How to Register on the Central Supplier Database (CSD)

The Central Supplier Database (CSD) is the single supplier register for the whole of South African government — no CSD registration, no government business. It is free, online, and doable in under an hour if you prepare. This is the exact order to do it in.

Before you start, have these ready

• CIPC registration number and enterprise details (or your ID number for a sole proprietor)
• SARS tax reference number — and be registered on SARS eFiling
• Business bank account details (account number, branch, type)
• ID numbers of all directors/members
• A cellphone number and email you control (OTPs go there)

Step by step

1. Create your user account at csd.gov.za → “Register”. Confirm the OTPs sent to your email and cellphone.
2. Add your supplier profile — identification (CIPC number pulls your company data automatically), contact details and physical address.
3. Capture bank details — these are verified directly with the banks; a typo here is the most common reason profiles stall.
4. Capture tax information — your SARS details are verified automatically. If your returns are behind, fix eFiling first.
5. Add directors/members, B-BBEE details and commodities — pick the commodity codes that match what you sell; buyers search the CSD by commodity.
6. Submit and note your MAAA number — your supplier number is issued immediately; verification of bank/tax/CIPC completes over the following days.

Common failures and fixes

• Bank verification failed — the account name on the bank’s system must match your registered entity name exactly. Trading names break it.
• Tax status shows non-compliant — log into eFiling, request your Tax Compliance Status, and clear any outstanding returns/debt (payment arrangements count).
• Director mismatch — if CIPC still lists an old director, update CIPC first; the CSD mirrors it.

After registration

Print/download your CSD registration report — most tenders ask for it in the bid pack. Then put the rest of your compliance pack in order (see the full document checklist) and run it through the free AI compliance check to see which open tenders you already qualify for.