A standard South African private-company registration costs R125 through BizPortal without a reserved name, or R175 including a company name. The extra R50 is the online CIPC name-reservation fee. Professional registration services cost more because they check, prepare and manage the application.
Direct government fees
| Item | Official online fee |
|---|---|
| Standard company registration without a name | R125 |
| Standard registration including a name | R175 |
| Separate online name reservation | R50 |
| Manual name reservation | R75 |
The BizPortal website publishes the R125 and R175 prices. CIPC’s company forms and fees publishes the online and manual name-reservation fees.
Why service-provider prices are higher
A registration service usually includes checking proposed names and applicant details, preparing the filing, monitoring the application, handling a straightforward query or resubmission, delivering the registration documents and explaining the next compliance steps.
Some packages include share certificates, beneficial-ownership setup, a B-BBEE affidavit or tax-related registrations. Compare the included work, not only the headline price.
Costs that may come after registration
The registration fee does not cover every obligation. Depending on the company, later costs can include:
issuing and maintaining share certificates and a securities register;
filing beneficial-ownership information;
industry licences;
VAT, PAYE, UIF or Compensation Fund administration;
annual returns;
bookkeeping, payroll and annual financial statements; and
professional advice for a customised MOI or ownership structure.
Not every company needs all of these immediately. A company with no employees should not register for employment-related funds as if it already has staff.
The cheapest option is not always the lowest-cost option
A rejected name or incorrect ownership setup costs time. A self-service filing is suitable where South African founders need ordinary private-company documents and understand the share structure. Get help where there are foreign owners, trusts, a customised MOI, different share classes or uncertainty about who should hold the shares.
Frequently asked questions
Is the SARS income-tax number included? BizPortal states that companies registered through the platform are automatically registered with SARS for income tax. VAT and employer registrations follow separate rules.
Does R175 include share certificates? The official fee covers the CIPC registration and name. The company must still create and maintain its securities records.
Can I register without reserving a name? Yes. BizPortal lists a R125 option without a name. The company receives its registration-number name and can use a separate trading name, subject to the applicable rules.
Register with the full setup in mind
Smartbook manages the filing and helps put the company’s ownership and compliance records in order from the start.
Last reviewed: 31 August 2026. General guidance, not advice on your circumstances.