Briefing

CIPC Compliance Checklist: What Directors Must File, and By When

CIPC has reminded directors that the annual Compliance Checklist is mandatory. Who must file, the 30-business-day deadline, how to file on eServices, and what follows if it is missed.

BlackLeaf Insights · 2026-10-28

BlackLeaf lion crest beside the title CIPC Compliance Checklist on a dark obsidian background

The Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) has again written to company directors to remind them that the annual Compliance Checklist is mandatory. This article sets out what the CIPC requires, by when, and what happens if the filing is missed.

What the CIPC requires

The Compliance Checklist became mandatory on 5 March 2020 under CIPC Notice 9 of 2020. It is a standalone annual filing, separate from the annual return. In June 2026 the CIPC restated the requirement in Customer Notice 28 of 2026, “Mandatory submission of Compliance Checklist”, after observing a rise in companies that fail to file. In December 2025 it had already warned, in Notice 53 of 2025, that its Corporate Governance, Surveillance and Enforcement Unit checks submissions for accuracy and opens proactive investigations into suspected non-compliance.

Which companies must file

The notice lists five categories of company:

Company type	Abbreviation	CIPC code
Incorporated	Inc.	21
Proprietary Limited	(Pty) Ltd	07
Limited	Ltd	06
State Owned Company	SOC	30
Non-Profit Company	NPC	08

One point deserves care. When the checklist was introduced in 2020, the process began with a confirmation of whether the company’s annual financial statements are audited or independently reviewed. Companies that answered no were not required to complete the full checklist. The sources we reviewed do not say whether that step has changed, so check how CIPC eServices presents the filing for your company, or ask us to do it.

The deadline

The checklist must be submitted within 30 business days after the anniversary of the company’s date of incorporation, every year. Business days exclude weekends and public holidays. The deadline runs from the anniversary date, not from the financial year-end, so diarise it now and file early.

How to file

Log on to the CIPC eServices website.
Select the More Services icon.
Choose Business Maintenance.
Click the Compliance Checklist button and complete it.

The service is free. The questions cover the company’s compliance with the Companies Act, and the CIPC confirms the filing by email to the company’s directors.

What happens if it is missed or inaccurate

Failing to file, or filing inaccurately, is non-compliance with the Companies Act. The CIPC may issue a compliance notice under section 171. If the notice is not complied with, it may seek an administrative fine through the process in section 175, or refer the matter for prosecution under section 214(3). Knowingly giving false information to the CIPC is itself an offence under section 215. The answers are a declaration by the board, so the directors, not the person who happens to press “submit”, carry the responsibility.

A note on safety

The CIPC’s email is sent from a no-reply address. Do not pay anyone, or sign in, through a link in an email: type the eServices address into your browser yourself. Queries go to [email protected], with the subject line “Compliance Checklist, Name of Enterprise and Registration Number” and a contact number in the message.

The Compliance Checklist is separate from the company’s annual return and from its beneficial ownership filings. If those are not up to date, deal with them in the same sitting. Our Beneficial Ownership Guide explains what must be registered and how to keep it current.

How BlackLeaf can help

We can confirm your anniversary date and which filing applies, prepare the checklist with your board, and submit it. Send us the company name and registration number through our contact page, or message BlackLeaf Customer Service on WhatsApp.

This article is general information and not legal advice. Dates and requirements are set by the CIPC and may change, so please confirm them for your company on CIPC eServices.