Requirements to Open a Till Number in Kenya

Applying for a Buy Goods and Services Account

So, you have started a company or a small business, opened a bank account and ready to start making money.

Now you are contemplating on how to receive money other than through bank deposit or cheque.

You remember a friend telling you about how his clients pay him through Safaricom’s Lipa Na Mpesa.

Now you decide that Lipa na Mpesa is your go-to payment solution, but you can’t seem to know the difference between the two options in Lipa na Mpesa.

And you wonder; Do you go for a Pay Bill Number? Or is the Till Number (Buy Goods and Services) best for you?

After a search on Google, you find an article explaining the difference between the two. And finally, you decide to go for the former – Buy Goods and Services.

Main Differences between Safaricom’s Till Number and Pay Bill Number

• • For a Till Number, the receiving Company or Business pays for the transaction while in the case of Pay Bill number, the customer pays the fee.
  • To access the Pay Bill on M-PESA Menu (Lipa Na M-PESA), you select Pay Bill while Till is accessed by selecting Buy Goods and Services.
  • With Pay Bill Number the user has a relationship with the collecting or receiving Company or Organization. One has to enter a Mandatory “Account Number”. With a Buy Goods and Services Number, you don’t need a user “Account Number”.

The next question that bothers you is what you need to register a Lipa Na Mpesa Buy Goods and Services Number for your Private Limited Company. Safaricom center is quite far and you don’t have much commuting time.

While browsing the web for a solution, you come across an article by Treasured Consulting Kenya with a comprehensive list of what you need. It saves you time.

Who can apply for a Buy Goods and Services Account Number

• • Sole Proprietors.
  • Individuals.
  • Limited Liability Companies.
  • Firms and Partnerships.
  • Churches (Branches of main churches can apply for the service too).
  • NGO’s (Non-Governmental Organizations).

Requirements for a Buy Goods and Services for a Limited Liability Company.

• • A Completed M-PESA Service Application Form and Terms & Conditions – Filled and Signed. (Downloadable Here).
  • Company’s and Directors’ KRA Pin Certificates.
  • A copy of a valid (30 Days validity) CR12.
  • Business photo or Utility bill to confirm its existence.
  • Copies of IDs of the Director(s) – National ID, Passport, Military Service Number, or Alien Certificate for foreigners)
  • A letter from your bank confirming Company’s account details or canceled cheque in case you wish to link your Till Number to Bank Account.
  • A stamped copy of the company’s certificate of incorporation
  • A Company sealed/original Stamped Board Resolution letter on a Company letterhead signed by at least two directors of the Company within 30 days stating;
  • Authority or go-ahead to open a Buy Goods and Services Number on behalf of the Company.
  • Nominated persons/Signatories to the account – Attach copies of their ID.
  • Bank Details (In case you intend to link the Buy Goods and Services account to the Company’s bank account).
  • The nominated Safaricom Mobile Number for fund withdrawal requests.

After filling the required forms and preparing the necessary documents, you schedule a day to visit the Safaricom center.

On this day, you submit your application for a “Buy Goods and Services Account” and after the approval, you are issued with a number.

From there you call your website designer and request them to update the checkout page with the Buy Goods and Services Option.

After a few days, you starting receiving payments through the platform. Your customers start giving you positive feedback for the convenience.

Your company grows and you become a happy business person!