Simple and Fast Company Registration with Full Compliance

Company registration is the process of legally establishing a business as a separate entity with the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC).

This gives the business its own legal identity, rights, and responsibilities.

Common types include:

• Private Companies (PTY Ltd)

• Non-Profit Companies (NPC)

• Personal Liability Companies (Inc)

• Public Companies

Each type has different requirements and governance structures.

Typical company registration takes 1–7 working days, depending on name approval and CIPC processing speed.

Not necessarily.

You can register a numbered company and change the name later.

However, most businesses prefer reserving a name upfront.

• Director ID copies

• Proof of address

• Name options (if reserving a name)

CIPC may request additional documents depending on the structure.

Yes — as long as they have a valid passport.

A South African address is still required for business registration.

The MOI outlines the governance rules of a company. For standard PTY Ltd registrations, CIPC provides a short standard MOI.

Yes. Once registered, SARS automatically generates a tax number for the company.

Yes, especially for compliance, tenders, and payroll.

Banks require your CIPC documents and SARS tax number.

It is the unique registration number given by CIPC, starting with “202X/…../07”.

Yes — annual returns must be filed with CIPC to avoid deregistration.

Only as a sole proprietor. If you want a PTY Ltd, you must register with CIPC.

Yes — CIPC allows director amendments via formal submissions.

You must submit new name options.

Names are rejected if they are too similar to existing ones or misleading.

Yes — up to four names can be submitted for reservation.

No. But companies can be deregistered if annual returns are not filed.

Recommended, especially for multiple founders.

A shareholder agreement clarifies ownership and responsibilities.

Yes — it offers limited liability protection and better credibility for contracts and tenders.

Yes, but VAT is separate from company registration.

You receive:

• CIPC documents

• Tax number

• MOI

You can then proceed with tax compliance, bank account setup, and trading.