CIPC Name Reservations and Company Name Changes in South Africa

You are not required to have a name to register a company in South Africa. You can register immediately under your registration number and add a formal name later. But if you want a specific business name from day one, you need to reserve it before completing your registration.

How name reservations work

A name reservation application is done using a CoR9.1 form and costs R50 per application, regardless of whether your name is approved or rejected. You can submit up to four name options in one application, listed in order of preference. This reduces the risk of having to pay the fee again if your first choice is unavailable.

If your name is approved, CIPC issues a CoR9.4 — your name reservation confirmation. That document is valid for exactly six months from the date of approval. If you do not complete your company registration within those six months, the reservation expires and the name becomes available to anyone else. There is no pause button and no automatic extension.

What to do if your reservation is about to expire

If you need more time you can apply for a 60-business-day extension by paying R30, but you must do this within the final month before expiry. Once the reservation has lapsed it cannot be extended — you start again from scratch with a new CoR9.1 application and a new R50 fee. Set a calendar reminder for month five of your reservation to avoid this situation.

Why names get rejected

Names get rejected for a few common reasons: too similar to an existing company name, implies a government connection without authorisation, is offensive or misleading, or infringes on a registered trademark. If your name is rejected you can take the matter to the Companies Tribunal at companiestribunal.org.za — that process does not go back to CIPC directly.

Changing an existing company name

If you registered without a name and want to add one later, the process is the same: reserve a name using a CoR9.1, receive your CoR9.4, and then apply for a name change through CIPC eServices. The R250 amendment fee is waived for the first name change on a company that has never had a formal name. You only pay the R50 reservation fee.

One important rule: the platform you use for name reservation must match the platform you use for the registration or amendment. You cannot reserve a name on eServices and then complete the name change on BizPortal. Pick one and stay with it throughout the process.