How does the Soul Center Non-Profit Company registration process work from start to finish? #

The Christian Leaders Alliance South Africa Soul Center Non-Profit Company registration process takes you from an initial eligibility check through to submitting the information and documents needed for the official company registration.

The online application has seven guided steps:

1. Eligibility
2. Soul Center
3. Prepare
4. Directors
5. Names
6. Documents
7. Review

After you submit the application, the registration work continues behind the scenes. Your eligibility and application are checked, the company-name process is dealt with, the required registration documents are prepared, and the supported application proceeds through the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) process.

CIPC is the South African public authority that officially registers the Non-Profit Company (NPC).

The Start My Company and Christian Leaders Alliance administrative service fee is R0 for an eligible application. You pay only the applicable official CIPC charges.

This article gives you the complete picture from beginning to end.

For detailed help with any individual step, use the Your Registration Application section of this Knowledgebase.

Before you start #

Before opening the application, make sure you have worked through the other Start Here guidance.

In particular, make sure that:

• you are an eligible Christian Leaders Alliance South Africa member;
• the application is for an approved Soul Center;
• the organisation will be registered in South Africa;
• the current NPC structure is suitable for your organisation;
• you have at least three suitable proposed directors;
• you can obtain the required documents; and
• you understand that official CIPC fees remain payable even though the administrative service is free.

If your ministry is not yet an approved Soul Center, visit the Soul Centers Programme first.

If you are uncertain whether the registration service is suitable for your organisation, contact the Start My Company Support Desk before proceeding.

What type of Non-Profit Company does the current application register? #

The current service registers an NPC using CIPC Form CoR 15.1C.

CoR 15.1C is the Short Standard Form for a Non-Profit Company without legal company members.

A Memorandum of Incorporation (MOI) is the main legal document that sets out how a company is structured and governed. CoR 15.1C contains a standard short-form MOI.

“Without legal company members” does not mean that your church cannot have congregation members, ministry members, volunteers, attendees or supporters.

It means that those people do not form a separate legal membership group inside the company.

The NPC is governed by its directors.

The current service supports CoR 15.1C only.

Future support is planned for:

• CoR 15.1D, a longer standard MOI for an NPC without legal company members; and
• CoR 15.1E, a longer standard MOI for an NPC that does have legal company members.

Those two options are not currently available through this service.

If you think your organisation may need either of those structures, or another form of company structure, contact the Start My Company Support Desk instead of starting the current application.

How do I start the application? #

Use the secure Soul Center Non-Profit Company application.

Nothing is saved merely because you open the page.

Your application starts when you begin entering and progressing through the application.

The portal displays your progress as you work through the seven steps.

You can use the application on a phone or computer.

Do I have to finish everything in one sitting? #

No.

The portal provides Save & Return.

This allows you to save an unfinished application and receive a secure return link at the email address used for your Christian Leaders Alliance registration.

The return link is a one-time secure link.

Once you use it, that particular link cannot be used again.

If you resume your application and then need to stop again, use Save & Return again before leaving. A new secure return link will then be sent to you.

Keep the return link private because it provides access to your saved application.

If you lose access to your draft or have difficulty returning to it, contact the Start My Company Support Desk rather than immediately creating another application.

Step 1: Eligibility #

The first step checks whether the registration service is suitable for you and your Soul Center.

You confirm that:

• you are an approved Christian Leaders Alliance South Africa member;
• the application is for a Christian Leaders Alliance Soul Center;
• the organisation will be registered in South Africa;
• you want the currently supported NPC without legal company members using the Short Standard Form; and
• you understand that the free service covers the supported company-registration administration, not all future accounting, tax or compliance work.

You also enter the email address used for your Christian Leaders Alliance registration.

Enter it exactly as it appears on your Christian Leaders Alliance account.

Your membership will be checked before the NPC registration is processed.

What if I cannot confirm one of the eligibility statements? #

Do not tick a statement simply to get through the application.

If the problem is that your church or ministry is not yet a Soul Center, visit the Soul Centers Programme to explore becoming one.

If the organisation may need a different legal structure, or you are unsure why you cannot confirm a statement, contact the Start My Company Support Desk.

Step 2: Soul Center details #

The second step collects information about the organisation that will become the NPC.

The information should also match the current Soul Center information held by Christian Leaders Alliance South Africa where applicable.

You will provide or choose information including:

• the main purpose of the NPC;
• how future directors will normally be chosen;
• the NPC’s email address;
• the month when the financial year will end;
• the South African physical address; and
• the postal address.

What is the “main purpose”? #

The main purpose is the main reason the NPC will exist.

