Every company and close corporation must file a CIPC annual return every year, even if it didn’t trade. Below: the exact fees, when yours is due, how to file it yourself, and what to do if you are years behind.
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Companies must file a CIPC annual return within 30 business days after the anniversary of their incorporation date; close corporations file in their anniversary month or the month after. The fee depends on turnover: R100 if under R1 million (R150 late). Filing is online only, and since 1 July 2024 CIPC blocks the annual return until the company’s beneficial ownership filing is up to date. Two successive years of unfiled returns can lead to deregistration.
By the Mitrend Accounting Services company secretarial team · Facts last checked against CIPC guidance on
An annual return is a yearly confirmation to the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) that your company or close corporation is still in business, or intends to trade, and that its details are correct. CIPC uses it to keep the register accurate. If returns stop coming in, CIPC assumes the business is inactive and starts deregistering it.
It is not a tax return. The SARS income tax return (ITR14 for companies) is a separate obligation. Filing one does not satisfy the other.
Who must file: private companies (Pty) Ltd, public companies, non-profit companies (NPC), personal liability companies (Inc), external companies and close corporations. Dormant and non-trading entities must file too, at the lowest turnover band.
| Entity | Filing window |
|---|---|
| Companies (Pty) Ltd, NPC, Inc, public, external | Within 30 business days after the anniversary of the date of incorporation |
| Close corporations | During the anniversary month of registration, or the month after |
Example: a company registered on 12 March must file each year from 12 March, and has 30 business days (roughly six calendar weeks) before the late fee applies. Your registration date is the second part of the CIPC certificate (CoR14.3), and you can also see it on any CIPC disclosure certificate.
Work out your exact date (business days and public holidays included) with our free CIPC deadline calculator, which can also add it to your calendar.
A return is filed for each year. Missing one year doesn’t cancel it; it stays outstanding and must be paid, at the late rate, before the next one.
Fees are set by turnover in the Companies Regulations (Table CR 2B). Turnover is your total revenue for the financial year concerned; use R0 for a dormant company.
| Annual turnover | Filed on time | Filed late |
|---|---|---|
| Less than R1 million | R100 | R150 |
| R1 million to less than R10 million | R450 | R600 |
| R10 million to less than R25 million | R2,000 | R2,500 |
| R25 million or more | R3,000 | R4,000 |
CCs with turnover below R50 million pay R100 when filed on time (larger CCs pay more), and a late penalty applies to each return filed after the window.
Restoring a company that has been finally deregistered costs R200 for the CoR40.5 reinstatement application, plus all the outstanding annual returns at late rates.
CIPC changes these by gazette, so confirm the current schedule on cipc.co.za. To total several overdue years, use our CIPC annual return fee calculator, or the official Annual Return Calculator on e-Services.
Since 1 July 2024, CIPC strictly enforces the beneficial ownership (BO) declaration alongside the annual return. In practice the e-Services system will not let you file the annual return until the company’s BO information has been submitted and is current.
If you get stuck at this point, file or update the beneficial ownership declaration first (it is free), then return to the annual return.
Alongside the annual return, CIPC requires financial information:
Get this right: the FAS confirms facts about who prepares your financial statements and on what basis, and those answers should match reality.
Annual returns can only be filed electronically. You need a CIPC customer code and a debit or credit card (or funds deposited into your customer code).
If CIPC shows outdated details (address, directors), file the annual returns first and then submit the correction, for example a CoR39 for directors.
CIPC may refer a company or close corporation for deregistration when annual returns are outstanding for two successive years. Before the final step, CIPC sends notices to the registered postal address on its records. That is one reason to keep your address current.
