- Cost to register a company
- R125or R175 with a reserved name, on BizPortal
- How long it takes
- Often 1 working daywhen every detail is correct
- What you need
- SA ID, email, cellphoneFor every director
In short: most businesses planning to grow register a private company (Pty) Ltd on BizPortal, for R125, or R175 with a reserved name. Then activate your SARS tax number, open a business bank account, and register for UIF and COIDA when you hire.
Sold anything yet? Registering is cheap, but it isn't proof that anyone will buy. Test your idea with real customers first.
1. Sole proprietor or company?
Most small businesses in South Africa start as either a sole proprietor or a private company, written (Pty) Ltd. The choice affects your tax, your personal risk and who will do business with you.
| Sole proprietor | Private company (Pty) Ltd | |
|---|---|---|
| Register on BizPortal? | No. Sole proprietors are not registered on BizPortal. | Yes, on BizPortal. |
| Tax | Business income goes on your personal income tax return with SARS. | The company pays its own income tax. SARS issues its tax number automatically. |
| Your personal risk | You and the business are the same person in law, so business debts are your debts. | The company is a separate legal person, which limits your personal liability. |
| Best for | Testing an idea or trading on your own at small scale. | Growing, hiring, bigger clients, funders and many corporate contracts. |
Many funders, corporate buyers and enterprise development programmes expect a registered company, so most businesses planning to grow choose (Pty) Ltd. Not sure? Ask J29 which suits your plans.
2. Check and reserve your business name
A name is optional. If you register without one, your registration number becomes the company name, and you can trade under it straight away.
If you want a name, you reserve it inside the same BizPortal application. You can propose up to four names, in order of preference. The reservation costs R50. Avoid names that are close to existing businesses or registered trade marks: they will be rejected.
3. Register your company on BizPortal
BizPortal is the government's one-stop site for registering a company. It is run by CIPC, and it advertises registration in one day. The fee is R125 without a name or R175 with a reserved name.
Register as a customer on BizPortal
This creates the CIPC customer account you sign in with. BizPortal only accepts South African ID holders. Anyone else registers through CIPC eServices.
Add your directors
A (Pty) Ltd needs at least one director. For each director you need their ID number, their own cellphone number and email address (directors can't share these), and a physical address. Home Affairs checks each ID, so have the ID issue date and marriage details ready.
Choose your extras
In the same application you can also:
- register for SARS income tax (automatic)
- register for UIF and the Compensation Fund (free, if you have employees)
- get a free B-BBEE certificate (turnover up to R10 million)
- open a business bank account with a partner bank
- buy a .co.za domain for R94.75. It must move to a commercial registrar within 12 months, or it is deleted.
Pay and submit
Pay online and submit. If every detail matches Home Affairs records, registration often comes through within a working day.
4. Get your SARS tax number
Companies: once your company is registered on BizPortal, SARS automatically creates its income tax reference number. Register on SARS eFiling to manage it.
Sole proprietors: you declare business income on your own income tax return.
VAT: registration is compulsory once your taxable supplies go over R2.3 million in any 12 months. That threshold applies from 1 April 2026. It used to be R1 million. You must apply within 21 business days of crossing it. You can register voluntarily from R120,000 over the past 12 months, which can help if your customers are VAT-registered businesses. SARS VAT registration.
5. Open a business bank account
Keep business money separate from personal money from day one. It makes tax, funding applications and your own decisions much easier. Entry-level business accounts, as published in October 2026:
| Bank | Account | Monthly fee | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Absa | Business Evolve Lite | R50 | Registered businesses including (Pty) Ltd, turnover up to R1.5 million |
| Capitec | Business account | R50 | Keep a R150 minimum balance |
| FNB | First Business Zero | R0 | Sole proprietors only, turnover up to R1 million |
| FNB | Gold Business | From R49 | Includes companies, turnover up to R5 million |
| Nedbank | Startup Bundle | No fee for an introductory period | Single-owner sole proprietors or (Pty) Ltds, turnover under R1 million, new to Nedbank |
| Standard Bank | MyMoBiz | R15 | Turnover up to R5 million |
Fees change, so confirm on the bank's own site before you open an account. You can also open a partner bank account during your BizPortal registration.
6. Hiring staff? Register for UIF and COIDA
As soon as you pay anyone to work for you, in cash or in kind, you become an employer.
- UIF: register as soon as you start employing people. Workers on fewer than 24 hours a month are excluded. You and the employee each contribute 1% of their pay. Registration on uFiling is free.
- COIDA (Compensation Fund): covers employees injured at work. Register once you appoint your first employee, online on CF Online or free through BizPortal. Submit a Return of Earnings every year to stay in good standing.
- Employees' tax: employers also register with SARS for PAYE where it applies.
7. B-BBEE: prove your level for free
If your annual turnover is R10 million or less, you are an Exempted Micro Enterprise (EME). You don't need a verification agency. Prove your level with a sworn affidavit using the dtic EME affidavit, or get a free certificate on BizPortal.
| Black ownership | B-BBEE level | Procurement recognition |
|---|---|---|
| 100% | Level 1 | 135% |
| At least 51% | Level 2 | 125% |
| Under 51% | Level 4 | 100% |
A higher level makes you a more attractive supplier to corporates and government buyers.
8. Stay registered: file your CIPC annual return
Every company must file an annual return with CIPC within 30 business days after the anniversary of its incorporation date. Close corporations file in their anniversary month, up to the end of the following month. If you don't file, CIPC can start deregistering your company, so put the date in your diary the day you register. File on CIPC annual returns.
Your registration checklist
- Decide: sole proprietor or private company (Pty) Ltd
- Register as a customer on BizPortal
- Register your company on BizPortal: R125, or R175 with a reserved name
- Activate your company’s SARS income tax number on eFiling
- Get your free B-BBEE certificate on BizPortal, or sign an EME affidavit
- Open a business bank account
- Hiring? Register for UIF and the Compensation Fund
- Put your CIPC annual return date in your diary
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to register a company in South Africa?
On BizPortal, registering a private company costs R125 without a name, or R175 if you also reserve a name (October 2026). Check bizportal.gov.za before you pay, because fees can change.
How long does company registration take?
BizPortal advertises registration in one day. When every director’s details match Home Affairs records, it often comes through within one working day.
Do I need to register a sole proprietorship on BizPortal?
No. Sole proprietors are not registered on BizPortal. You trade in your own name and declare your business income on your personal income tax return with SARS.
When do I have to register for VAT?
VAT registration is compulsory once your taxable supplies exceed R2.3 million in any 12 months. That threshold applies from 1 April 2026. You can register voluntarily from R120,000 over the past 12 months.
Can I register a company without a business name?
Yes. If you skip the name reservation, your registration number becomes the company name and you can trade straight away.
Can foreign nationals register a company on BizPortal?
BizPortal only accepts South African ID holders. Anyone else registers through CIPC eServices.
What happens if I don’t file my annual return?
CIPC can start deregistering your company. Companies must file within 30 business days after the anniversary of their incorporation date.
This guide is general information, checked against CIPC, SARS and Department of Employment and Labour sources in October 2026. Fees and thresholds change, so confirm on the official site before you pay anything. For advice on your situation, ask J29 or speak to a registered accountant.
© 2026 J29. All rights reserved. You’re welcome to share a link to this guide, but please don’t copy, republish or sell its content without J29’s written permission.