After You Register a Pty Ltd in SA: Complete Compliance Checklist (2026)

The hidden compliance load

From r/PersonalFinanceZA, repeatedly: "Registering as a business on CIPC incurs endless admin and expenses." Most first-time owners are shocked by what comes after the R175 BizPortal payment. This page maps the full picture so you can plan, not panic.

Print this page. Tick items as you complete them. Set calendar reminders for the recurring ones.

Within 30 days of CIPC registration

• Appoint yourself or someone as Public Officer (Companies Act s246). Form CoR23 / CoR23.1 at CIPC.
• Become the SARS Registered Representative on eFiling. (See our SARS-after-CIPC guide.)
• Open a business bank account. (See our bank account comparison.)
• Confirm or amend your MOI. Short-form (CoR15.1A) auto-applied if you registered via BizPortal.
• If you'll employ anyone: register PAYE + UIF + SDL on eFiling.

Within the first year

• File your first Beneficial Ownership declaration at eServices.cipc.co.za.
• Register for VAT if you cross R1m turnover (compulsory) or R50k voluntary.
• Register for COIDA / Compensation Fund if you have any employees. https://coid.dol.gov.za
• Get a BBBEE EME affidavit if you'll deal with corporates or government tenders. (Use our free affidavit generator.)
• Get a Tax Compliance Status (TCS) PIN if you'll bid on tenders or apply for FX. (Use our TCS checker.)
• Register on the Central Supplier Database (CSD) if you'll do government work.
• Register with your sector regulator (CIDB for construction, PSIRA for security, NHBRC for home builders, etc.).
• Set up basic bookkeeping - Xero, Zoho Books, Sage, or Excel for very small operations.

Recurring (every year)

• File CIPC Annual Return on your registration anniversary. R100-R3,000 by turnover band. (Calculator on our site.)
• File Beneficial Ownership annually alongside the AR. Required since 1 July 2024.
• File Annual Financial Statements (AFS) - either iXBRL upload or audit, depending on Public Interest Score.
• Renew BBBEE EME affidavit (12 months validity).
• File ITR14 (company tax return) - 12 months after financial year-end.
• Provisional tax - twice (Aug + Feb), optional third (Sep).

Recurring (every month or two months)

• VAT201 returns - bi-monthly if VAT registered.
• EMP201 returns - monthly if PAYE/UIF/SDL registered.
• EMP501 reconciliation - twice per year (interim April, final October).
• Bookkeeping - reconcile bank, capture invoices, file receipts.

What this realistically costs

Multiple Reddit threads quote real numbers:

• DIY accounting + minimum compliance: R500-R2,000/year (CIPC AR, BO filing, BEE affidavit).
• Outsourced bookkeeping + accountant: R8,000-R40,000/year. Reddit user: "R10 000 a year minimum." Another: "about R40k per year for their services."
• Multi-entity portfolios: R800-R1,500 per compliance line item per entity, per accountant. "R9.6k per Entity is a lot for just compliance." - r/PersonalFinanceZA

If you only have a one-person consultancy, the admin load can outweigh the tax saving vs sole proprietor. We have a calculator for that.

Frequently asked questions

Tools to help

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