How to Register a Catering Company in South Africa
Catering combines a standard Pty with municipal Certificate of Acceptability for any premises that handles food. If you sell or serve liquor, the provincial Liquor Board adds a separate licence with its own timeline.
The full stack
- 1
Register your Pty Ltd at CIPC
Cost: R175 + R50 nameTime: 1-3 working days - 2
SARS + UIF + PAYE
Cost: FreeTime: Same day - 3
Certificate of Acceptability (CoA)
Cost: R0-R500 (varies by municipality)Time: 2-8 weeksMandatory for any premises handling food. Filed at your local municipal Environmental Health office. They inspect kitchens, hand-washing facilities, refrigeration, pest control.
- 4
Business licence (for cooked-food premises)
Cost: Per-municipality feeTime: 2-6 weeksRequired for any premises selling perishable cooked food. Some municipalities issue this combined with the CoA, others separately.
- 5
Liquor Licence (if serving liquor)
Cost: R3,000-R8,000+ depending on province + classTime: 12-24 weeksProvincial Liquor Board, separate from any CIPC or food licensing.
- 6
BBBEE affidavit
Cost: FreeTime: Same day - 7
COIDA
Cost: StandardTime: 1-4 weeks - 8
Open a business bank account
Cost: R50-R250/monthTime: 1-3 weeks
Common mistake
Tools to help
Other industries
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A registered security company in South Africa needs more than a CIPC certificate.
How to register a construction company
Construction is one of the most paperwork-heavy stacks in South Africa.
How to register a cleaning company
Cleaning is one of the easier stacks to set up: no sector regulator like PSIRA or CIDB, but the BEE and tender side matters because cleaning contracts are heavily B2B and government.
How to register a transport / trucking company
Transport companies need a Pty plus an operating licence regulated by the National Land Transport Act (NLTA).
How to register a restaurant
A restaurant is essentially a catering company with fixed premises and (usually) a liquor licence.
How to register a it / software company
IT and software companies have one of the lightest regulatory stacks in South Africa - there's no sector regulator like PSIRA or CIDB.
Sources: CIPC fee schedule, sector regulators (PSIRA, CIDB, NHBRC, Liquor Boards). General guidance for catering company setup, not legal or tax advice. Verified 2026-05-03. Talk to an accountant or attorney for your specific situation.