Draft Business Licensing Bill Published for Comment

Posted 29 September 2025 Written by Acts Online
Category Small Business Development

Brought to you by SA Legal Academy: The Department of Small Business Development has released the draft Business Licensing Bill for public comment, which proposes a comprehensive overhaul of the current business licensing regime.

In terms of a notice published by the Department of Small Business Development, stakeholders are invited to submit comments on the draft Business Licensing Bill. Once enacted, this legislation will repeal the Businesses Act, No. 71 of 1991. The Bill is the culmination of a legislative review process that began in 2010 and incorporates recommendations from the South African Law Reform Commission.

The Department originally set a commentary deadline for October 2025; however, per a notice gazetted on 7 November 2025, the deadline for public submissions has been extended to 28 November 2025. The draft Bill seeks to modernize and streamline the licensing of business activities across various sectors.

Key Regulatory Focus Areas

The proposed legislation covers several critical areas of business regulation, including:

  • The establishment of a standardized framework for business licensing.
  • The powers and functions of licensing authorities at various levels of government.
  • Criteria for the granting, renewal, and revocation of business licenses.
  • Compliance requirements and enforcement protocols for business operators.

Click here to download the extension notice and draft Business Licensing Bill.

What this means for you, your business, or your clients

  • For yourself: No direct individual obligations; impact channelled through firm-level compliance and the provision of updated regulatory advice to clients.
  • For your business: Firms must evaluate the draft Bill to determine if their existing operational licenses will remain valid or require re-application under the new framework once the Businesses Act, No. 71 of 1991 is repealed.
  • For your clients: Clients in the retail, trade, and service sectors should be advised to review the proposed licensing criteria to ensure future compliance and to consider submitting comments by the 28 November 2025 deadline.

Originally published at https://legalacademy.co.za/news/read/business-licensing-draft-bill-gazeted-for-public-comment

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