CIPC annual return
Keep the company record active with CIPC. We confirm the turnover band, prepare the annual return and file it in the correct window. The CIPC fee is shown separately at cost.
CIPC annual return costs R690 at ProperSA. That is our fixed service fee; government and authority fees are charged at cost on top. If you give us everything we ask for and we still fail to deliver what this page promises, we refund our fee; a refusal by the authority is not refundable.
Independent paperwork service. ProperSA is an independent private company, not CIPC. You can file your annual return yourself on BizPortal and pay CIPC directly. Our fee pays for us to work out what is owed, file it and confirm it went through.
What is included
- The annual return itself, prepared and filed on CIPC eServices
- Your beneficial ownership declaration filed with it, which CIPC will not accept the return without
- The financial accountability supplement, or your audited statements lodged in iXBRL if you are required to audit
- The compliance checklist, the fourth filing CIPC requires in the same session
- Turnover band confirmed from your latest approved figures, so you never overpay the CIPC fee
- Filing confirmation and proof of payment for your records
- A diary note service: we remind you before next year’s window
- Behind on several years? Each extra back year is R390, and we tell you first if the company has already been deregistered
What we will need from you
Short list, and most of it you already have. If anything is missing we tell you before we invoice, not halfway through.
- Your company or close corporation registration number. We check the register ourselves and tell you exactly which years are outstanding before you pay for anything.
- Turnover for each outstanding year, taken from your latest approved financial statements. This sets the CIPC fee, and it is the number that cannot be corrected once filed.
- Confirmation that your registered address and director or member details are still right.
- Your beneficial ownership details if CIPC does not already hold a current declaration: who owns or controls the business, their identity numbers, shareholdings and the date the shares were issued. Without this the annual return cannot go through at all.
- Whether the company is required to be audited. Most owner-run companies are not, and we complete the financial accountability supplement instead. If you are unsure, say so and we work it out with you.
- A signed mandate authorising us to file, which we send you to sign.
Remember that an annual return is four filings, not one: the return itself, beneficial ownership, financial statements or the supplement, and the compliance checklist. All four are covered in the price. The annual returns guide explains each one.
How ordering works
- Order online with the button below and pay securely by card or instant EFT (PayFast), or wait for the EFT invoice.
- Complete the short online form waiting in your client portal. It asks for everything we need, no calls, no meetings, everything on record.
- We confirm your turnover band and anniversary date from your questionnaire, invoice the exact CIPC fee at cost, and file; confirmation usually lands the same day CIPC processes it.
- The price you see is the price you pay plus the exact CIPC fee shown by the calculator, at cost, and if you give us everything we ask for and we still fail to deliver what this page describes, we refund our fee. A refusal by the authority, or a delay caused by missing information from you, is not refundable. Full rules in our terms.
Not sure this is the right one for you? Ask us first and you get a written answer within one business day.
The other register CIPC now shows: the Information Regulator
CIPC’s own company search now shows whether a business has registered its information officer with the Information Regulator. If it has not, the result says the company is not compliant with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) and the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA), for anyone who looks the company up. Almost every business that keeps a customer’s name or cellphone number needs it.
We register your information officer for you: POPIA information officer registration, R390. Once a year after that, the PAIA annual report is due between 1 April and 30 June.
Update, 2026: what CIPC is checking
In 2026 CIPC has issued notices on beneficial ownership filing compliance inspections, on validating customer profiles to prevent duplicate email addresses and cell phone numbers, and on geolocation for company and close corporation address changes (6 October 2026). Keep your registered details accurate and your beneficial ownership filing up to date (CIPC notices).
Frequently asked questions
How much is a CIPC annual return?
The CIPC fee depends on turnover: R100 under R1 million, R450 from R1 million to under R10 million, R2 000 from R10 million to under R25 million, and R3 000 above that, with higher fees if you file late. Our filing fee is a flat R690 on top.
When is my CIPC annual return due?
For companies, within 30 business days of the anniversary of your registration date each year. CCs file within the anniversary month and the month after. File in the window and you pay the lower fee.
What happens if I never file my annual returns?
CIPC assumes the company is inactive, moves it into deregistration, and eventually strikes it off. That freezes your bank account and puts company property at risk. Filing the outstanding returns with late fees usually restores compliance if you act before final deregistration.
Do I file an annual return if my company did not trade?
Yes. A dormant company files with R0 turnover and pays the minimum R100 CIPC fee. Not trading does not pause the obligation.
Is the annual return the same as a SARS tax return?
No. The CIPC annual return confirms your company details and pays a levy to stay registered; SARS tax returns are separate. You need both every year.
CIPC fee bands were confirmed from CIPC’s Annual Returns FAQ in August 2026 and are charged at cost on top of the fixed filing fee.