For many Soul Centers, the option relating to religious worship and other religious community outreach activities will be appropriate.

Choose another option only if it genuinely better describes the main work of your Soul Center.

What does choosing how future directors are appointed mean? #

You are telling CIPC how the company will normally choose or replace directors later.

The portal explains the choices available.

This information becomes part of how the NPC is structured.

Do not choose an answer at random simply because you want to move to the next page.

Why must the NPC have a South African physical address? #

The proposed company needs a real address in South Africa where it can be contacted.

You must provide an actual physical address rather than a general area or town.

If your postal address is the same as the physical address, the application allows you to indicate this.

If anything about the Soul Center details is unclear, contact the Start My Company Support Desk.

Step 3: Prepare #

Step 3 is a preparation stage.

You do not upload documents yet.

Instead, the portal explains the important documents and gives you the approved forms that need to be prepared.

This stage explains:

• what a Memorandum of Incorporation is;
• the difference between company directors and legal company members;
• the CoR 15.1C structure being used;
• what a certified identity document is;
• what the Power of Attorney does;
• what the Board Resolution does; and
• how the documents must be prepared.

Which documents do I prepare? #

You will need:

• a certified identity document for every proposed director;
• a signed Power of Attorney;
• a signed Board Resolution; and
• proof of the official CIPC payment, which is dealt with at the final stage.

South African citizens use the required certified South African identity document.

Foreign nationals use a certified copy of a valid passport.

Detailed guidance is available in Documents You Will Need.

What is the Power of Attorney? #

A Power of Attorney is a document in which the proposed directors give the authorised person permission to act for them for this particular NPC registration process.

The authority is limited to the registration work described in the document.

The preferred arrangement is one Power of Attorney signed by all proposed directors.

If the directors are in different places, identical separate copies may be signed instead.

Every proposed director must sign.

Use the approved document supplied through the registration application.

What is the Board Resolution? #

A Board Resolution is a written record showing that the proposed directors have agreed to register the NPC and have authorised the registration process.

Use the approved Board Resolution supplied through the application.

Do not substitute your own document unless you have specifically been instructed to do so.

Why are certified identity documents important? #

CIPC requires acceptable identification for the people involved in the registration.

A certified copy is a copy that an authorised person has compared with the original document and confirmed as a true copy.

The certification requirements are important.

For the current process:

• certification must be no older than three calendar months;
• the certification date must be shown;
• one identity document or passport should appear on one page;
• where a South African identity card is used, both sides must appear on the same page;
• a foreign national must use a valid passport; and
• documents certified outside South Africa may require appropriate international authentication.

The Documents You Will Need section provides the fuller guidance.

Why are official CIPC forms shown if I must not complete them? #

The portal may give you official CIPC documents to read so that you can see the legal form being used for your NPC.

Where the portal marks a document FOR INFORMATION ONLY, it means exactly that.

Do not:

• complete it;
• sign it;
• upload it;
• send it to CIPC yourself; or
• start a separate registration using it.

The supported registration service prepares the appropriate CIPC submission.

A separate application could create duplicate work, delays or additional official fees.

Step 4: Directors #

The next step is where you enter the proposed directors.

An NPC must have at least three directors.

The current Soul Center service supports three to twelve directors.

Enter each director’s legal details exactly as they appear on the person’s identity document.

Do not use:

• nicknames;
• shortened names;
• ministry titles; or
• guessed information.

For a South African citizen, enter the person’s 13-digit South African identity number.

For a foreign national, enter the passport number exactly as shown in the valid passport.

What does being a director mean? #

A director is one of the people legally responsible for directing and managing the NPC.

A director is not simply someone whose name is needed to complete the application.

Every proposed director should:

• know that they are being appointed;
• agree to the appointment;
• provide the required information;
• provide the required identification;
• sign the registration documents; and
• understand that the position carries ongoing responsibilities.

For detailed guidance, use Directors and Company Names.

Step 5: Proposed company names #

You then provide your proposed NPC names.

You may submit up to four names, in the order you prefer them.

Only your first choice is required to continue, but providing four suitable and genuinely different choices is strongly recommended.

This gives CIPC alternatives if your preferred name cannot be approved.

How does name reservation work? #

The current official name-reservation fee is R50 per application.

One name-reservation application can contain up to four proposed names.

CIPC considers the proposed names and decides whether one can be reserved.

The name is not officially reserved merely because you typed it into the Soul Center application.

A reservation becomes official when CIPC approves it and issues the appropriate confirmation, known as Form CoR 9.4.

The current CIPC reservation period is normally six months from approval.

What if none of my names can be approved? #

Another name-reservation application will be necessary.

