Apply In Person

1. The application to obtain a Business Certificate of Incorporation shall be made to the Companies and Intellectual Property Authority (CIPA) offices. CIPA Website
2. The applicant shall make an application in writing in the prescribed form as determined by the CIPA, copies of these forms are available for free at the CIPA Business Registration and Licensing unit.
3. Submit the duly completed application form and attach to your identification document to the CIPA Business Registration and Licensing unit for processing and consideration.
4. Applicants will be required to pay prescribed fees and obtain a payment slip and an acknowledgment slip as proof of submission of the application and for inquiry referencing if the need arises
5. The Business Name approval is within 24 hours.
6. Applicants will be issued with a new business registration certificate reflecting the new name after a period of 10 days and will be required to produce their identification document and the CIPA acknowledgement slip to be validated by the CIPA registrar,while collecting the certificate at the specific CIPA office that the application was lodged.

Apply Online

1. Applicants who had registered the business online via the CIPA portal should, visit the CIPA Websiteand click on the “Login to OBRS” option located on the menu bar, this will navigate you to the login page, enter Username and Password, and then click on the “Logon” tab, to access your account.
2. If you do not have an account, Click on the “Create a profile Now” option located on the menu bar, to create your account.
3. On your Portfolio on your dashboard click on the “Business Name” whose details you wish to change.
4. Then click on “File for this Business Name” (to the left), then click on “Change Business Name Details”.
5. Tick the declaration box to confirm that you are authorised to make the changes, and then click on the “submit” tab to go to the payment page.
6. Select the payment method you wish to use for paying for the service i.e., “Credit/Debit Card or Mobile Payment” or “Deposit Account” enter the details of your payment method and choose to pay at the moment or pay later by clicking on “Pay Now” or “Pay Later”.
7. Proceed and pay the name change fee and upon payment, you will receive a notification from CIPA through your email address informing you that your payment is successful and your application is being processed.
8. On submission of the request to the Registrar of Companies, the applicant should receive a reply through the registered email address.
9. The Business name approval is within 24 hours.
10. Applicants will be issued with a new business registration certificate reflecting the new name after a period of 10 days.

Please Note:

1. Before you make the application to Change business name, make sure you have done a name search and reservation with the Companies and Intellectual Property Authority (CIPA).

• Copy of ID or Passport of the Proprietor or Partners.

Companies and Intellectual Property Authority (CIPA)
Address: Plot 54358, Prime Plaza, CBD, Gaborone, Botswana
Telephone: +267 367 3700
Fax: +267 318 8130
Email: info@cipa.co.bw
PLEASE CONTACT CIPA ON THE FOLLOWING NUMBERS:
Telephone +267 3673797/ 3673758/ 3673783/ 3673748/ 3673700
CIPA Website

• All business registered with the Companies and Intellectual Property Authority (CIPA).

• Please consult with the Companies and Intellectual Property Authority (CIPA) for the Business Name Change fee.
• Business name search is free of charge.
• Business name reservation fee is P20.00

• The business name is valid forever.

Please attach documents that can be used by people. e.g. links

Please attach sample completed documents that would help other people.

The timeframe for processing the application for changing the following details of the Business:

• The name (approval within 24 hours)
• Business Activity (instant approval)
• Address/Phone Number/ Email Address (instant approval)
• Edit Proprietors’ information (instant approval)
• Cease/Remove existing Proprietors (instant approval)
• Add new Proprietors (approval within 24 hours)

Videos explaining the procedure or to fill the applications.
Attach videos using the following tag <&video type='website'>video ID|width|height<&/video&>
from external websites.
Please remove the '&' inside the tags during implementation.
Website = allocine, blip, dailymotion, facebook, gametrailers, googlevideo, html5, metacafe, myspace, revver,
sevenload, viddler, vimeo, youku, youtube
width = 560, height = 340, Video ID = Can be obtained from the URL of webpage where the video is displayed.
e.g In the following url 'http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0US7oR_t3M' Video ID is 'Y0US7oR_t3M'.

Please provide other instructions related to the certificate/documents.
e.g. The state office holds birth records since january 1908.

• New reserved name
• Old business name
• The nature of Business.
• Names of the Proprietor/s in Full.
• Postal address for the Business Name.
• Physical address of the Business
• ID number of proprietors
• Declaration by the applicant (Signature/ date of application)

• A change of business name can only be authorized by the Companies and Intellectual Property Authority (CIPA) as it is authority that registers business and companies in Botswana. The Business Name is the simplest business form under which one can operate a business
• The Business Name is not a legal entity. It simply refers to a person who owns the business and is personally responsible for its debts.

Every business name submitted is not always accepted for registration or approved. For a name to be accepted for registration, it must not

• Appear misleading or confusing regarding the intended nature of business.
• Appear very close to an already existing business name. If it is registered erroneously, the existing company may file an injunction, and the new business will be forced to change its name. Alternatively, the Registrar-General may order the newly registered business to change its name immediately.
• Suggest connection with a government department or local authorities.
• Have names with the words; international, National and Commonwealth, except in special circumstances.
• Include: Cooperative, Building Society, Bank, Banking or Trust unless valid reasons or circumstances of the business justify it.
• Include a proper name which is not a surname of the owner or directors, unless for very valid reasons.
• Include the name of a registered trademark unless with written consent of the trade mark owner.

Please explain what are other uses of obtaining this document/certificate.
e.g. Birth Certificate can be used as proof of identity.

Companies and Intellectual Property Authority (CIPA)

More information which might help people.