What a company registration check tells you
South African companies and close corporations are recorded on the register kept by the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC). A registration check reads that record for one company. It tells you whether the company exists under the name you were given, what type of company it is, whether it is in business or has been deregistered, and when it was registered.
It is a quick look before you pay a deposit, accept a quote, sign a lease or extend credit. It is not a credit report and it does not say whether the company can pay.
Where to find the registration number
A registration number has three parts separated by slashes: the year of registration, a six-digit number and a two-digit code for the type of entity, for example 2007/013732/07. Older close corporation numbers may be written with a CK prefix, such as CK2003/012345/23.
- The registration certificate the company can give you.
- Its invoices, quotes, letterhead and contracts, where the number is usually printed.
- The company's website footer, if it shows one.
Match the number to the company name. A number that belongs to a different name, or that returns nothing, is the first warning sign.
Ways to check a company
- Ask CIPC directly. CIPC is the source of the register and the place to get certified copies of company documents. Use it when you need an official document rather than a summary.
- Use a verification provider. Providers read the register for you and return a summary. CheckID's CIPC company check emails a PDF with the company name, registration number, type, status, registration and business start dates, and the financial year end and business activity where CIPC holds them. It is a summary, not a CIPC-certified document.
- Ask the company for its documents. A certificate or a recent disclosure of its details is a reasonable request from a supplier or counterparty, and you can compare it against what the register says.
How to read the status
Read the status together with the dates, not on its own.
- A company that is in business is on the register and has not been deregistered.
- A company that is deregistered, or in the process of being deregistered, may no longer be able to contract. Do not pay a deposit to one without finding out why.
- A registration date much later than the trading history you were told about deserves a question.
What a company search does not tell you
- Whether the person you are speaking to is allowed to act for the company. Ask for a resolution or authority letter when the contract matters.
- Whether the company can pay. A register entry is not a credit assessment.
- Who the directors are, in CheckID's report. Directors, addresses and contact details are left out on purpose.
If the party you are dealing with is a person rather than a company, a company search is the wrong tool. A South African ID number can be checked for structure on the free ID number checker, which confirms the number is well formed and does not prove who someone is.
Checking a company instead? Run a CIPC company check before you pay a deposit or sign a contract.