CIPC Annual Return fees
Annual Returns to CIPC are due during the month following that of the anniversary of the date of Incorporation (nothing to do with the Financial year end).
If returns are not submitted, the company or CC will be de-registered by CIPC.
When that happens, we have to apply to restore (actually reversing the de-registration). This is now either impossible or a nightmare process including advertising in the newspaper and other demanding requirements. Only after restoration are we able to determine which Annual Returns are outstanding and then submit the outstanding returns and pay the late fees.
CIPC charge a fee based on turnover for each Annual Return. Their fees are free of VAT and not the same for CCs and Companies.
CIPC fees for Companies
| Return | On time | Late |
| Annual if turnover <R1m | 100 | 150 |
| Annual if turnover <R10m | 450 | 600 |
| Annual if turnover <R25m | 2 000 | 2 500 |
| Annual if turnover R25m + | 3 000 | 4 000 |
| Restoration if de-registered | 200 | |
| Our fee for submission of both Annual Returns | 970 | 970 |
| Our fee for restoration if company ownes no fixed property, but company was trading at the time of de-registration. | 6 500 | 6 500 |
| Our fee for restoration if company owns fixed property | 8 800 | 8800 |
CIPC fees for CCs
| Return | On time | Late |
| Annual if turnover <R50m | 100 | 250 |
| Annual if turnover R50m + | 4 000 | 4 150 |
| Restoration if de-registered | 200 | |
| Our fee for submission of both Annual Returns | 970 | 970 |
| Our fee for restoration if no fixed property involved, but CC was trading at the time of de-registration | 6 500 | 6500 |
| Our fee for restoration if fixed property involved | 8 800 | 8800 |
47 comments
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Please I registered my business cc with cipc on 2008 every year I done my annual return r100 with cipc.
But year October I’m trying to summit my return. Cipc reply me that I should pay 650 plus 800 before I can submit my annual return. I don’t understand where this charge comes from. Thank you mr Derek
Hi Akwasi,
I cannot understand what that is about. Please send me your company registration number and I will have a look.
You should, in any case, be aware that you will not be able to submit your return until you have submitted the beneficial ownership return for the company. You can learn more about it here https://www.harbourassociates.co.za/featured/beneficial-ownership-explained/
Hi Akwasi,
Thank you for sending your company registration number. I can see nothing about you having to pay more money, but the warning at the bottom is that you first have to submit your company’s Beneficial Ownership Return as I advised earlier.
ENTERPRISE No: K2024404103
ENTERPRISE NAME: FELSHANA
I registered my small business on CIPC. I waited for vendor confirmation, which returned negative as I did not qualify for their requirements. I then proceeded with de-registration by mailing Deregistration@cipc.co.za in late August but have not received any replies. I am now worried that the business might be held liable at SARS.
Hi Felicia,
Your company is still registered at CIPC and will also have been automatically registered as a taxpayer.
Deregistration is a big job and takes about 6 months. The cost is about R12 000.
I suggest that you do nil tax returns to avoid administative penalties.
Hi
I registered a company from 2017 but however since 2022 the company has not been operating. I tried filling for annual return via cipc eservice but I couldn’t
Hi Given,
If it said “This company is not allowed to submit returns” it means that it has been de-registered and you can kiss it goodbye.
If it said that you must first submit a Beneficial ownership Return, then that is the new normal. You submit the BO return, then the Annual return.
Hi i started a company this year, in January because I was waiting for funding, but my company never traded it is registered on cipc and i never paid anything. I filed my BO yesterday and now I’m worried because i don’t want this business to close but i don’t know how much money i should be paying to cipc so that i can make a plan
Hi Kesha,
Every January, you will have to file a BO return and then an Annual return to CIPC. Their fee is R100 a year.
You must also file 1st and 2nd provisional tax returns in August and February to SARS and an Annual Tax Return to SARS also in February.
I have registered my company in 2019 but have never done any submissions to SARS or CIPC(heard of CIPC payments on your website) and on the SARS point i never did because in my interpretation….i do not have to if i make less than R 1m as a micro business .
* What would the fees be for both SARS and CIPC if my annual profit did not exceed 100k per annum ?
*What would your fees ,if i want you to apply for a clearance certificate for me?
*Will there be other fees outstanding or involved?
Hi Ansley,
Too many questions to answer here. I will email you.
But for the sake of my readers, your thinking is all screwed up. You do not have to register for VAT if your turnover is less than R1m. It’s got nothing to do with income tax. Even a company that has never traded must submit 2 provisional tax returns a year, 1 annual tax return, 2 annual returns to CIPC plus a once only beneficial ownership return to CIPC.
can you guys returns AR on our behalf
Hi Excellent,
Simple answer – Yes.
Contact Mini on 011 805 0030. she will assist you.
I was suppose to pay for my annual returns on February
My return is less than R1m
Hi Thabo,
If you had paid in February, the CIPC fee would have been R100, but you didn’t so the fee includes a R50 penalty, so will now be R150.
If you would like us to quote for the submission, please email mini@harbourassociates.co.za
You should also be aware that a once only Beneficial Ownership return is required to be submitted to CIPC.
Good Day Derek
I have registered a company with CIPC me and my partner but haven’t made any money, now I need to know when will we need to pay for filing and how it is done and all the documents needed because we don’t want it to be deregistered also about SARS and how to go on with their paper work also. We got it quicker before our things could come right but we don’t want to lose hope on it that’s why we need to be up to date.
