A new job brings excitement, and it is easy to forget the loose ends from the old one. Missing papers or unpaid dues are much easier to fix in the first weeks than a year later, when the HR officer has changed and nobody remembers your file. Work through this checklist before and after your last day.

Before you leave

Start with the paperwork you will need. Ask your employer for a copy of your contract, your latest payslips and a letter confirming your dates of employment and your role. Check your notice period in the contract, and read probation, contracts and notice periods in Kenya so you give notice correctly. Resigning without proper notice can reduce what you are owed.

Work out your final dues

When employment ends, several amounts may be payable: unpaid salary for days worked, pay for unused annual leave, any notice pay and, in some cases, other terminal benefits. Our checklist of what you are owed when you resign lists each item. For leave, see annual leave rights and leave pay in Kenya.

Write down your own calculation before the final payslip arrives so you can compare. If you were made redundant instead, read how redundancy and severance pay are taxed and test the numbers with the severance pay calculator. Some payments on leaving are taxed differently, and the terminal dues tax calculator shows how.

Collect your tax documents

Your employer must give you a P9 form at the end of the year, and it is sensible to ask for it, or for a statement of pay and tax deducted so far, when you leave mid-year. You will need both P9 forms, one from each employer, to file a correct return. Filing your employment return with a P9 explains how the two combine, and tax when you have two jobs covers the overlap if you start before the old one ends.

Check your contributions

Ask for statements showing that your NSSF, SHIF and Housing Levy contributions were paid up to your last month. Check your NSSF record directly rather than relying on the payslip. How to check your NSSF, SHIF and Housing Levy are being paid shows what to look for. A gap in your history is much easier to correct while the old employer still has your file.

Give your new employer what they need

Your new employer will ask for your KRA PIN, your ID, your NSSF and SHIF details and your bank account. Provide your PIN certificate, not just the number, and make sure your iTax profile lists the new employer correctly. If your details have changed, follow how to update your KRA PIN details. Check the first payslip carefully against how to spot mistakes on your payslip.

Watch for a tax code or relief mismatch

Make sure your new employer applies personal relief and any insurance relief once, not twice. If you are claiming insurance relief, tell payroll early. See how to claim insurance relief on PAYE. If both employers applied relief in the same year, check your total on your return.

Keep your own file

Create a folder for the job you are leaving containing the contract, payslips, the P9, the exit letter and any proof of payment of final dues. The tax records checklist and document log provides a simple list. Keep these records for at least five years.

Pension and savings

If you were in a company pension or provident scheme, ask what happens to your balance. You may be able to leave it where it is, transfer it or withdraw it, but the tax treatment depends on your age and how long it has been invested; read pension withdrawal tax: what changed before you decide.

A short sequence to follow

Give notice in writing, collect your documents, check your final dues, confirm contributions and give your new employer your details. Then review your first two payslips. A few careful steps now save a long chase later.

A timeline you can follow

Two weeks before you leave, request your documents and confirm your notice. On your last day, return company property and collect a clearance letter. Within the first week of the new job, give your PIN and bank details. After the first payslip, check the figures. At the end of the year, make sure you hold a P9 from each employer. Following the same order every time makes the move smooth and keeps your tax history clean.