Co-operatives Registration
A distinct form of enterprise that is owned and controlled by its members for their mutual benefit.
We provide comprehensive assistance for co-operative registrations with CIPC.
Contact Us to ProceedWhat Are Co-operatives?
A co-operative is a type of business registered with the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) in South Africa. It is owned and run by a group of members who come together for a common goal—usually for community, economic or social benefit.
Unlike a private company, a co-operative is controlled democratically: each member has one vote, regardless of how much money they contributed.
Types of Co-operatives
- Minimum 5 members
- Most common form
- Used for small businesses, farming groups, stokvel-type groups, etc.
Formed by two or more primary co-ops joining together.
Formed by two or more secondary co-ops joining together.
Why Register a Co-operative?
You can open a bank account, enter contracts, get funding, etc.
Many government programs (DTI, NYDA, SEDA, SEFA) fund only registered co-operatives.
Member assets are protected (as long as rules are followed).
Democratic decision-making, shared profits, shared responsibilities.
- Five (5) or more founding members with their IDs or passports.
- A Co-operative Constitution in the CIPC format, signed by all members.
- Minutes of the initial meeting to show that members agreed to start the co-op.
- A reserved name (optional), or you can use the registration number as the name.
- Prepare your documents
- Submit the application online via BizPortal or CIPC
- Pay the CIPC fee
- Receive the Co-operative Certificate
- Open a bank account & register for tax