Hi Katlego,
I will send you an email.
Hi, Derek. I paid my last year’s CIPC AR on time, but didn’t do it this year until now. And now my company is put on the final stage of deregistration. I’m afraid to lose it. I haven’t made money off it, yet. Please help me, what should I do. And I haven’t went to SARS this year also.
Hi Kabelo,
If it is “In deregistration process” then all you need to do is submit the outstanding AR. You will have to submit a Beneficial Ownership return first.
If it is in “Final deregistration” you’ve lost it as it cannot be restored, because it was not trading at the time of deregistration.
At SARS, it may well have been hit with administrative penalties for non-submission of Annual (nil) Tax Returns.
If you need our help, you should email me the company name, registration number, tax number.
Hi, even me I have same problem as Katlego please help me
Hi Vusi,
I can only help if you tell me what the problem is and what is the registration number of the company
Good Day Derek
I have registered a company with CIPC but haven’t made any money, now I need to know when will we need to pay for filing and how it is done and all the documents needed because we don’t want it to be deregistered also about SARS and how to go on with their paper work also. We got it quicker before our things could come right but we don’t want to lose hope on it that’s why we need to be up to date.
Hi Omrey,
We can deal with all those matters if you give us the company registration number. However, unfortunately, we don’t train our clients to do our work for us.
My company was de registered. I submitted the required CoO.40.5 and 1 year bank statements, Directors ID and receiced no Acknowledgement letter or Reference Number from Cipro. I then read somewhere that they can take between 8 – 12 weeks for a response. If I go the legal route with you, what sort of timeframes should i expect?
Hi Paul,
We don’t go the legal route. That is a job for attorneys.
However, CIPC do answer their phone. I suggest you give that a go.
Hello, I had a turnover of less than R1m last year(2023). How much will my late annual return be and how do I go about it if the website Keeps saying home affairs is offline.
Hi Mmasechaba,
The late fee is R150, our fee for submission is R1 260 incl VAT.
Good day
I have opened a company in 2022 December, but it never got to operate at all. Can you be able to assist to submit the zero return declarations.
Hi Murendeni,
Yes we can. There are quite a lot, unfortunately:
1st and 2nd Provisional Tax Returns for each tax year.
Annual Tax Return for each tax year.
Annual CIPC Return every year.
Beneficial Ownership Return to CIPC, once only.
Please call Tumi at 011 805 0030.she will assist you with a quotation.
We are a nonprofit organization and our turnover for 2023 is 10m but we were not charged according to the table shared above, we were charged 2000 for annual return and 500 penalties. How did it come to this?
And as a nonprofit organization do we need to pay charges because we don’t make profit.
Hi Humility,
Your charges were correct. The late fee for less than R10m is R600. You are above that turnover, so your fee is the one for less than R25m, in other words R2 500.
Non Profit Companies are not exempt from CIPC fees.
I have failed to pay my CIPC annual return even though my company didn’t make money. I want to renew my documents and start trading
Hi Loyiso/Simphiwe,
There are two years outstanding. That is easily fixed. Total cost is R1 270 including CIPC fees and penalties. You will find our banking details under ABOUT US at http://www.harbourassociates.co.za
We would also need to do the Beneficial Ownership return to CIPC. It costs R850 if there’s only one shareholder plus R350 for every additional shareholder. All the CIPC issues can be dealt with over Christmas.
There may be a bigger problem if you haven’t submitted your company tax returns. If that’s the case it may have been hit with administrative penalties by SARS. We cannot assist you with SARS until the new year. If you send an email to tumi@harbourassociates.co.za, she will respnd in January.
Hi I registered a company with my friend in 2018. It has never operated since it was started . I now want to remove my names from the business. Do you assist with this ?
Hi Aluwani,
Yes we do. Please phone Mini on 011 805 0030 or email her on mini@harbourassociates.co.za and ask her to quote you for a change of directors and a change of shareholders.
Registered the company 2017 , then failed to pay CIPC , on the 19 of November 2023 I paid R900 that was required, but now to my surprise when I try to open a business account at the I’m denied, they say I owe CIPC yet I paid
Hi Elizabeth,
Please give me the company registration number.
I have registered a company in 2021 the has never been operating, so would you be able to help me to submit the zero return as I’m experiencing financial problems.
Hi Joshua,
Please call 011 805 0030. My office will quote you for the submissions.
Good day
I have opened a company many years ago but it never got to operate at all. Can you be able to draw the CK documents for me and assist to submit the zero return declarations?
Hi Moloko,
Please send me the company registration number
Restore a company
Hi Mankekelo,
What is your question?
I field to pay for my buseness and I like to renew my business company
Hi Themba
My apologies for the late response. I have been hospitalised.
Please conatact mini@harbourassociates.co.za. Give her the company registration number and she will advise you.
CAN GOVERNMENT HIRE A COMPANY DIRECTOR.AFTER HOW LONG DOES A COMPANY BE DEREGISTER FOR FAILING TO PAY ANNUAL RETURNS
Hi Rebone,
I’m not sure of the answer to your first question. It may be just a case of disclosure. You would have to ask the relevant department.
Regarding CIPC, they are very irregular in this regard. I have known companies be de-registered after 2 years (which is the shortest time permissible), but I’ve known others that owe 6 annual returns and are still not de-registered.
They have recently advised that they are going to push the button, but I don’t know whether they have yet done so.