city of Johannesburg - What you need to start a business

General information
More information on getting a trade licence in Johannesburg, including the procedure and cost involved.
Click here [PDF: 22kb

CERTAIN businesses need a licence to operate. Before opening any business find out what the
requirements are. You may not begin trading in a business that requires a licence before the
licences has been issued. Trading without a valid licence is punishable with a fine of up to R2
000. Licensing is governed by the Business Act No 71 of 1991.

- Trade Licence Organogram [Acrobat format, 95kb]

Businesses that need a licence

If you are running any of the following businesses, you will need to apply for a licence. Please
see Schedule 1 of the Business Act 71 of 1991 for details.

Food provision
You need a licence to sell or supply meals, take-aways or perishable foodstuff.

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city of Johannesburg - What you need to start a business

Health and entertainment facilities

You need a licence for:

- Turkish baths, saunas and health baths;

- massage or infra-red treatments;
- male and female escorts;
- three or more slot machines and electronic games;
- three or more snooker or billiard tables;
- nightclubs and discotheques, where live or loud music is played;
- cinemas and theatres; and
- adult premises.

Hawkers
If you are a hawker selling food and meals, which you take from place to place or sell from a
vehicle, you need to have a licence.

To run a business in Johannesburg

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city of Johannesburg - What you need to start a business

You will need to apply for a licence from the City's Trade Licence Department.

In addition, you will need to pay a once-off application fee.

Once the documentation is completed, the application will be forwarded to five departments to
check that the City requirements are met:

- Environmental health
- Noise and air pollution control
- Public safety
- Urban planning
- Building control

An inspection is carried out of the premises by the departments concerned.

Only when all departments have retuned favorable reports and recommend approval the trade
license will be issued

Applying for a licence

Complete an RP1 form , which can be downloaded or collected from one of the regional
offices .

This form then needs to be returned with all the necessary supporting documentation:

- In case of a company, close corporation or partnership a copy of the company certificate

and list of directors is required
- Identity documents for all directors and partners, including that of the manager or person
in charge
- Copy of liquor licence
- Copy of menu in the case of a food trader
- Copy of SARS tax certificate

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city of Johannesburg - What you need to start a business

- Copy of approved building layout plan

- Zoning certificate

A once-off fee is payable at the Business Licence Office when lodging your application. Please
note, however, that cheques cannot be accepted by Licensing Officers, but can be paid at a
council pay point on vote no. 035922517485339.

Once this is done all the documents can be handed in at the Office of Inspectorate:
Environmental Health Building

Cnr Avon Street & Main Reef Road

Longdale (Opposite the Langlaagte SAPS)

Office hours:
7am ‒ 10 am and 3pm ‒ 3.30pm

If reports received from the departments indicate that other requirements need to be satisfied,
the Trade Licence Department will send a notice to the applicant. The applicant must comply
with the requirements and then arrange a re-inspection with the officer concerned.

The licence will be issued only once all five departments have returned a recommendation for
approval.

Note that a trade licence or application cannot be transferred with a change of ownership. A
business licence can be withdrawn or suspended if there is a failure to comply with

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city of Johannesburg - What you need to start a business

endorsements.

Enquiries:

Harold Mashapa (Business Licence Officer)

Tel: 011 226 8327
Fax: 011 474 6707
Email: [email protected]

Inspection of premises
The following departments will do an inspection and will issue a recommendation after an
inspection at your business has been done. Contact these departments for more information:

1. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SERVICES A Motsuki, F Visser or H Steenkamp

Environmental Health Building

Cnr Avon Street & Main Reef Road, Longdale

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city of Johannesburg - What you need to start a business

Tel: 011 226 8300

Fax: 011 474 6707

2. NOISE AND AIR POLLUTION CONTROL

G Dhlamini

Environmental Health Building

Cnr Avon Street & Main Reef Road, Longdale

Tel: 011 226 8300

Fax: 011 474 6707

3. METROPOLITAN PUBLIC AND SAFETY AND EMERGENCY SERVICE - FIRE SAFETY

D Konqobe (from 7.30am ‒ 9am)

Street Level, B Block

Civic Centre

158 Civic Boulevard

Braamfontein

Tel: 011 407 6374/5

Fax: 011 339 1532
(R195.00 inspection fee is payable with any new applications)

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4. URBAN PLANNING UNIT

L Oakenfull (Information & Direction, from 8am ‒ 1pm only)
7th Floor A Block
Civic Centre
158 Civic Boulevard
Braamfontein
Tel: 011 407 6231
Fax: 011 339 3368

5. BUILDING CONTROL UNIT

Paul Cilliers (from 8am ‒ 10am only)
4th Floor, Roodepoort Civic Centre
100 Christiaan De Wet Road
Roodepoort
Tel: 011 761 0472
Fax: 011 472 3483

Albert Van Der Walt (from 8am ‒ 10am only)

B-block, Sandton Civic Centre

Cnr West and Rivonia roads

Sandown
Tel: 011 881 6320
Fax: 011 881 6205

Other licensing bodies

Registrar of Companies
Contact the Registrar of Companies to register as a company.
Tel: 0861 843 384
Fax: 0861 843 888

Liquor licences
To apply for a liquor licence, contact the liquor officer at your nearest police station or the Liquor
Board:

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Matlotlo House

94 Main Street, cnr of Harrison Street

Johannesburg

Tel: 011 355 8099

Fax: 011 355 8083

Music rights
You also must apply to the South African Music Rights Organisation (SAMRO) to play any kind
of music.

