Understand what it means, whether it applies to your organisation and what to do next.
What is CIPC asking you to submit?
You may have recently received an email from CIPC asking your company to submit its annual Compliance Checklist. If you thought this was already covered by your annual return or Financial Accountability Supplement (FAS), the distinction is easy to miss.
The Compliance Checklist is a separate submission. It asks directors to confirm how their company has complied with specific requirements of the Companies Act during the relevant compliance period.
Does it apply to your organisation?
Non-profit companies (NPCs) are included, alongside private, public, personal liability and state-owned companies.
CIPC’s process first asks whether the company’s annual financial statements are audited or independently reviewed:
- If they are: the company must complete the Compliance Checklist.
- If they are neither audited nor independently reviewed: the company must confirm this through the process, but does not need to complete the full checklist.
For organisations in the non-profit sector, the distinction matters: an NPC is a company registered with CIPC. Being an NPO does not, on its own, mean this particular requirement applies.
Is this the same as the FAS or annual return?
No. These submissions serve different purposes:
- The annual return updates CIPC with prescribed company information each year.
- The FAS provides prescribed financial information where applicable.
- The Compliance Checklist declares whether the company has complied with specified Companies Act requirements.
Submitting your annual return or FAS does not replace a required Compliance Checklist.
What does the checklist cover?
The checklist contains 24 questions covering matters such as accounting records, financial statements, company records and directors. It also includes provisions specifically concerning NPCs.
Answers are given as “Yes”, “No” or “Not Applicable”, with space for explanatory comments.
Each answer needs to reflect what happened during the relevant compliance period. A “Yes” response is not automatically the right answer: some requirements may not apply to your company or to events during that period. Directors remain accountable for the accuracy of the declaration.
When must it be submitted?
The checklist must be submitted within 30 business days after the anniversary of the company’s incorporation date.
This timing is linked to when the company was registered, rather than its financial year-end. Check the compliance year shown in the system before completing your responses.
What should you do now?
First, check with the person responsible for your company’s CIPC submissions. Establish whether the audit or independent review confirmation—and, where applicable, the full checklist—has already been submitted for the relevant period.
If it is outstanding, access CIPC’s e-Services directly and follow:
Other/More Services → Business Maintenance → Compliance Checklist
Have the relevant records available, and clarify any uncertain answers before submitting. Keep the submission confirmation with your company’s compliance records.
This is an existing annual requirement, rather than a new one. The reminder is a useful opportunity to check that it has been dealt with and that the information submitted is accurate.