How to Register a Restaurant in South Africa
A restaurant is essentially a catering company with fixed premises and (usually) a liquor licence. Same regulatory chain plus zoning and signage at the municipality level.
The full stack
- 1
Register your Pty Ltd at CIPC
Cost: R175 + R50 nameTime: 1-3 working days - 2
Confirm zoning + landlord consent
Cost: VariableTime: 1-4 weeksPremises must be zoned for restaurant use. Check with the municipal town-planning office before signing a lease.
- 3
Certificate of Acceptability + Business Licence
Cost: Per-municipality feeTime: 2-8 weeksSame as catering.
- 4
Liquor Licence
Cost: R3,000-R8,000+Time: 12-24 weeksProvincial Liquor Board.
- 5
Signage permit (if you put up signs)
Cost: R200-R3,000 once-offTime: 2-6 weeksMost municipalities require a permit for any external signage.
- 6
SARS + UIF + PAYE + COIDA
Cost: Free / standard ROETime: 1-4 weeks - 7
BBBEE affidavit
Cost: FreeTime: Same day - 8
POS + payments setup (Yoco / iKhokha / Stitch)
Cost: Equipment R500-R3,000 + ~3% transaction feesTime: 1-2 weeksApply once you have a CIPC certificate and bank account.
Common mistake
Tools to help
Other industries
How to register a security company
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 catering company
Catering combines a standard Pty with municipal Certificate of Acceptability for any premises that handles food.
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 restaurant setup, not legal or tax advice. Verified 2026-05-03. Talk to an accountant or attorney for your specific situation.