Companies and Intellectual Commission

Practice Note 1 of 2014-Name changes for Companies initially registered with only a Registration Number

  • The Companies Act, 2008 provided that a company can be registered with the company number as its name. This is the quickest way to secure a company registration in order to start doing business.
    • The process of doing the consequent name change was found by the public to be cumbersome and requires additional costs, and the CIPC strive to assist in always streamlining processes.
      • Therefore, the CIPC has approved a separate name change process to be followed in instances where the company registration was done without a name reservation and was awarded a registration number as the name of the company. In such instances the company in question still need to apply for a relevant name reservation and lodge the necessary name change application documentation with the CIPC, but the name change process will be free of charge
        • The requirements for the waived fee to be applicable are as follows:
          • - Company must have been incorporated with its registration number as its name;
            • - Only companies amending its name for the first time after being incorporated with its registration number as a name;
              • - Applicable from 3 March 2014
              • Companies meeting the above criteria will be allowed the waiver of the R250 amendment fee and must ensure that the correct documents are lodged via the dedicated e mail address for this purpose, namely namechange@cipc.co.za.
                • Important to note is that only the amendment fee is waived, and it is still the responsibility of the relevant company to see to the name reservation following the normal process protocols, prior to lodgment of the name change application.
                  • Required documentation:
                    • - CoR 15.2 (completed and signed by active director/company secretary)
                      • - Copy of the resolution confirming the approval of the name change
                        • - Copy of the approved name reservation - CoR 9.4
                          • - Copy of the certified ID of the CoR form signatory
                            • - Approved names which include the word ‘sure’ (e.g. telesure, insurance, etc) must lodge an approval by the Financial Services Board (FSB) to use the name
                              • - Ensure the customer code is clearly visible on the CoR form for tracking purposes

                              Astrid Ludin
                              Commissioner: CIPC
                              2014-04-06

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