CIPC Compliance South Africa: What to File Annually
CIPC compliance in South Africa is a legal obligation that applies to every registered company — whether you’re a thriving enterprise, a dormant business, or part of a larger corporate structure. Staying compliant with the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) is just as important as your SARS filings, and failure to do so could result in penalties, deregistration, or reputational damage.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through what needs to be filed, when to do it, what the new Beneficial Ownership (BO) rules mean for your business, and how to avoid costly non-compliance.
✅ What Must Be Filed With CIPC Annually?
1. Annual Returns
Filing annual returns is a mandatory part of maintaining CIPC compliance in South Africa. All registered companies and close corporations — whether actively trading or dormant — must submit their annual returns to the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission. This process confirms that the business is still active and compliant with the Companies Act, helping to avoid penalties and deregistration.
📅 Deadline:
- Must be submitted within 30 business days after your company’s incorporation anniversary
- Late submissions attract daily penalties and can jeopardize your CIPC compliance
💰 Cost:
- Filing fees are based on your company’s annual turnover
- For example: R100 for companies with turnover under R1 million
- Payment is required before submission can be processed
🧾 Example:
ABC (Pty) Ltd was incorporated on 1 March 2022. Its first annual return was due by mid-April 2023. To maintain CIPC compliance, the company must continue to file annual returns every year — even if it’s no longer trading.
2. Financial Statements or Financial Accountability Supplement (FAS)
Your company’s size and turnover will determine which of the following applies:
- Larger companies: Must upload signed Annual Financial Statements (AFS) in PDF
- Smaller companies and CCs: Complete an online Financial Accountability Supplement (FAS)
This ensures CIPC knows who’s responsible for financial reporting and compliance.
3. Beneficial Ownership (BO) Register – New Requirement
As of 2023, South African companies must disclose their beneficial ownership. This is part of the government’s compliance with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) anti-money laundering standards.
You must:
- Disclose all individuals who own or control 5% or more of the company
- Submit BO information within 10 business days of any change
- File the BO register alongside your annual return
⚠️ Important: Filing your annual return without submitting BO information still counts as non-compliance.
🚫 What Happens If You Don’t File?
Neglecting your CIPC compliance in South Africa can have serious consequences:
- Deregistration after two years of non-compliance
- Inability to open or update business bank accounts
- SARS may mark your company as inactive
- You lose eligibility to apply for funding, tenders, or contracts
❗ A deregistered company loses legal status. It cannot sign contracts, enter agreements, or take legal action until it is restored.
❓ How to Deregister a Dormant or Closed Company
If your company is no longer active, ignoring filings is not a solution. You must voluntarily deregister the company through CIPC to stop future compliance obligations.
📝 Deregistration Process:
- Submit a signed written request on company letterhead
- Confirm the company:
- Is not trading
- Has no assets or liabilities
- Has no outstanding tax obligations
- Email the request to: deregistrations@cipc.co.za
- CIPC may verify with SARS before processing your request
🛠️ Pro Tip: Ensure all SARS tax types (VAT, PAYE, Income Tax) are deactivated before submitting deregistration.
📋 CIPC Compliance Checklist
| Requirement | Frequency | How to File |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Return (AR) | Yearly | CIPC Online Portal |
| Financial Accountability Supplement (FAS) | Yearly | Filed with AR |
| Financial Statements (AFS) | Yearly (if applicable) | Uploaded in PDF format |
| Beneficial Ownership Register | Annually + within 10 days of changes | CIPC BO Platform |
| Deregistration (if inactive) | Once-off | Email request with supporting docs |
❌ Penalties & Non-Compliance Risks
CIPC enforces penalties for failing to comply:
- Daily late return fines
- Automatic deregistration after 2 years
- Referral to SARS for audit if no financials are filed
- Reputational risk if clients, banks, or investors view your company as inactive or non-compliant
👨💼 Why Work With a Professional?
CIPC compliance in South Africa may seem simple — but the smallest oversight (like missing a due date or failing to upload your BO register) can result in penalties or deregistration.
A professional accountant can help you:
- Track all CIPC deadlines
- File correct annual returns and financial disclosures
- Maintain your beneficial ownership register
- Deregister your company if no longer active
- Liaise with SARS to ensure all tax types are closed
✅ Sparrows Chartered Accountants – Your Compliance Partner
At Sparrows Chartered Accountants, we take the stress out of CIPC compliance in South Africa by offering:
- Annual return submissions
- Financial Accountability Supplement filing
- Beneficial ownership registration and updates
- Deregistration of inactive entities
- SARS tax type deactivation for full legal closure
Whether you run an active company or want to clean up a dormant one, we’ll help you stay compliant and penalty-free.
Need help with CIPC compliance or deregistering a company?
Contact Sparrows Chartered Accountants — and stay in good standing with CIPC and SARS year-round.
Disclaimer: This article is intended for general informational purposes only and reflects the legislation and SARS practices in effect at the time of publishing. Tax laws are subject to change, and individual circumstances vary. Always consult a registered tax practitioner or financial advisor for advice tailored to your situation.
