CIPC: Delays in Business and Company Name Reservations

Posted 27 February 2026 Written by Acts Online
Category CIPC

Brought to you by SA Accounting Academy: The Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) has issued a formal notice regarding temporary delays in the processing of business and company name reservation applications.

In terms of the Companies Act, No. 71 of 2008, the CIPC has advised that a substantial increase in application volumes has resulted in extended turnaround times for the adjudication and approval of name reservations. Stakeholders are requested to account for the following directives and timelines:

  • Turnaround times for the processing and finalisation of name reservation applications are currently between 5 and 10 working days.
  • Clients must not submit duplicate name reservation applications across any of the CIPC’s filing platforms during this period.
  • The prescribed name reservation filing fee is non-refundable, and no refunds will be issued for duplicate submissions.

Click here to download the Notice in Delays of Business and Company Names.

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

  • For yourself: Adjust internal workflow schedules to accommodate the 10-day processing window for name reservations to ensure professional deadlines are met.
  • For your business: Implement a strict check against duplicate filings within the firm’s administrative team to prevent the loss of non-refundable filing fees.
  • For your clients: Provide formal notification to clients that company registration or name change processes will be delayed, preventing them from finalising branding or stationery before the name is legally secured.

Originally published at https://accountingacademy.co.za/news/read/cipc-processing-delays-in-business-and-company-reservations

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