A KRA compliance calendar your finance team will actually use

Why routine dates cause the most damage

Late filing and late payment penalties rarely come from a difficult tax position. They come from an ordinary deadline that nobody owned. A PAYE return due on the 9th and a VAT return due on the 20th do not look urgent until the week they fall due.

The fix is unglamorous: one shared calendar that lists every recurring obligation, who prepares it, who approves it and when the cash needs to be available.

What belongs on the calendar

Start with monthly obligations such as PAYE and VAT where they apply, then add instalment tax, annual returns, your Tax Compliance Certificate renewal and any licence or registration renewals that depend on good standing.

Work backwards from each statutory date. Set an internal preparation date three to five working days earlier, so a missing invoice or a portal problem does not become a penalty.

Make the calendar a decision tool

A good calendar also shows the amount expected each month. When finance can see a large payment coming, cash is planned for it rather than discovered on the day.