CSD Registration: How to Get on the Government's Supplier Database

You've spent a week preparing your tender response. Perfect technical proposal. Competitive pricing. Strong references.

The bid evaluation committee opens your submission and types your company name into the CSD.

Status: Not Found.

Your tender is rejected. No appeal. No second chance. A week of work—wasted—because you didn't register on a free government database.

What is the Central Supplier Database (CSD)?

The Central Supplier Database is the South African government's single source of supplier information. Every business that wants to supply goods or services to government must be registered.

Why the CSD exists:

• Single registration: One profile works across all government departments (national, provincial, municipal)
• Auto-verification: CSD automatically verifies your tax status, company registration, and director information
• Fraud prevention: Reduces duplicate suppliers and front companies
• Standardisation: All departments use the same supplier data

What you get:

• MAAA Number: Your unique Master Registration Number (like a government supplier ID)
• Supplier Number: A secondary reference number
• Verified Profile: Confirmation that your documents have been authenticated

The bottom line: No CSD registration = no government contracts. Period. It's free, and there's no excuse not to have it.

CSD registration: Step-by-step guide

Step 1: Gather your documents

Before you start, have these ready:

• Company registration documents (CK1, CoR14.3, or CoR15.1 from CIPC)
• ID documents for all directors/members
• Bank account confirmation letter (not older than 3 months)
• Tax clearance/TCC PIN from SARS
• B-BBEE certificate (if applicable)
• CIDB registration (for construction companies)
• Business email address (not personal Gmail—looks unprofessional)

Step 2: Go to the CSD portal

1. Visit secure.csd.gov.za
2. Click "Register" to create a new account
3. Enter your email address and create a password
4. Verify your email (check spam folder)

Step 3: Complete your company profile

Company information:

• Legal name (exactly as per CIPC registration)
• Trading name (if different)
• Registration number
• Business type (company, CC, sole proprietor, etc.)
• Physical and postal addresses

Contact information:

• Primary contact person
• Phone numbers (landline and mobile)
• Email address

Director/Member information:

• Full names as per ID
• ID numbers
• Ownership percentages
• Roles (director, member, shareholder)

Step 4: Link your verifications

The CSD system will attempt to auto-verify:

CIPC verification:

• Your company registration is verified against CIPC records
• Director information is cross-checked
• If mismatched, you'll need to update CIPC first

SARS verification:

• Enter your TCC PIN
• System verifies your tax compliance status
• Must show "Tax Compliant" to proceed

Bank verification:

• Upload your bank confirmation letter
• Must match company name exactly
• Account must be active

Step 5: Upload supporting documents

• CIPC registration certificate
• Director ID copies (certified)
• Bank confirmation letter
• B-BBEE certificate
• Any professional registrations (CIDB, SACPCMP, ECSA, etc.)

Step 6: Select your commodities

Choose the UNSPSC codes for goods/services you supply. This helps departments find you when sourcing.

Be specific but comprehensive—if you supply "office furniture," also include related categories like "office equipment."

Step 7: Submit and wait for verification

• Review all information for accuracy
• Submit your registration
• Verification typically takes 3-7 working days
• You'll receive your MAAA number once verified

CSD status types explained

Your CSD profile can have different statuses:

Active (verified) ✓

You're fully registered and verified. You can bid on government tenders. This is what you need.

Pending verification

Your registration is submitted but not yet verified. You cannot bid on tenders until verification completes.

Suspended

Your profile has been suspended due to issues (often tax non-compliance, fraudulent documents, or director disqualification). Contact CSD support to resolve.

Inactive

Your profile has expired or you've been inactive for too long. You'll need to reactivate by updating your information.

Critical: Procurement officers verify your CSD status BEFORE evaluating your tender. If you're not "Active" and "Verified," your bid is rejected immediately.

Common CSD problems and solutions

Problem 1: CIPC mismatch

Symptoms: CSD can't verify your company or directors.

Cause: Your CSD information doesn't match CIPC records exactly.

Solution:

1. Log into the CIPC portal (www.cipc.co.za)
2. Check your company details and director information
3. Update any outdated information (director changes, address changes)
4. Wait 24-48 hours for updates to sync
5. Retry CSD verification

Problem 2: Tax status not reflecting

Symptoms: CSD shows you as tax non-compliant even though SARS says you're fine.

Cause: Sync delay between SARS and CSD, or you're using an old TCC PIN.

Solution:

1. Log into SARS eFiling
2. Request a fresh TCC PIN (even if you have one)
3. Update the PIN in your CSD profile
4. Re-verify

Problem 3: Bank verification fails

Symptoms: Bank details not verified, or verification keeps failing.

Cause: Bank letter is outdated, or company name on account doesn't match exactly.

Solution:

1. Get a fresh bank confirmation letter (not older than 3 months)
2. Ensure the company name matches your CIPC registration EXACTLY
3. If your bank account is under a trading name, you may need to add the trading name to your CSD profile

Problem 4: B-BBEE certificate not reflecting

Symptoms: Your CSD shows wrong B-BBEE level or "Non-compliant."

Cause: B-BBEE isn't auto-verified—you need to upload the certificate manually.

Solution:

1. Upload your valid B-BBEE certificate to your CSD profile
2. Ensure it's not expired
3. Update annually when you get your new certificate

Maintaining your CSD profile

Registration isn't a one-time task. Keep your profile current:

Annual updates:

• B-BBEE certificate (when renewed)
• Financial statements (if requested)
• Bank confirmation letter (refresh every 6-12 months)

As-needed updates:

• Director changes
• Address changes
• Contact information changes
• New CIDB grades
• Additional commodity codes

Regular checks:

• Tax compliance status (CSD auto-checks, but verify monthly)
• Profile status (confirm you're "Active")
• Document expiry dates

Using your CSD for tender submissions

In tender documents, you'll typically need to provide:

• MAAA Number: Your unique CSD identifier
• Supplier Number: Secondary reference
• CSD Report: Printout/screenshot showing your verified status, B-BBEE level, and tax compliance

Most departments now accept a CSD report as proof of:

• Company registration
• Tax compliance
• B-BBEE status
• Director information

Pro tip: Generate a fresh CSD report for each tender submission. Dated reports show procurement officers your information is current.

The bottom line

CSD registration is the entry ticket to government procurement. Without it, you don't exist in the government's eyes—regardless of how good your products or services are.

The good news: Registration is free and takes about 30 minutes if you have your documents ready.

The bad news: If you haven't done it yet, you've been invisible to billions of rands in opportunities.

Your action items:

1. Check your CSD status: Log into secure.csd.gov.za and confirm you're "Active" and "Verified"
2. Update expired documents: B-BBEE, bank letter, any other attachments
3. Note your MAAA number: You'll need it for every tender submission
4. Set a quarterly reminder: Review and update your profile regularly