What you need to register a company, and what happens after

Registering a company in South Africa is quicker than many people expect. The part that catches people out is what needs to happen afterwards.

What you need

You need certified copies of each director's ID, residential addresses, contact details and beneficial ownership details. If you want a name, you can propose up to four names in one application.

Names

Name reservation costs R50 online or R75 manually, and the fee is non-refundable even if names are declined. You do not have to have a name: a company may register without one and use its registration number, then change the name later.

Fees

On BizPortal, registration costs R125 without a name, or R175 with a reserved name. A customised Memorandum of Incorporation costs R425 at CIPC, and a non-profit company costs R475. Most small companies use the standard MOI.

When it is official

A company is only registered once CIPC issues the registration certificate, known as the CoR14.3. The official turnaround on BizPortal is one to three working days. In practice it is often two to seven.

What happens after

This is where many new owners get stuck. After registering, you still need to register the company with SARS for tax, file beneficial ownership information with CIPC, plan for annual returns each year, and open a business bank account. If you want government work, you will also need a CSD registration.

None of these are difficult on their own, but they need details to match exactly across CIPC, SARS and the bank.

What to do now

Decide whether you need a name now or can register first. Gather certified IDs and addresses for each director. Plan the steps after registration so the company is ready to trade.

If you would like us to register the company and handle the steps that follow, our Registration plus bundle covers them together.