What happens next depends on the status shown on CIPC:
| CIPC status | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| In business | Active, but returns may be outstanding | File all outstanding years, oldest first |
| AR deregistration process | Referred for deregistration for non-filing; the company still exists | File all outstanding returns now. This cancels the deregistration process. |
| Final deregistration | The company has ceased to exist as a legal person | Apply for reinstatement (CoR40.5); annual returns can no longer be filed until it is reinstated |
Once finally deregistered, a company or CC can be reinstated online on e-Services (CoR40.5, R200 plus the outstanding annual returns) if it was in business, or had other economic value, when it was deregistered. Keep the evidence; CIPC can ask for it. Creditors and other third parties need a court order. Pay within 5 working days; the reinstatement is processed immediately, and the company returns to “In Business” once the outstanding annual returns, beneficial ownership and AFS/FAS are filed. Full steps: how to reinstate a deregistered company. Or let our deregistration rescue service handle it.
Most people can file a single, current annual return themselves using the steps above. Get help when you are several years behind, stuck on the beneficial ownership hard-stop, unsure about the FAS, or facing deregistration.
We file current and overdue annual returns, including the FAS and the beneficial ownership declaration, for R450 per return plus the CIPC fee (R550 total for a company with turnover under R1 million). Send us your registration number on WhatsApp: we will check how many years are outstanding and quote the full cost before you pay anything.
Registered South African companies (Pty Ltd, NPC, CC) are required under Section 33 of the Companies Act 71 of 2008 to file an Annual Return with CIPC within 30 business days after their incorporation anniversary. Late or missing filings attract penalties, the status can move toward deregistration, and banks may restrict accounts under their own risk rules. Mitrend audits annual return backlogs, compiles Financial Accountability Supplements (FAS) where applicable, calculates Table CR 2B statutory fees, and lodges — our preparation is typically same-day and CIPC processing commonly completes within 24 hours, but CIPC decides the actual turnaround.
We deploy structured, verifiable financial and compliance workflows designed to satisfy bank credit committees, SARS auditors, and institutional investors.
We query the CIPC registry to assess exact filing history, overdue years, accumulated penalties, and deregistration status.
We compile the mandatory Financial Accountability Supplement (Form CoR 30.2) detailing turnover, asset values, and accounting record storage.
We lodge your annual returns directly through CIPC electronic portal channels, settling statutory fees at cost.
We retrieve your official CIPC Certificate of Compliance and assist in unfreezing restricted commercial bank accounts.
Every deliverable is provided in publication-grade, fully unlocked editable formats with complete intellectual property ownership.
| Deliverable Item | Format & Type | Technical Specification | Primary Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| CIPC Annual Return Filing Confirmation Receipt | Official Electronic Filing Receipt (PDF) | Official CIPC confirmation receipt showing transaction reference, filing date, and turnover declaration. | Proof of statutory compliance for banks, auditors, and tender committees. |
| Updated Certificate of Company Information | Certified CIPC Disclosure Certificate (PDF) | Official CIPC disclosure certificate proving the company is active and "In Business". | Supporting bank reviews, trade credit applications, and tender verification. |
| Financial Accountability Supplement (FAS) Copy | Compiled Statutory Filing Record (PDF) | Documented record of turnover declarations and accounting officer details submitted to CIPC. | Company secretarial archives and annual financial statement files. |
| Compliance Autopilot Calendar Schedule | Annual Statutory Tracking Timeline | Scheduled reminder calendar tracking upcoming CIPC annual return and Beneficial Ownership deadlines. | Preventing future late-filing penalty surcharges. |
How our rigorous advisory standards protect your capital, creditworthiness, and company compliance compared to standard generic providers.
