
Share Certificate
Quick Answer
What is Share Certificate?
A share certificate is the document evidencing a shareholder‘s ownership of specific numbered shares in a company.
Share Certificate explained
The company issues certificates and keeps a share register. Transfers update both – and ownership changes feed into the beneficial ownership filing.
Who it applies to: Companies and their shareholders.
Cost: Free to issue.
Related terms and guides
Official source: CIPC (Companies and Intellectual Property Commission)
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.
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Last reviewed: September 2026 by the BizAnswers editorial team. How we write and check our guides.