FAQ

To register a new company with CIPC, you will need:

• 4 x name suggestions for the company.
• Latest ID copies of all directors and shareholders
• For ID cards, a copy of both sides (front and back) is required.
• Business physical and postal address.
• Physical and postal address of each director and shareholder.
• Contact numbers and email addresses of all directors.

For South African citizens, CIPC does not accept passports or driver’s licences — only a valid South African ID is accepted.
For foreign nationals, a valid passport is accepted as proof of identity.

Company registration timelines may vary, but the process is usually completed within 5 to 10 working days.

An annual return is a yearly report that every company or close corporation must submit to CIPC to confirm that the business is still active.

If a company does not file its annual return (and other required documents like beneficial ownership details and financial statements), CIPC may assume the business has stopped trading and can deregister it. Deregistration means the company or close corporation no longer legally exists.

Beneficial ownership means the individual/natural person who ultimately owns or controls a company, even if their name does not appear on the official share register. It refers to the individual who has the final say or benefit from the company.
Example: If Jacob holds shares through a trust or another company, Jacob is still the beneficial owner because he is the one who ultimately benefits from and controls those shares.

An individual/natural person who, directly or indirectly, ultimately owns 5% or more of a company or exercises effective control of a company.

This is required by law to ensure South Africa meets international standards for transparency and accountability, as set out in the General Laws Amendment Act 22 of 2022 (in line with the Financial Action Task Force requirements).

Only law enforcement agencies and vetted competent authorities.

No. After the implementation of the Companies Act (Act 71 of 2008), no new CCs can be registered and no conversions from companies to CCs are allowed. However, existing CCs will remain in place.

A court order must be obtained against the member who needs to be removed, in terms of Section 36 of the CC Act.

You can apply to CIPC to deregister your company or close corporation if:

• The business has stopped trading, and
• It has no assets (or not enough assets to be liquidated).

Yes. The deregistration process can be cancelled if all outstanding Annual Returns are filed with CIPC.
This must be done before the final deregistration date.

Yes. A deregistered company or close corporation can be reinstated — but only if you can provide CIPC with proof that the business is still active. This may include six months of recent bank statements or proof of property ownership in the company’s name.

Yes. A company can change its financial year end at CIPC. The following rules apply:

• A company may only change its financial year end once per financial year.
• The current financial year must not have ended yet.
• The new financial year end must be after the date the application is filed.
• The new financial year cannot make the financial year longer than 15 months.

No. The change must be filed with CIPC before the proposed new financial year end date.

A special resolution is a decision made when at least 75% of shareholders vote in favour of it, unless the company’s Memorandum of Incorporation (MOI) sets a higher requirement.

An ordinary resolution is a decision passed by a simple majority (more than 50%) of shareholders who vote on the resolution. Ordinary resolutions are used for routine company decisions, such as appointing directors or approving annual financial statements.