Business
How to register a company in South Africa and Zimbabwe
Covers: South Africa · Zimbabwe
In South Africa you can register a company online through BizPortal or CIPC. You can register without reserving a name (the registration number becomes the name) or reserve a custom name for an extra fee. Company registration also triggers automatic income-tax registration with SARS.
What you need
- Valid South African ID number, or passport for foreign directors
- A physical business address in the country of registration
- Mobile number and email address for each director
- Up to four preferred company names — optional if you use the registration number as the name
- A bank card or supported payment method for the fee
Costs and turnaround
Fees change. Confirm the current amount on the official portal before you pay.
Step by step
- 1
Choose the portal
BizPortal is the fast, integrated route in South Africa (company, tax and add-on services in one flow). CIPC eServices is the full-featured alternative. In Zimbabwe, register through the Deeds, Companies and Intellectual Property office.
- 2
Verify your identity
Directors complete real-time ID verification on the platform. Foreign directors use passport details and may need extra verification.
- 3
Decide on the name
Skip the name reservation for the fastest setup and trade under the registration number, or pay the extra fee to reserve up to four preferred names.
- 4
Enter directors and details
Every director's ID, contact details and the registered business address. Financial year end is set here too.
- 5
Pay and submit
Pay the registration fee online. Keep the transaction reference — it is what you quote if the application stalls.
- 6
Receive your documents
You receive the digital incorporation certificate (COR14.3 registration certificate, issued off the COR14.1 notice of incorporation) with your registration number, plus your automatically issued SARS income-tax number.
What happens after you pay
Payment is not the end of the process. Expect this sequence, and treat each item as a task in your case file:
- Confirmation email with your application reference
- Name reservation outcome, if you reserved one (a rejected name means resubmitting names, not repaying registration)
- Digital incorporation and registration certificate with your company registration number
- SARS income-tax number issued automatically on registration
- Optional add-ons on BizPortal: B-BBEE affidavit, UIF and Compensation Fund registration, domain name, business bank account referral
- Then: open a business bank account, register for VAT if you cross the threshold, and diarise your annual return
Common reasons registrations stall
Rejected or duplicate name choices, an ID that fails real-time verification, mismatched director contact details, or a payment made without completing the submission step.
Official sources
ThusoAssist links to official forms and portals — it never recreates an official document.
Common questions
Do I need a name to register?
No. In South Africa you can register without reserving a name; the company trades under its registration number until you file a name change.
Does registering a company register me for tax?
Company registration in South Africa triggers automatic income-tax registration with SARS. VAT and PAYE are separate registrations.
Are these fees current?
Fees change. ThusoAssist links you to the official portal so you can confirm the current amount before paying.
Turn this into a case file
A guide tells you the process. A ThusoAssist case works it: adaptive interview, your facts and evidence in one place, what's missing, an action map, documents and follow-up.
Related guides
ThusoAssist is not a law firm, government department or licensed professional. Guidance is general and may need verification. For serious matters, consult a qualified professional.