That means another R50 official CIPC fee must be paid.

The first name-reservation fee is not refunded merely because none of the proposed names was approved.

This is why providing four carefully considered choices can be worthwhile.

The detailed naming guidance belongs in Directors and Company Names.

If you are uncertain about a proposed name before it is submitted, contact the Start My Company Support Desk.

Step 6: Upload your documents #

Once the required documents have been prepared, you upload them through the protected application portal.

The current accepted file types are:

• PDF;
• JPEG;
• PNG; and
• WebP.

The current maximum file size is 10 MB per file.

You can upload files using a phone or computer.

What should an uploaded document look like? #

The document must be clear enough to read and check.

If you take a photograph:

• place the document flat;
• use good lighting;
• avoid shadows;
• avoid glare;
• make sure all four corners are visible; and
• check that the text is readable before uploading.

Do not assume that a photograph is acceptable simply because the file successfully uploads.

A blurred, cropped or unreadable document may still need to be replaced.

How do I upload the Power of Attorney? #

The portal asks how the directors signed it.

There are two supported arrangements.

One joint Power of Attorney #

This is the preferred method.

All proposed directors sign the same Power of Attorney.

Separate Power of Attorney documents #

This can be used when the directors are in different places.

Each director signs an identical separate copy.

Every proposed director must provide their signed copy.

Are my documents publicly accessible? #

No.

The application states that uploaded documents are encrypted before storage and are not publicly accessible.

Sensitive identity documents should therefore be submitted through the protected portal rather than sent casually through ordinary email or messaging services.

For more information, use Privacy, Security and Your Information.

Step 7: Review, pay and submit #

The final application step is where you:

• review the application;
• check the current official charges;
• make the required CIPC payment;
• upload proof of payment;
• confirm the required declarations; and
• submit the application.

Do not rush through this page.

Read the information carefully and check that the application is accurate before submitting it.

How much do I currently pay? #

For the CoR 15.1C service currently supported, the portal presently shows:

• Name reservation: R50
• NPC registration: R125
• Start My Company / Christian Leaders Alliance service fee: R0
• Total official fees currently due: R175

These are current official fees and can change.

Always follow the amount and payment instructions displayed in the live Soul Center Non-Profit Company application.

Where do I get the payment details? #

The current CIPC payment instructions are shown in Step 7 of the live application.

Use the details displayed there.

Do not rely on:

• old screenshots;
• old emails;
• a previous applicant’s banking information;
• copied WhatsApp messages; or
• payment instructions saved from an earlier application.

Payment instructions can change.

The live portal is the operational source for this service.

Why does the payment reference matter? #

The payment reference helps identify the payment correctly.

Use the exact reference shown in your application.

Do not replace it with your:

• personal name;
• church name;
• Soul Center name;
• proposed company name; or
• another reference of your own choosing.

If you believe you have made a payment using the wrong reference, contact the Start My Company Support Desk before making another payment.

Do I need proof of payment? #

Yes.

After making the official payment, keep the proof supplied by your bank or payment provider.

You must upload proof of payment before the application can be finally submitted.

Keep your own copy as well.

What do I confirm before submitting? #

The final step asks you to confirm important matters including:

• that you have read the privacy notice;
• that you understand the official registration costs;
• that you understand registration creates ongoing responsibilities;
• that you understand there are South African Revenue Service requirements after registration; and
• that you accept the Terms of Service.

Read these statements before confirming them.

Do not tick them without understanding what they mean.

What happens when I click “Submit application”? #

Once the application is successfully submitted, the portal gives you an application reference.

Keep this reference private.

Use it when corresponding with the Start My Company Support Desk about your registration.

Submission means that you have completed the applicant-facing part of the online process.

It does not mean that CIPC has already registered the NPC.

The administrative registration process still has to continue.

What happens after submission? #

After submission, the information and documents need to be dealt with as part of the supported registration process.

This includes checking matters such as:

• eligibility;
• the information supplied;
• director details;
• supporting documents;
• signatures;
• proof of payment; and
• whether anything needs to be corrected before the registration can proceed.

If something is incomplete or unclear, you may be contacted for additional information or a replacement document.

Respond promptly if information is requested.

A delay in providing a correction can delay the registration.

What happens with my proposed company names? #

The supported name-reservation process must be completed with CIPC.

CIPC decides whether a proposed name can be reserved.

If your first choice cannot be approved, CIPC can consider the other proposed names included in the application.

If none can be approved, you will need to provide new proposed names and another name-reservation application will be required.

Another R50 official name-reservation fee must then be paid.

What happens once a company name is approved? #

Once the required name-reservation and application requirements are in order, the supported incorporation process can proceed.

