CIPA Company Registration in Botswana: Fees, Steps and Name Rules (2026)

Registering a company in Botswana is cheaper and faster than most people expect. You do it online on CIPA's system, it costs P380 in CIPA fees, and CIPA says it takes a day.

Citizens just need their Omang number. The part people forget is the yearly annual return, which costs P500: miss it and CIPA can strike your company off. Fees are from CIPA's published fee schedule, still current in October 2026.

CIPA registration fees at a glance

Doing it online costs less than half the paper price. Payment is in pula, by credit or debit card or a CIPA deposit account. Source: CIPA's full OBRS fee list and its annual return guidance.

Business name or company: which should you register?

CIPA recognises two structures: business names and companies.

• Business name (P170 to start). This is a trading name for you as a sole trader or partner. It isn't a separate legal person: you are carrying on the business, so you're personally liable for its debts. It's cheap, and you renew it every three years for P500.
• Private company, "(Proprietary) Limited" (P380 to start). A separate legal entity that can own property, sign contracts, and sue and be sued in its own name. It needs at least one director and one shareholder, and can have up to 25 shareholders. It also needs a company secretary and a P500 annual return every year.
• Close company, "CC" (P380 to start). For one to five individuals; companies and trustees can't be members. It doesn't have to meet international financial reporting standards, but it must keep books, and it appoints an accounting officer instead of a company secretary. Close companies can't do banking or insurance.
• Company limited by guarantee (P4,600). For non-profit work: it can't pay dividends or share profits. You must describe what it will do and who funds it.

If you're testing an idea alone, a business name is the cheap start. If you want to bid for tenders, take on partners or separate your personal assets from the business, register a private company. Tender bids also need a BURS tax clearance certificate. You can get professional advice from an accountant, lawyer or company secretary before you decide, as CIPA recommends.

What you need before you start

• Omang numbers for every citizen involved. The system verifies them, so you don't upload a copy unless verification fails.
• A passport copy for each non-citizen.
• Signed consent forms for each director, shareholder and secretary (or member and accounting officer for a close company), which you download from CIPA.
• A mobile number and email address for every person on the application. They're mandatory.
• Beneficial owner details: the name, address and nature of interest of every real person who ultimately owns or controls the company, even if they aren't on record as shareholders.
• A constitution, if you have one. It's optional for most companies and required for a company limited by guarantee.
• A practising certificate if you're naming a company secretary now.

Uploads must be PDF, JPG or PNG files of up to 10MB. These requirements are from CIPA's registration checklist.

How to register a company on CIPA OBRS, step by step

1. Create an OBRS account on CIPA's website and log in.
2. Search the register for your proposed name to make sure nobody else is using it or something close.
3. Reserve the name (P20). This is optional, since you can go straight to registration, but it holds the name while you prepare. A reserved name is valid for 30 days; if you don't register in time, you apply and pay again.
4. Choose "Register a Company" and select the company type.
5. Enter the company details: registered office and postal address, directors, shareholders and shares (at least one shareholder holding at least one share), and the beneficial owners.
6. Upload the consent forms and any other documents.
7. Pay P360 by card or deposit account.
8. Download your certificate. CIPA says online registration takes one day.

The steps for a business name are the same, but shorter: reserve the name (P20), choose "Register a Business Name", enter the owner details and pay P150.

CIPA name rules: why names get rejected

CIPA's registrar can reject a name that:

• is identical or almost identical to an existing company, business name or reserved name;
• uses "bank", "finance", "loan", "credit" or "savings" without Bank of Botswana consent;
• uses "real estate" or "estate agents" without the Real Estate Advisory Council's consent;
• includes words like "National", "Government", "Authority", "State" or "Presidential" without the Minister's written consent;
• is your full name alone, without another word added (so "Kagiso Molefe" is refused, but "Kagiso Molefe Logistics" can pass);
• suggests a trust, foundation, club, religious organisation or society, which register elsewhere;
• uses a famous person's name, a registered trademark or another organisation's name without consent.

Tip: have two backup names ready. A clear, distinctive name with your trade in it ("Tlotlo Catering", not "Best Services") usually passes fastest.

After registration: the rules that cost people their companies

Appoint a company secretary within three months

A company can be registered without a secretary, but the Companies Act requires one within three months. Missing it can lead to deregistration. The secretary must hold a practising licence as a legal practitioner or as a member of the Botswana Institute of Accountants, the Southern African Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators, the Association of Business Consultants of Botswana or the Botswana Association of Company Secretaries. Close companies appoint an accounting officer instead.

Secretaries charge for this, so ask several for a yearly fee that includes your annual return before you choose one.

File your annual return every year

Every company files an annual return in the month it was incorporated, every year, for P500 online. If the month passes without a filed and paid return, CIPA automatically removes the company from the register. Getting it back costs a P2,000 restoration fee plus the outstanding annual return fees, and there's a mandatory 20-day publication period before it's restored (CIPA restoration). There's no longer a "dormant" status: a company that isn't trading still files.

Set a phone reminder for your incorporation month the day you get your certificate.

Renew a business name every three years

A business name is renewed every three years in its registration month (P500). Miss it and the name is removed, and restoring it costs P1,000 plus the outstanding renewal fees (CIPA renewal guidance).

Keep beneficial ownership up to date

Failing to give CIPA beneficial ownership information is an offence carrying a fine of up to P200,000 or up to five years in jail.

Register for tax

Registering with CIPA doesn't register you with the tax authority. Register your company with BURS separately, and if you'll hire staff, see our BURS PAYE tax table for what to deduct from salaries. If customers will pay you by mobile money, see Orange Money and MyZaka charges in Botswana.

What it really costs in year one

For comparison, see how registering a company with CIPC in South Africa and a business name in Kenya on eCitizen work. More Botswana guides are on our Botswana page.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to register a company with CIPA?

P360 to register a private, public or close company online on OBRS, plus P20 if you reserve the name first: P380 in total. On paper or at a kiosk, it's P900 plus P60.

How much is a business name registration in Botswana?

P150 online, plus P20 to reserve the name. Business names are renewed every three years for P500.

How long does CIPA company registration take?

CIPA says online registration on OBRS takes one day, if your name is acceptable and your documents are complete.

Can I register a company in Botswana without a company secretary?

Yes, you can register without one, but you must appoint a qualified company secretary within three months of incorporation. Close companies appoint an accounting officer instead.

When is the CIPA annual return due?

Every year in the month your company was incorporated. It costs P500 online. If you miss the month, the company is removed from the register and restoring it costs P2,000 plus the outstanding annual return fees.

Can a foreigner register a company in Botswana?

Yes. Non-citizens register on OBRS with a copy of their passport instead of an Omang number. Foreign-owned businesses may need other licences depending on the activity, so check with the relevant authority before trading.

How long is a CIPA name reservation valid?

30 days. If you don't register the company or business name within that time, the reservation lapses and you must apply and pay again.