| Evaluation Metric | Typical Generic Market Offering | Mitrend Institutional Standard |
|---|---|---|
| Fee Accuracy | ✕ Hides statutory CIPC fees or charges arbitrary inflated markups on government disbursements | ✓ Transparent: Fixed Mitrend Professional Fee R450 + Table CR 2B CIPC Statutory Fee per current CIPC schedule (confirm on cipc.co.za) |
| FAS Compliance | ✕ Submits random estimated numbers without verifying accounting records | ✓ Carefully compiled Financial Accountability Supplement aligning with company records and tax filings |
| Deregistration Speed | ✕ Takes days to react while bank accounts remain frozen | ✓ Prompt turnaround — our preparation typically same-day; CIPC processing commonly within 24 hours but decided by CIPC. Compliance letter supplied for bank reviews (each bank applies its own rules). |
| Beneficial Ownership Linking | ✕ Files annual return but ignores mandatory Beneficial Ownership, leaving entity non-compliant | ✓ Dual-check workflow keeping Annual Returns and Beneficial Ownership synchronized |
We maintain strict quality criteria so our team delivers maximum commercial return on every engagement.
Our step-by-step engagement workflow with defined delivery gates and continuous status transparency.
Overdue years scoped, statutory CIPC fees calculated, and enterprise status verified.
Turnover declared, Financial Accountability Supplement compiled.
Annual returns lodged and statutory fees settled on CIPC electronic portal.
Official filing receipts and updated CIPC In Business certificate delivered.
Clients utilizing our CIPC Annual Returns & Deregistration Rescue often integrate these high-impact advisory and compliance workflows.
CIPC statutory secretarial support for new company registrations, annual return filings, mandatory beneficial ownership declarations, and statutory company record amendments.
Complete Private Company (Pty) Ltd incorporation including name reservation check (COR9.4), official COR14.3 certificate, standard MOI, certified share certificates, and SARS tax number.
Preparation and submission of mandatory beneficial ownership registers, shareholding matrices, and verified director/shareholder dossiers under GLAA Act 22 of 2022.
Statutory board minutes, written resolutions, director consent documentation, and official CIPC COR39 company register amendments.
Read in-depth technical analysis written by senior financial modelers, compliance controllers, and ERP architects.
We adapt our accounting, financial modeling, and ERP delivery to the operational economics of your sector.
Fleet depreciation, diesel refunds & working capital
BOM costing, Section 12C wear-and-tear & stock control
POS clearing, payment gateways & inventory turnover
CIDB compliance, retention debtors & tender packs
Seasonal cash flows, biological assets & agro-processing
Medical aid debtor reconciliations & practice accounts
Trust account compliance, WIP tracking & time billing
MRR/ARR revenue recognition, Cap tables & VC modeling
Section 12B tax allowances, PPA cash flows & debt sizing
Multi-outlet bookkeeping, royalty tracking & bank models
Heavy equipment lease finance & mining charter B-BBEE
Seasonal occupancy modeling & liquor board secretarial
For a company with turnover under R1 million the fee is R100 on time or R150 late. It rises to R450 (R600 late) for R1–10 million, R2,000 (R2,500) for R10–25 million and R3,000 (R4,000) above R25 million. Confirm the current schedule on cipc.co.za.
Companies file within 30 business days after the anniversary of their incorporation date. Close corporations file during their anniversary month or the following month.
Yes. Register a CIPC customer code, log in to e-Services or annualreturns.cipc.co.za, choose File Annual Returns, enter the turnover and pay by card. The beneficial ownership declaration must be current first.
Yes. Every company and close corporation on the register must file each year, whether or not it traded. A dormant company files at the lowest turnover band.
Late fees apply first. If returns are outstanding for two successive years, CIPC can refer the company for deregistration. Filing all outstanding returns while it is in the deregistration process cancels it.
On e-Services, add the annual returns to the cart, select Card as payment, enter the card details and approve with your bank’s one-time PIN. The filing certificate is emailed to the customer code’s email address.
No. The annual return keeps the company on the CIPC register. The SARS income tax return (ITR14) is a separate obligation.
The most common reason since 1 July 2024 is that the company’s beneficial ownership declaration is missing or out of date. The other common reason is that the company is already finally deregistered and must be reinstated first.
Compliance Autopilot monitors your CIPC annual returns, Beneficial Ownership and statutory deadlines from R149/month — keeping every deadline visible well before it falls due.
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