CoR40.3

The CoR40.3 is a warning notice from CIPC that your company is at risk of being deregistered.

You usually get it because you haven’t filed your annual returns for two or more years.

If you receive a CoR40.3, it means CIPC believes your company is no longer active, and unless you take action, they’re going to remove it from the register.

"Why did I receive a CoR40.3?"

You’ll usually get a CoR40.3 if:

  1. You haven’t submitted your annual returns to CIPC
  2. Your company details are out of date
  3. You missed earlier compliance notices
  4. CIPC has flagged your business as inactive

Basically, it’s your final warning to fix things before your company is deregistered.

"What does the CoR40.3 say?"

The CoR40.3 includes:

  • A deadline by which you must respond
  • Instructions on how to file overdue returns or update your records
  • A notice that failure to respond will lead to deregistration

It’s not just a courtesy message, it’s a formal compliance notice and it is super important.

"What happens if I ignore the CoR40.3?"

If you don’t act in time:

  • Your company will be deregistered
  • You’ll lose your company name and registration
  • Business bank accounts could be frozen
  • You won’t be able to apply for tenders, funding, or tax clearance
  • SARS and other institutions will treat your business as inactive

Once your company is deregistered, reinstating it is a much longer, more expensive process.

"Can I reverse the deregistration if I missed the deadline?"

Yes but it’s more complicated than that…

You’ll need to:

  • Apply for reinstatement
  • Submit supporting documents
  • Pay any outstanding penalties and fees

It’s possible, but avoidable if you act before the deadline.

"What if I’m no longer trading — do I still need to respond?"

Yes.

Even if your company isn’t active anymore, you still need to either:

  • File the outstanding returns to keep it registered, or
  • Request voluntary deregistration through CIPC

Ignoring the notice isn’t a legal way to shut down the business.

"Why did I get a CoR40.3 if my business is still running?"

In many cases, it’s because..

  1. You’ve missed annual return filings
  2. Your registered office address is outdated
  3. You didn’t notice previous compliance reminders

Govchain can help you check what’s missing and get everything back on track.

"How do I respond to a CoR40.3?"

Govchain will help you:

  • Catch up on missed annual returns
  • File any required documents
  • Get your company status back to active