CIPC: Delays in Reinstatement Payments and Name Reservations

Posted 26 January 2026 Written by Acts Online
Category CIPC

Brought to you by SA Accounting Academy: The Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) has issued a notice regarding technical challenges with card payments for company and close corporation reinstatements and extended turnaround times for name reservations.

In terms of the Companies Act, No. 71 of 2008, the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) has issued Customer Notice 003 regarding challenges experienced by customers when making card payments for reinstatement applications. The notice applies to both companies and close corporations.

Where a payment status reflects as “Pending Payment”, the Commission directs that customers must not submit a subsequent reinstatement application. Duplicate submissions may result in multiple deductions and duplicate filings. The CIPC system requires up to 24 hours to update following a transaction.

Practitioners are advised to follow these steps if a payment issue occurs:

  • Verify with the relevant banking institution whether the funds have been deducted from the account.
  • Allow for a 24-hour period for the system to reflect the payment status.
  • If the funds have been deducted and 24 hours have elapsed without a status update, contact the reinstatement team at [email protected], providing all relevant transaction details.

Furthermore, the Commission has confirmed that name reservation approvals are currently experiencing delays, with processing times taking up to five working days.

Click here to download Customer Notice 003: Card Payment Challenges.

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

  • For yourself: No direct individual obligations; impact is channelled through professional filing and administrative workflows.
  • For your business: Firms must update internal compliance calendars to reflect a five-working-day turnaround for name reservations and implement a 24-hour verification buffer before resubmitting failed reinstatement payments.
  • For your clients: Clients must be informed of potential delays in restoring legal entities to the register and cautioned against making multiple payments for a single reinstatement application.

Originally published at https://accountingacademy.co.za/news/read/cipc-delays-in-companies-and-ccs-re-instatements-card-payments

The views expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Acts Online. Acts Online accepts no responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the article, nor does the information contained herein constitute advice, legal or otherwise.