers,” Mugonyi said, according to People Daily. He also acknowledged a gap: incomplete registration data, partly because of customer reluctance and inconsistent agents, makes it harder for operators to find the owner of a dormant number. The CA is weighing a shift of SIM registration from agents to the mobile operators themselves.
How long before an inactive SIM is deactivated in Kenya?
The rules come from guidelines that took effect on September 19, 2026, after a March 2026 High Court ruling that treated a phone number as a digital identity tied to banking and mobile money. Reports on the guidelines describe the timeline this way:
| Stage | What happens |
|---|---|
| Months 1-3 | No calls, SMS, data, airtime top-up or value-added services on the line. The number is flagged as inactive. |
| Months 4-6 | The operator must try to contact the registered owner and publish lists of affected numbers. Pulse reports lists must appear 30 days before this period ends, and the number can still be reactivated in that window. |
| After about six months | The number becomes eligible for recycling. |
Techweez reports that operators must publish the lists quarterly on their websites, in the media and in national newspapers. Because the CA’s statement to Parliament and the written guidelines describe the thresholds in slightly different words, check your own operator’s notice for the exact dates that apply to your line.
How do I check if my number faces deactivation?
Techweez reports that the code is *106#. The CA told Parliament that each notice must carry a USSD route for the public to check a number’s status, so confirm the code printed in your operator’s own notice before relying on it.
The simplest way to keep a line alive is any revenue-generating activity: a call, an SMS, a data bundle or a small airtime top-up. Receiving a call or message alone may not count, so a small purchase is the safer route for a spare SIM.
Who can have a number protected (whitelisted)?
- Subscribers serving prison sentences or on remand for more than six months, through a list from the Commissioner General of Prisons.
- People who expect to be unable to use the line for a long period, including because of illness or travel, by presenting identification at an operator’s office.
- Caregivers or authorised relatives acting for an incapacitated or deceased account holder, with the right documents.
Techweez reports that whitelisting lasts one year and can be renewed if the number stays inactive.
What happens to my data and M-Pesa if my number is recycled?
The guidelines require operators to securely archive the previous owner’s personal data, cached data and linked services so the next holder cannot inherit them. Pulse reports operators must also delink a recycled number from earlier opted-in business-to-customer messages, so the new owner is not signed up for marketing by default.
That matters because many Kenyans tie bank alerts, M-Pesa and other mobile money accounts to one line. If you rely on a number that you rarely use, link it to a recurring activity or ask your operator about whitelisting before the notice window closes. For related risks, see our explainer on how SIM-swap fraud works in Kenya, our look at WhatsApp Business charges in Kenya and the National Payment System Bill draft changes.
FAQ: Kenya inactive SIM card rules
Will my SIM be deactivated without warning?
No. Operators must try to contact you through your registered details and publish public notices before a number is recycled.
How long can a SIM stay unused in Kenya?
Three months without activity flags a line, and recycling cannot happen until roughly six months in total have passed, after the notification period.
Can I get my number back after the notice?
Pulse reports reactivation is possible during the 30-day window before the notice period ends. After recycling, the number may go to someone else.
Does the rule apply to M-Pesa lines?
The ruling behind the guidelines recognised numbers as digital identities linked to financial services, so a dormant line carrying mobile money should be treated with the same care. Ask your operator about your specific account.
The CA publishes its consumer guidance and operator notices at ca.go.ke. This article reflects reporting as of October 7, 2026.
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