To check the availability of a company name with the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) in South Africa, you can follow these steps:
- Visit the CIPC website: Go to the official website of the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission in South Africa. The website address is www.cipc.co.za.
- Access the Name Reservation System: Look for the section or tab related to company registration or name reservation on the CIPC website. It may be labeled as “Online Services” or “eServices.”
- Register an account: If you haven’t registered an account with CIPC, you’ll need to do so. Look for the option to create a new account and provide the required information to register.
- Log in to your account: Once you have registered and verified your account, log in using your credentials.
- Access the Name Reservation service: After logging in, navigate to the section or option that allows you to reserve a company name. It may be listed under services such as “Name Reservation” or “Company Name Availability.”
- Check name availability: Enter the desired company name into the provided search field. The system will check if the name is available or already taken by an existing company registered with CIPC.
- Review search results: The system will display the search results, indicating whether the name is available or not. If the name is taken, you will need to choose a different name.
Note: It’s always a good idea to have a few alternative names in mind in case your preferred name is not available.