File your Beneficial Ownership declaration in 15 minutes
The ClearComply Co-Pilot walks you through the CIPC eServices portal field by field — so you file it right the first time, for R399 once-off. No accountant, no subscription.
Free compliance check · No sign-up required
What Beneficial Ownership is, in 90 seconds
In this video
- A beneficial ownership declaration records who really owns and controls your company: the real people, not just the names on paper.
- Anyone with 5% or more counts, even through a trust or another company.
- Companies and close corporations must file one, and update it within 10 business days of any change.
- If you don't, CIPC won't accept your annual return, and two missed years of returns can lead to deregistration.
- Check your company in seconds, then file with the Beneficial Ownership Co-Pilot or have a registered professional do it.
Since July 2024, you can’t skip it
Every South African company must file a Beneficial Ownership declaration with CIPC — and since July 2024 there is a hard block: you cannot file your Annual Return until your Beneficial Ownership is confirmed. Miss your Annual Returns and your company can be deregistered. Filing the declaration itself is free; getting it right is where most owners get stuck. That’s what the Co-Pilot is for.
What the Co-Pilot does
It’s not a form you hand over — it’s a guide that sits next to the real CIPC portal and walks you through it.
Step-by-step on the CIPC portal
It detects which eServices screen you’re on and tells you exactly what to do next.
Auto-fills your company details
Your registration number, directors, and shareholding are pre-filled so you don’t re-type them.
Screenshot anything, get an answer
Stuck on a field? Screenshot it and the AI explains what to enter, in plain language.
How it works
Run a free status check
Enter your company registration number — we check your CIPC Beneficial Ownership and Annual Return status in about 30 seconds. No sign-up.
Add the Co-Pilot
Install the free ClearComply Co-Pilot Chrome extension. It sits alongside the CIPC eServices portal.
File — guided field by field
The Co-Pilot detects each CIPC screen, pre-fills your company details, and tells you exactly what to enter. Screenshot any form you’re unsure about and the AI explains it.
Done in 15 minutes
Submit your declaration and save your confirmation certificate. Your Annual Return is unblocked.
Free to file. R399 to get it right.
CIPC charges no fee to file a Beneficial Ownership declaration. The Co-Pilot is R399 once-off, with no subscription, and it’s the difference between an hour of second-guessing the portal and a 15-minute filing done right. Rather hand it over? A registered practitioner can file it for you from R800. Full breakdown: what Beneficial Ownership filing costs.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to file Beneficial Ownership with the Co-Pilot?
CIPC charges no fee for the Beneficial Ownership declaration itself. The ClearComply Co-Pilot, which guides you through the portal field by field so you get it right the first time, is a once-off R399 with no subscription. If you would rather hand it over, a registered practitioner can file it for you from R800.
How long does it take to file Beneficial Ownership with the Co-Pilot?
About 10 to 15 minutes once you have your documents ready (certified ID copies and shareholding details). The Co-Pilot detects which CIPC screen you are on, pre-fills your company details, and tells you exactly what to enter in each field.
Do I need an accountant to file Beneficial Ownership?
No. Beneficial Ownership can be filed by the company’s director on CIPC eServices, and the Co-Pilot walks you through every step. You only need an accountant if you prefer to hand it off entirely.
What happens if I do not file my Beneficial Ownership declaration?
You cannot file your Annual Return. Since July 2024, CIPC has a hard block — your Beneficial Ownership declaration must be filed and confirmed before an Annual Return is accepted, and a company that misses its Annual Returns can be deregistered.
New to Beneficial Ownership? Read the full step-by-step guide →
Check your Beneficial Ownership status — free
See where you stand in 30 seconds, then let the Co-Pilot file it with you.
ClearComply guides you through filing on the official CIPC eServices portal. We do not file on your behalf, and this is not legal advice. Beneficial Ownership filing is free on eServices; the Co-Pilot is a paid guidance tool.