How to Register a Pty Ltd in South Africa (2026 Guide)

Registering a Private Company — also called a Pty Ltd or (Pty) Ltd — is the most common way South African entrepreneurs formalise their businesses. It creates a separate legal entity that limits your personal liability, makes you credible to banks and funders, and gives your business the foundation it needs to grow. The process itself takes as little as one business day if you have everything ready.

What you need before you start

• A valid South African green barcoded ID or Smart ID card (driver's licences and passports are not accepted for SA citizens)
• A personal cell number and email address for each director that can receive an OTP
• A financial year end date (you choose this — many companies use the last day of February or June)
• The name and practice number of your accountant or auditor if you have one (this is optional for companies not requiring an audit)
• A company name if you want one from day one (alternatively you can register without a name and add it later)

BizPortal vs CIPC eServices

You have two registration platforms available. BizPortal at bizportal.gov.za is the newer, more user-friendly option and is generally recommended for first-time registrations. CIPC eServices at eservices.cipc.co.za is the older system, still widely used, and supports a wider range of post-registration amendments.

There is one critical rule: the platform you use for your name reservation must be the same platform you use to complete your registration. You cannot mix the two. Pick one and stick with it through the entire registration process.

Registration costs in 2026

• Private Company (Pty) Ltd registration: R125
• Name reservation (CoR9.1 — optional): R50
• Total for named company: approximately R175

There are no additional government fees for same-day processing for South African directors. The cost through BizPortal is the same as through eServices. Be wary of third-party websites charging significantly more to "assist" with registration — the process is designed to be done directly and most of what these services offer is information you can get for free.

Step-by-step registration on BizPortal

• Log in at bizportal.gov.za using your existing profile or create a new one
• Select "Register a company" and choose Private Company
• Choose whether to use a reserved name (CoR9.4 required) or register without a name
• Enter your chosen financial year end date
• Add director details — each director must verify their identity via OTP sent to their registered cell number
• Add your accountant or auditor details if applicable
• Pay the registration fee via the BizPortal payment gateway
• Submit your application

For companies where all directors are South African citizens with valid IDs, approval is typically immediate. Companies with foreign national directors go into manual review and can take five to ten business days.

What you receive after registration

Once your registration is approved you receive a Certificate of Incorporation called a CoR14.3. This is your legal proof that the company exists. Download it immediately — it is free to retrieve for the first 30 calendar days after registration. After that a R30 fee applies each time you download it. Save multiple copies in different locations.

Your CoR14.3 will be requested by your bank to open a business account, by any funder you approach, by anyone you apply to for a government contract, and by landlords for commercial leases. Keep it accessible.

What to do immediately after registration

Within 10 business days of registration you must file your Beneficial Ownership Declaration at bo.cipc.co.za. This is a separate legal requirement from the registration itself and is not optional. Within the first month, log into SARS eFiling to locate your company's automatically-created Income Tax reference number and link it to your profile. These two steps are the most commonly missed immediately post-registration actions, and both have consequences if delayed.