Incorporation is the legal process through which the company is created.

The registration service prepares the appropriate CIPC documents for the supported CoR 15.1C registration.

CIPC then remains responsible for processing the official company registration.

Can CIPC ask for something else? #

Yes.

Although the service is designed around the current requirements, CIPC is the official registration authority.

CIPC can require:

• corrected information;
• clearer documents;
• replacement documents;
• additional supporting information; or
• another action necessary to complete the registration.

If this happens, we will deal with the administrative requirement with you as appropriate.

Do not ignore a request for corrected information.

How long does the CIPC stage take? #

There is no guaranteed completion date.

Processing can be affected by:

• whether the application was complete;
• whether corrections are needed;
• name reservation;
• official payment;
• document quality;
• CIPC systems;
• CIPC workloads; and
• other official processing requirements.

Do not enter into an important agreement on the assumption that the NPC will definitely be registered by a particular date.

If you are concerned about an application that appears to be delayed, use the Start My Company Support Desk.

How will I know when the NPC has actually been registered? #

The NPC exists as a registered company only once CIPC has completed the incorporation and issued the official company registration information.

An important document is Form CoR 14.3 — Registration Certificate.

This is the CIPC document confirming that the company has been registered.

The registration certificate includes the company’s official registration information.

Keep the registration documents safely.

They will be needed for future company, banking, tax and administrative matters.

Is the registration certificate the end of the process? #

No.

This is extremely important.

Receiving the CIPC registration certificate means that the NPC has been created.

It does not mean that every legal, tax or compliance responsibility has now been completed.

The company has immediate and ongoing responsibilities after registration.

What happens with income tax? #

A CIPC-registered NPC is automatically registered for Income Tax with the South African Revenue Service (SARS).

You do not make a separate initial Income Tax registration application merely to obtain the company’s Income Tax number.

The Income Tax reference number appears on the CIPC registration document, Form CoR 14.3.

However, this automatic Income Tax registration does not mean that the NPC is tax exempt.

Tax exemption is a separate matter.

What is a Registered Representative or Public Officer? #

The NPC needs a person who is authorised to represent it in its dealings with SARS.

This person is referred to as the company’s Registered Representative and, for a company, acts in the relevant capacity as its Public Officer.

The current SARS requirement is that the NPC must ensure that a Registered Representative is appointed and registered with SARS within 21 business days.

This is a post-registration responsibility and is not automatically completed merely because CIPC registered the NPC.

If you need help once the NPC has been registered, use the Start My Company Support Desk.

What is beneficial ownership? #

Beneficial ownership is information about the natural people who ultimately own or exercise effective control over a company, where applicable.

Even an NPC without ordinary owners or shareholders still has beneficial ownership filing responsibilities with CIPC.

The current portal warns that a newly incorporated NPC must make the required beneficial ownership filing with CIPC within 10 business days after registration, including where there are no beneficial owners to declare.

This filing is not included in the free NPC registration service.

The exact supporting documents required can depend on the particular NPC.

Because beneficial ownership requirements can change, follow the current guidance after registration rather than relying on an old copy of this article.

Does automatic Income Tax registration make us a Public Benefit Organisation? #

No.

A Public Benefit Organisation (PBO) is a separate tax status approved by SARS.

Registering an NPC with CIPC does not automatically make the organisation a PBO.

It also does not automatically give the organisation section 18A approval, which is the separate SARS approval that can allow qualifying organisations to issue tax-deductible donation receipts.

Likewise, an NPC is not automatically a registered Nonprofit Organisation (NPO) with the South African Department of Social Development.

These are different registrations and statuses.

They will be explained fully in the Tax, Public Benefit Organisation and Nonprofit Organisation Status section.

What other responsibilities continue after registration? #

The NPC will have ongoing responsibilities.

Depending on the requirement, these can include:

• keeping company information current;
• maintaining company records;
• beneficial ownership filings;
• annual returns;
• SARS administration;
• tax returns;
• financial records;
• accounting requirements; and
• other compliance requirements that apply to the organisation.

The original R0 registration service does not automatically include all of this future work.

Use After Your Non-Profit Company Is Registered for the detailed post-registration guidance.

A quick view of the complete process #

The overall journey looks like this:

1. Check eligibility
Confirm that you and the Soul Center qualify for the service.

↓

2. Enter Soul Center and NPC details
Provide the organisation’s purpose, governance choices, contact information, financial year end and addresses.

↓

3. Prepare the documents
Download and prepare the approved Power of Attorney and Board Resolution, and obtain certified identification for every proposed director.

