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INTRODUCTION

Steps to Register a Business or Company in Zimbabwe

Stage 1: Name search

A request is made to the Registrar of Companies office (also called the DCIP – Department of Companies &

Intellectual Property) for a search to be made in the Register of Companies.

The following is applicable at the name search stage:

If the Registrar approves your application to reserve a name, he will reserve that name for you for a period of up to 1 month to enable you to register your company.

He will not allow any other person to use that name during that period.

You are advised to give five names in your application so that if one name is not accepted, another one may be.

You should list the names in order of preference.

The Registrar will not accept a name which is similar to that of another company or PBC, or is likely to mislead the public or is indecent.

The Registrar will give a written notice of whether any of your names were accepted or if they were rejected. This process takes 1 to 3 working days.

Reason why names may be rejected

 

1.Your chosen name is too close to a registered company or PBC either when written down or when pronounced e.g. OK and Okay.

 

 

2.Your company name is likely to be offensive, blasphemous or indecent to any person or class of people.

 

3.Your company name is likely to deceive or mislead the public e.g. a company called Ministry of Computers.

 

4.Your company name suggests patronage of the Government or some other authority or organisation.

 

5.Your company name is undesirable for any other reason.


You can make use of these company name generators for your convenience: Namelix and Business name generator


 

Stage 2: Incorporation and registration

a) Steps on how to register a Private Business Corporation in Zimbabwe?

 

After your name has been successfully reserved, the documentation for the registration of the PBC must be submitted to the Registrar of Companies.

 

This process involves the appointment of members (shareholders/ directors) of the PBC. Each member is assigned a percentage of ownership in the PBC. The total percentage for all members must add up to 100%.

 

The Registrar will then register the PBC and assign to it a registration number. The Registrar will put his seal, his stamp and his signature to the PBC Incorporation Statement to signify its authenticity. The PBC is also entered into the Company registry and becomes searchable in the Registrar’s database.

 

This process takes 3 to 6 working days.

 

 

b) Steps on how to register a Private Limited Company in Zimbabwe?

After your name has been successfully reserved, the Memorandum and Articles of Association signed by the shareholders together with the CR6 and CR5 signed by either a director or secretary of the company are submitted to the Registrar of Companies.

 

Each shareholder must sign in their own handwriting and specify the number of shares they have been allocated.

 

The Registrar will then register the PLC and assign to it a registration number. A certificate of Incorporation is also issued.

 

The Registrar will put his seal, his stamp and his signature to the Certificate of Incorporation, Memorandum & Articles of Association and

the CR6 & CR5 to signify their authenticity.

 

The PLC is also entered into the Company registry and becomes searchable in the Registrar’s database. This process takes 3 to 21

working days

 

 

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