How to register a company in South Africa, without the delays

Before you start: your names

The single biggest cause of delay is name rejection. Bring up to four names in order of preference, because CIPC declines any name too similar to an existing registration, and you do not want to be starting the conversation again each time.

Names, surnames and ordinary dictionary words are unlikely to be accepted. Generally you will have to invent something. You cannot register a company called Carpenter, but Dynamic Carpentings may go through, unless something like Dynamic Carpenting Contractors is already registered, in which case your next choice is considered.

What you get for your fee

• Name reservation with up to four proposed names checked.
• CIPC registration documents, including your COR 14.3 registration certificate.
• Memorandum of Incorporation, the document that governs how your company runs.
• Share certificates for the shareholders, so ownership is documented from day one.
• A free accounting officer appointment if you do not already have one.
• Assistance opening a corporate bank account once your documents are through.

The process, step by step

1. Complete the online form with your contact details, your preferred company names, and details for each director including physical and postal addresses.
2. Pay the fee by EFT, bank deposit or card, using your payment date and first proposed company name as the reference.
3. We reserve the name with CIPC, working down your list if a choice is declined.
4. We lodge the registration immediately once the name is reserved, so the reserved name is permanently allocated to your company.
5. You receive your documents as proof of registration.

Once the name is reserved, registration typically completes within 2 to 3 business days. We then request certified copies of IDs or passports for all appointed directors.

Choosing a financial year end

Our application form lets you select the month that suits your operational or industry cycle. If you have no preference, the default is February, which lines up with the standard South African tax year for most small businesses. Choosing correctly now saves an amendment later.

What happens after registration

Registration is the start of your obligations, not the end. Three things keep the company alive:

• Annual returns filed with CIPC every year.
• Beneficial ownership declared, which now gates the annual return.
• SARS returns submitted, including for a dormant company.

Most of the expensive problems we are asked to fix start with a company that was registered correctly and then left alone.