Apply In-Person:

1. To apply for registering a company in person, the applicant has to visit the office of the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission of South Africa.
2. The address and contact details of the CIPC can be found in the following link: Link
3. Visit the office of the CIPC and obtain the application form for reserving a name for the company (Form CoR 9.1) from the respective department. Else, click here to download: Link
4. Complete the form as required with relevant details. Then proceed to obtain the other application forms required to be completed for the registration, in accordance with your company specification.
5. Make sure that you have all the required documents in accordance with your respective company registration.
6. Complete all the forms accordingly and attach the required documents with the completed forms (including Form CoR 9.1).
7. Then, proceed to submit the package to the relevant authority at the office for further processes. Make the payment as necessary.
8. After all the processes have got completed, the concerned authorities will proceed to make the arrangements for the registration process.
9. The applicant can obtain any information regarding the progress of his/her request, from the office where the application has been made.

Apply Electronically

1. In order to apply for registering a company electronically, click on the following link: Link
2. Find the “Register” section on the right side of the page and click on the type of company that you want to register.
3. Follow the instructions which are listed on the webpage for the respective company registration that you choose.
4. You will have to complete a Customer Registration (for specific cases) and a Name reservation for your company and finally Registration application with fees payment.
5. Complete all the processes as applicable to the company that you chose and also upload or email the signed documents and supporting documents as instructed in the procedure.
6. After all the processes have got completed, the concerned authorities will proceed to make the arrangements for the registration process.
7. The applicant can obtain any information regarding the progress of his/her request, from the office where the application has been made.

• Certified copy of Identity document (SA citizens)
• Certified copy of passport (foreign national)
• Certified copy Applicant’s ID
• Power of attorney for representative (in case of juristic incorporator)
• Certified ID copy of the Power of Attorney
• Valid name reservation document (if any)
• Other supporting documents

NOTE: You can find the other supporting documents in the procedure page of your respective company registration. Refer: Link

Companies and Intellectual Property Commision (CIPC), South Africa Head Office
the DTIC Campus
Block F Entfutfukweni
77 Meintjies Street
Sunnyside
Pretoria
0001
South Africa
Tel:086 100 2472
Tel:+2712 394 9573 (International)
link

Report Unethical Conduct
P.O.Box. BNT165,
Brooklyn Square,
0075
South Africa
E-mail: cipc@behonest.co.za
Link

• Any South African, who wants to establish a new company on his/her own, shall apply to get registered.
• The person applying should satisfy the requirements set for the respective company, by the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC).

You can find the fees details in the procedure or you can approach the authorities.

Explain the time until which the certificate/document is valid.
e.g. Birth Certificate Valid Forever

Application forms can be found in the following link: Link

Please attach sample completed documents that would help other people.

Please explain processing time taken in obtaining the document/certificate.

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'.

• A company may be registered with or without a company name. When a company is registered without a reserved name, its registration number automatically becomes the company name.

• Such a company may transact with a trading (business) name, or may apply to add a reserved name at a later stage. In this case, the company will need to first reserve a name and then apply for a name change, which constitutes a change to its Memorandum of Incorporation (MOI).

• If your initial name reservation application is not approved, you will need to apply for new names. You may apply for between 1 and 4 names during each application process.

• Personal details
• Contact details
• Address details
• Company details
• Directors’ details
• Identity document numbers

You must register a company as a non-profit company or profit company with the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC). A company is a legal person who has capacity and powers to act on its own. The law sees a company in the same light as a natural person.

Refer: Link

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

User guides: Link

More information which might help people.