Quick Answer What Happens If I Don't File My CIPC Annual Return? Missing a CIPC annual return triggers late fees immediately. Continued non-filing leads CIPC to deregister the company – it then legally ceases to exist, cannot trade or hold contracts, and its bank accounts can be frozen. Reinstatement costs R200 plus all outstanding returns at late rates. What this means in plain language Deregistration is not a fine – it is the end of the company as a legal person. Anything the company owns, including money in its bank account, can vest in the state. The escalation is slow but relentless: one missed year means late fees; several missed…