How Do I Register on the Central Supplier Database (CSD)?
Quick Answer
How Do I Register on the Central Supplier Database (CSD)?
Register on the CSD at secure.csd.gov.za: create an account, capture your supplier profile (CIPC number, tax number, bank details, directors), let the automatic verifications run, fix any mismatches, and download your registration report with your MAAA supplier number.
What this means in plain language
The CSD process is free and mostly automatic – the system checks your tax status with SARS, your company with CIPC, your bank account with the banks and your directors with Home Affairs while you watch.
What takes time is fixing failed verifications, and those almost always come from data mismatches at the source: bank account names, old CIPC addresses, or unlinked tax numbers.
Who this applies to
- Businesses registering for government supply for the first time
- Suppliers whose CSD verification is failing
Step by step
- Prepare: CIPC registration number, SARS tax number, bank account in the exact registered name, director ID numbers.
- Create an account at secure.csd.gov.za.
- Complete the supplier profile sections: identification, contacts, addresses, bank, tax, ownership.
- Submit and watch the verification flags – green means verified, red needs fixing at the source.
- Download the registration report (with MAAA number) once all flags are green.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Using a trading-as name on the bank account – the account must match the CIPC name exactly.
- Capturing an old address – CIPC verification uses the registered address on record.
- Stopping at 90% complete – the registration report only issues when every verification passes.
A South African example
An Upington solar installer blocks two afternoons for CSD registration. It takes 90 minutes: the only failure is a bank account opened as “Kalahari Solar” instead of “Kalahari Solar (Pty) Ltd”, fixed with one visit to the bank.
Related questions
- What Is the CSD (Central Supplier Database)?
- What Is B-BBEE and What Level Is My Business?
- Tenders, B-BBEE and CSD: How to Win Government and Corporate Work
Always verify this information with official South African government sources. Rules, fees and thresholds change. Check SARS, CIPC, the Department of Employment and Labour or gov.za before you act.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does CSD registration take?
With clean, matching data: a few hours in one sitting. With verification mismatches: add the days it takes to fix the source records at the bank, SARS or CIPC.
What is a MAAA number?
The MAAA number is your unique CSD supplier registration number, issued on your registration report once all verifications pass. Tenders and departments quote it to identify your business.
Do I need to renew CSD registration?
There is no annual re-registration, but the automatic verifications run continuously. If your tax status fails or bank details change, your record degrades until you fix it – check before every tender.
Official sources
About BizAnswers: BizAnswers is a privately owned South African company – not a government department. Our guides are free to read and show you how to do things yourself through official channels. If you would rather have the paperwork handled for you, we assist individuals and businesses with filing their South African tax returns and staying compliant, which is a paid service, not a free government service. Contact us for help.
Last reviewed: September 2026 by the BizAnswers editorial team. How we write and check our guides.
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