Private limited company
Private Company Pty LtdSouth Africa
What it takes to form, own and run a private limited company in South Africa, and how its profit is taxed. Each figure links to the page it was read from.
This company type
At a glance
Owners' liability
Limited to what the owners put in
Officialjustice.gov.zaRead 25 Oct 2026
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A person is not, solely by reason of being an incorporator, shareholder or director of a company, liable for any liabilities or obligations of the company, except to the extent that this Act or the company's Memorandum of Incorporation provides otherwise.
Owners
At least 1 · a company may be one · nominees allowed
Officialjustice.gov.zaRead 10 Oct 2026
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One or more persons, or an organ of state, may incorporate a profit company
Directors
At least 1 · individuals only
Officialcipc.co.zaRead 10 Oct 2026
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Private companies must have at least one director and one incorporator.
Minimum capital
Not stated
The registry’s and the law’s own pages do not mention it.
Formation fee
ZAR 125 (about €6.80)
Officialcipc.co.zaRead 10 Oct 2026
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Private company with standard MOI; Non-profit company without members and with standard MOI or Co-operative R125
Tax on profit
Flat · 27%3 special regimes may apply
Notary needed: NoResident director needed: NoFormed online: Yes
Form it
Who registers it
- Registry
- Formed without visiting
- Not stated
The registry’s and the law’s own pages do not mention it.
- Formed online
- Yes
What it takes to form
- A notary
- Not required
- A resident director
- Not required
- Paying up the capital
- Shares are issued only for adequate consideration determined by the board, and when the company has received the consideration approved by its board those shares are fully paid; consideration in the form of an instrument or a future service, benefit or payment counts as received only as it is realised, the shares being held by a stakeholder meanwhile (Companies Act 71 of 2008 s.40(1), (4)-(5)). The section sets no minimum percentage to be paid up.
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when a company has received the consideration approved by its board for the issuance of any shares(a) those shares are fully paid;
Own it
Who may own and run it
- Directors
- At least 1 · individuals only
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Private companies must have at least one director and one incorporator.
- Shareholders
- At least 1 · a company may be one · nominees allowed
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One or more persons, or an organ of state, may incorporate a profit company
- Members
- At least 1 · one person may form it alone
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Private companies must have at least one director and one incorporator.
- A local company secretary
- Not required
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A public company or state-owned company must appoint a company secretary.
- A local registered agent
- Not required
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Each company or external company must- (a) continuously maintain at least one office in the Republic; and (b) register the address of its office, or its principal office if it has more than one office-
Each year, at the registry
- Annual registry fee
- ZAR 100 (about €5.44)
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Less than R1 million R100 R150 R1 million but less than R10 million R450 R600 R10 million but less than R25 million R2000 R2500 R25 million or more R3000 R4000
- Accounts on the public record
- Small exempt
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If such companies choose not to file a full set of financial statements, they must file a financial accountability supplement with their annual return.
- Audit for a small company
- Not required
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that company is exempt from the requirements in this section to have its annual financial statements audited or independently reviewed
- Audit
- Not in our records
Important dates
When each obligation falls due, as the authority states it.
Not in our records No dates for the Pty Ltd are in our records.
What is public
- Directors
- Public
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has a right to inspect or copy the securities register of a profit company, or the members register of a non-profit company that has members, or the register of directors of a company
- Shareholders
- Public
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has a right to inspect or copy the securities register of a profit company, or the members register of a non-profit company that has members, or the register of directors of a company
- Beneficial owners
- To the authorities only
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has a right to inspect or copy the securities register of a profit company, or the members register of a non-profit company that has members, or the register of directors of a company
Tax
Tax on profit
How this company type is taxed, which can differ from its place’s headline rate.
Flat · 27%+3 regimes
Companies: 27% for years of assessment from 1 April 2024 (SARS companies rate table).
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1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027 27%
Work it out on a profit figure: the company’s tax, the owner’s, and what is left.
Special regimes that may apply
- Participation exemption for foreign dividends holding · 100% exempt
A person who, alone or with a company in the same group of companies, holds at least 10% of the total equity shares and voting rights in the foreign company declaring the dividend Income Tax Act 58 of 1962, s. 10B(2)(a) - Exemption of income relating to South African ships used in international shipping other · 100% exempt
International shipping companies meeting the requirements of the section, in respect of South African ships used in international shipping Income Tax Act 58 of 1962, s. 12Q - Special economic zones free zone · 15%
Qualifying companies carrying on business from a fixed place of business in a special economic zone designated by the Minister of Trade and Industry and approved by the Minister of Finance Income Tax Act 58 of 1962, s. 12R
Whether a company qualifies depends on its activity and conditions set in each statute.
- CFC rules in South Africa
- Not in our records
Close it
Closing it
The other end, which most guides leave out.
- Route
- A solvent company may be wound up voluntarily by members or by a creditor by special resolution; deregistration is voluntary on application (CIPC forms and fees page).
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may be wounded up voluntarily by members or by a creditor
- Statutory fee
- Not in our records
Every business in South Africa
VAT
- Standard rate
- Not in our recordsThe tax authority’s pages have not been read for South Africa.
Payment and banking services
1 service names South Africa on its own list: Stripe. Each provider, and what a listing means.
Reference
Its name and code
- Kind
- Private limited companyDerived our grouping, the same words in every country
- Name in law
- Private Company (Pty Ltd)
- ISO 20275 code
- GQVQSecondary GLEIF, Entity Legal Forms code list