↓

4. Add the directors
Enter the legal details of at least three proposed directors.

↓

5. Choose proposed company names
Provide up to four names in order of preference.

↓

6. Upload the documents
Upload clear copies through the protected portal.

↓

7. Review and pay
Check the application, pay the current official CIPC charges and upload proof of payment.

↓

8. Submit the application
Receive and keep your private application reference.

↓

9. Application checking and corrections
Eligibility, information and documents are checked. You may be asked to correct something.

↓

10. Company-name process
The proposed names are dealt with through CIPC. New names and another official fee may be needed if none can be approved.

↓

11. CIPC incorporation
The supported registration documents are prepared and the application proceeds through the official CIPC process.

↓

12. Registration
CIPC registers the NPC and issues the official registration information, including Form CoR 14.3.

↓

13. Immediate post-registration work
Deal promptly with beneficial ownership and SARS Registered Representative requirements.

↓

14. Ongoing compliance
Maintain the NPC’s CIPC, SARS, accounting, record-keeping and other responsibilities.

What if something goes wrong during the process? #

Do not panic and do not immediately start another application.

Common problems can include:

• membership cannot be confirmed;
• Soul Center information is out of date;
• a director’s details are incorrect;
• a certified document does not meet the requirements;
• a document is unreadable;
• a director has not signed;
• proposed names cannot be approved;
• payment was made incorrectly;
• proof of payment is missing;
• a secure return link has already been used;
• an upload will not work; or
• the application appears to be stuck.

Use the Help, Problems and Troubleshooting section or contact the Start My Company Support Desk.

When contacting support, provide your application reference if you already have one.

Do not include unnecessary sensitive identity information in an ordinary support message.

What should I do while I am waiting? #

Keep an eye on the email address connected with your application.

If information or a replacement document is requested, respond as soon as reasonably possible.

Keep:

• your application reference;
• copies of the signed documents;
• certified identity documents;
• proof of payment; and
• any correspondence relating to the application

in a safe place.

Do not submit a second application simply because the first one has not yet been completed.

If you are concerned about the progress, contact the Start My Company Support Desk.

What happens if I change my mind during the application? #

If you have not yet completed the process and decide that something important needs to change, do not simply submit information that you no longer believe is correct.

Use Save & Return if you need time to reconsider something.

If the change affects matters such as:

• the directors;
• the legal structure;
• the Soul Center;
• the organisation’s purpose;
• company names; or
• another important registration detail,

contact the Start My Company Support Desk if you are unsure how to proceed.

What if I decide CoR 15.1C is not right for us after starting? #

Do not continue simply because you have already spent time on the application.

Contact the Start My Company Support Desk.

Explain what has changed or why you now believe another structure may be more appropriate.

It is better to stop before incorporation than to knowingly register the organisation using a structure that does not meet its needs.

Where can I get detailed help for each part? #

Use these Knowledgebase sections as you work through the process:

• Your Registration Application — detailed guidance through the seven application steps;
• Documents You Will Need — identity documents, certification, Power of Attorney, Board Resolution and uploads;
• Directors and Company Names — directors and choosing proposed company names;
• Payment, Submission and What Happens Next — payment, final submission and processing;
• After Your Non-Profit Company Is Registered — the responsibilities that begin after incorporation;
• Tax, Public Benefit Organisation and Nonprofit Organisation Status — tax exemption, PBO, section 18A and NPO status;
• Privacy, Security and Your Information — how sensitive information is handled; and
• Help, Problems and Troubleshooting — help when something is not working as expected.

You can also use the Start My Company Support Desk whenever you need assistance with the supported registration process.

What happens next? #

You have now reached the end of the Start Here overview.

If you have read the Start Here articles and are comfortable that the current service is appropriate for your Soul Center, you can start the Soul Center Non-Profit Company application.

You do not need to memorise everything in this Knowledgebase before starting.

The detailed sections are available so that you can return to them whenever you need help with a particular stage.

If you are unsure about anything before you begin, contact the Start My Company Support Desk.

Important note #

The Christian Leaders Alliance South Africa Soul Center Non-Profit Company registration service and this Knowledgebase provide administrative guidance and general information.

The current registration service supports CoR 15.1C only.

CIPC and SARS requirements, government procedures, forms, fees, deadlines and online systems can change.

The live Soul Center Non-Profit Company application and current requirements of the relevant South African authority take precedence if anything changes.

Registration assistance does not guarantee CIPC approval or a particular processing time.

After registration, the NPC remains responsible for meeting its legal, tax, financial and regulatory obligations.

If you need help understanding the next step, contact the Start My Company Support Desk.

Last checked against official information: 21 August 2026