Register Your Pty Ltd for R175 — No Accountant Needed

Accountants and business registration services charge R1,500 to R5,000 to register a company. The actual cost at CIPC is R175. Here's how to do it yourself in under an hour.

What You Need Before You Start

• South African ID number
• Personal email address
• A debit or credit card (R175 to pay)
• 3 name options for your company
• A physical address (your home address is fine)

Step-by-Step: CIPC Online Registration

1. Go to bizportal.gov.za — the modern, faster CIPC portal
2. Create a free account using your ID number and email
3. Choose "Register a new company"  Private Company (Pty) Ltd
4. Enter your 3 name choices — CIPC checks availability automatically
5. Complete the director details
6. Set shares to 1,000 (standard for small businesses)
7. Pay the R175 registration fee online

After Registration — What to Do Next

1. Tax Reference Number — register at efiling.sars.gov.za. Free.
2. Business bank account — FNB, Capitec Business, or Nedbank Business.
3. CSD number — if you ever want to bid on government tenders.