Working Across Provinces
See which South African registrations carry across provinces and what you still need to sort out per municipality.
Sound familiar?
- “You picked up a job in another province and you are not sure if your CIDB grading still counts.”
- “A municipality wants a fresh permit but you already have national registrations.”
- “You want to expand from KZN into Gauteng and you do not know what changes.”
What this tool does
Lists the registrations and approvals SA contractors deal with and flags whether each is national, provincial or municipal - so you know what travels with you and what you have to repeat per job.
SARS tax registrations (income tax, VAT, PAYE, UIF, SDL)
NationalOne registration covers you nationwide. Provincial branch addresses can change but the registration is national.
CIDB contractor grading
NationalYour CIDB grade is valid for tendering anywhere in South Africa. No re-grading per province.
NHBRC homebuilder registration
NationalBuilder registration is national. Each new home must still be enrolled per project before construction starts.
DEL Registered Person (wireman)
NationalDEL registration is national. You may issue Electrical CoCs anywhere in SA.
PIRB plumber registration
NationalPIRB registration is national. CoCs are accepted by municipalities across SA.
SAQCC Gas registration
NationalSAQCC Gas authorisation is national.
Compensation Fund (COIDA) registration
NationalOne Letter of Good Standing covers any site nationally - keep it current.
Building plan approval
MunicipalRequired by the local authority (city or local municipality) where the building stands, under the National Building Regulations and Building Standards Act 103 of 1977. Process and fees vary by municipality.
Land-use / zoning approval
MunicipalEach municipality has its own SPLUMA by-law and town-planning scheme - rezoning and consent uses are dealt with locally.
SSEG (Small-Scale Embedded Generation) registration for solar
MunicipalEach municipality (or Eskom directly) sets its own SSEG application, technical standards and approved-installer requirements.
Outdoor advertising, hoarding and waste-collection permits
MunicipalAll controlled by local by-laws - check the municipal website where the work happens.
Provincial business licence (where required)
ProvincialSome activities (e.g. liquor, certain trades) still need a provincial or local business licence. Construction trades themselves generally do not.
Provincial driver and PrDP renewals
ProvincialRenewals are done at the licensing authority where you reside; the licence is valid nationally.
What the law actually says
- •Most professional registrations (CIDB, NHBRC, DEL Registered Person, PIRB, SAQCC Gas) are governed by national statutes and apply nationwide.
- •Building plan approval falls under the National Building Regulations and Building Standards Act 103 of 1977 but is administered by the local municipality.
- •Land-use planning is governed by the Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Act 16 of 2013 (SPLUMA) and each municipality's by-law.