CIPC: Introduction of geolocation functionality for company and CC address changes

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CIPC: Introduction of geolocation functionality for company and CC address changes

• 13 October 2026
• Miscellaneous
• South African Accounting Academy

Summary:
The Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) has introduced geolocation functionality to the Company and Close Corporation (CK2) address change (CoR21.1 and CK2) services.

Article:

CIPC continuously aims to improve its services and improve the quality and integrity of information maintained in its registers. This new geolocation functionality is part of these initiatives.

The enhancement enables customers to capture standardised address information based on the real location of a company or close corporation physical address. This will improve the accuracy, standardisation and traceability of registered companies and close corporation’s physical addresses by linking them to their actual geographic location rather than relying solely on textual address descriptions that may be incorrect or outdated.

What does this mean for customers?

When submitting a CoR21.1 or CK2 address change, customers will not be able to change the information that is prepopulated when the first line of the address is captured on the service. It will be automatically generated and “pinned” to the real-world location where the company or close corporation finds itself.

Customers new to the geolocation function service should note that the physical address is prepopulated as the address field is captured – the populated information cannot be changed since the prepopulated information is blocked. This is to ensure that the real-world location or pin is determined, instead of what a physical document indicates it is to be.

It should be noted that over time, demarcation of boundaries of provinces, towns and cities change, and the relevant street or postal codes used by different organisations may not necessarily update accordingly. Therefore, as long as the actual registered address can be located or “pinned” geographically, minor labelling of street codes and provinces should be expected.

Note:

The Wedgewood case (Sibakhulu Construction (Pty) Ltd v Wedgewood Village Golf Country Estate (Pty) Ltd [2013] (1) SA 191 (WCC)) is a landmark South African company law case decided in the Western Cape High Court) indicated that, what is regarded as the physical address, it is the address where the majority of administrative functions of the business resides.

To ensure addresses align with the new standard, business owners are requested to update their physical address via this service.

Click here to download Notice 50 of 2026:

https://www.cipc.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Notice_Geolocation-on-CoR21.1-and-CK-2-address-changes_final.docx.pdf 

Relevance to Auditors, Independent Reviewers & Accountants:

• The Companies Act is yet another piece of legislation that your clients must comply with, and which you must assess compliance with.  If they don’t comply with the relevant laws and regulations, you have certain reporting obligations in terms of NOCLAR (NOn-Compliance with Laws And Regulations) – this could include reporting to management, qualifying your audit opinion, reporting a Reportable Irregularity, etc.
• As an auditor, independent reviewer and accountant, you also need to monitor your client’s compliance with the Companies Act and all relevant notices/enforcements/practice notes/customer letters issued by CIPC as the regulator.
• Where you perform these compliance tasks on behalf of your client, you need to ensure that you comply with all relevant notices/enforcements/practice notes/customer letters issued by CIPC as the regulator.

Relevance to Your clients:

• An entity (company or close corporation) has a duty to comply with the Companies Act, and all relevant notices/enforcements/practice notes/customer letters issued by CIPC as the regulator.

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