An annual return is a mandatory yearly filing that every registered company and close corporation in South Africa must submit to CIPC. It is not a tax return. It is not a financial statement. It is simply your company's way of telling CIPC: we still exist, we are still operating, and here are our current details.
Missing your annual return filing for two consecutive years puts your company at risk of deregistration.
What the annual return involves
The annual return requires you to confirm or update your company's basic information — registered address, director details, and company status. For most companies it is a straightforward administrative task. For companies with turnover above R10 million, a financial accountability supplement or audited financial statements may also be required.
The filing itself is done online through CIPC's BizPortal at biznpo.cipc.co.za. You will need your company registration number, your CIPC account login, and the applicable filing fee.
When is your annual return due?
Your annual return deadline is calculated from your company's anniversary date — the date on which it was incorporated. It is not a fixed calendar date like a tax deadline. Every company has a different anniversary and therefore a different deadline.
To find your specific deadline: log in to BizPortal and search your company. Your anniversary date and next annual return due date are displayed on your company profile.
As a general rule, annual returns must be filed within 30 business days of your anniversary date each year.
Annual return filing fees
CIPC charges a fee based on your company's turnover. The fee schedule for 2025/2026 is:
| Turnover | Fee |
|---|---|
| R0 (no turnover or dormant) | R100 |
| Up to R1 million | R100 |
| R1m – R10 million | R450 |
| R10m – R25 million | R2,000 |
| Above R25 million | R3,000 |
| Close corporations (any turnover) | R100 |
The Beneficial Ownership block
Since 1 July 2024, you cannot submit your annual return if your Beneficial Ownership declaration has not been filed. If your BO filing is outstanding, you must complete it first at beneficial.cipc.co.za before your annual return submission will be accepted. This is a hard block — CIPC's system will reject the annual return submission until BO compliance is confirmed.
What happens if you miss your annual return
If you miss your annual return deadline, CIPC does not immediately deregister your company. The process is:
- Year one missed: your company accrues late fees and appears on CIPC's internal non-compliance records.
- Year two missed: your company is listed in the Government Gazette as a deregistration notice. This is a public record.
- Once listed: you have a limited window to file outstanding returns and pay accumulated fees before final deregistration is processed.
- Final deregistration: your company is struck off the register. Reinstatement requires a formal application, accumulated fees, and potentially a court order.
The cost of staying compliant — filing on time each year — is a few hundred rand. The cost of reinstatement after deregistration is significantly higher and the process takes weeks.
Never miss your deadline again
ClearComply's compliance calendar tracks your specific annual return deadline and sends automated reminders at 60, 30, 14, 7, and 1 day before it falls due. It also monitors your CIPC status in real time so you know immediately if your company's standing changes.