20 De Korte Street
Braamfontein
2001
Tel: 011 712 8000
Fax: 011 403 1934
email: [email protected]

For street traders

Contact the Johannesburg Metro Police Department (Hawker Unit)

Zed Mangaliso
Metro Police Offices
Cnr Village and Loveday roads
Wemmer
Johannesburg
Block F, Room 20
Tel: 011 490 1765/77
Fax: 011 490 1665

The City's policy on business licences

The City of Johannesburg's policy is set out in a number of annexures.

Download the following document is Adobe Acrobat format.

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city of Johannesburg - What you need to start a business

Annexure A [202kb]
Policy for the implementation and enforcement of the Businesses Act 71 of 1991

Annexure A1 [101kb]
Schedule 1:Businesses in respect of which a licence is required

Annexure B [200kb]
Legislative process guidelines for the issuing, refusal, withdrawal and suspension of business
licences, and the amendment or revoking of conditions

Annexure C [229kb]
Protocol that has to be followed by business licence officers when implementing and enforcing
the Businesses Act 71 of 1991 and the council's policy for the implementation of the Act

Guidelines and protocol [177kb]

Policy, legislative process guidelines and protocol for the implementation and enforcement of
the Businesses Act 71 of 1991

The tariffs
The City of Johannesburg has amended its Environmental Health Services tariffs [PDF] with
effect from 1 July 2012.

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city of Johannesburg - What you need to start a business

Service Recommended Tariff

Application to conduct a business of:

(a) Food from a fixed premises

(b) Vending Food

(c) Escort agencies, night clubs, massage parlours and adult clubs

(d) Other licences in terms of Schedule 1 of the Act

570.00

185.00

2860.00

570.00

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Issuing of a duplicate licence

105.00
The provision of reasons 185.00
by the Licensing Authority
Amendment of a License 105.00
issued
Amendment of a condition on the endorsements to an
issued licence 135.00
Copies of a document per0.95 page (A4)
Re-inspection of a food premises
910.00 for the removal of a prohibition
Issuing of an export certificate
910.00 for foodstuffs
Sampling and analysis of 910.00
bore holes intended for human consumption
Sampling and analysis of 360.00
a communal swimming pool
Issuing of a permit for a service
555.00to remove human excrement
Issuing of a permit for the555.00
installation of a sewer works
Issuing of a permit for the555.00
conducting of an offensive trade
Issuing of a permit for the555.00
conducting of a hairdressing, beauty and/or cosmetology service
Issuing of a permit for the185.00
conducting of an informal hairdressing, beauty and/or cosmetology service
Issuing of a permit to conduct
945.00 an accommodation establishment
Issuing of a permit to conduct
2350.00a nursing home used for maternity, medical and surgical purposes
Issuing of a permit to conduct
555.00 a child care service
Issuing of a permit for the555.00
keeping of poultry
Issuing of a permit for the555.00
keeping of rabbits
Issuing of a permit to conduct
555.00 a dog kennel or cattery
Issuing of a permit to keep555.00
a dangerous animal
Issuing of a permit to keep555.00
bees
Issuing of a permit to conduct
555.00 a Children's Home
Impoundment of Cattle, Horses,
225.00 Mules, Donkeys and other large Animals
Impoundment of Dogs, cats 115.00
and other small pets
Impoundment of Goats, Sheep175.00and other similar sized Animals
Impoundment of Pigs 145.00
Impoundment of Poultry 95.00
Impoundment of Wild Animals215.00
Daily Holding Tariff for Cattle,
85.00Horses, Mules, Donkeys and other large Animals
Daily Holding Tariff for Dogs,
60.00 Cats and other small Pets
Daily Holding Tariff for Goats,
60.00Sheep and other similar sized Animals
Daily Holding Tariff for Pigs
60.00
Daily Holding Tariff for Poultry
45.00
Daily Holding Tariff for Wild
95.00Animals
Issuing of Destruction of Food
555.00 Certificates
Vacant properties ‒ Per transaction
755.00 after referral to contractor for cleaning where owner has failed to a
Erection of "no dumping" 2240.00
signs
Issuing of a permit to keep555.00
dogs
Issuing of a permit to keep555.00
cats
Issuing of a permit to introduce
555.00Milk and/or Milk products into the Municipal area for human consumpt
Cutting of grass, undergrowth, weeds, and/ or vegetation to a maximum height of 150mm above groun
the satisfaction of the Council
0.65 per m2
Cutting of reeds to a maximum
5.00 per height
m2 of 150mm above ground level per m2, which shall include the s

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 city of Johannesburg - What you need to start a business

Pruning of a tree, which shall

395.00
include
per tree
the removal of the resultant spoils to the satisfaction of the Coun
Cutting of a tree to ground4755.00
level, which
per tree
shall include the removal of the resultant spoils to the satisfact
Cutting of shrubs to ground100.00
level,per
which
shrub
shall include the removal of the resultant spoils to the satisfac
Removal of waste material 340.00
to theper
satisfaction
1000 kg orof the
partCouncil per 1000 kg or part thereof

Offences and fines

The Business Act 71 of 1991 sets a out a number of offences concerning business licences.

Number
Offence
ofDescription
section
code / regulation
of Fine
offence
Section
1175062 (3)(a)
- Carry of business by the sale or supply of foodstaffs in the form of meals without being the holder o
- Carry on of a business of:
- providing Turkish baths, saunas or other health baths without being the holder of an apposite
- providing message or infra red treatment without being the holder of an apposite licence for th
- making the services of an escort available to another person without being the holder of an ap
- keeping three or more coin/coin token/disc operated contrivances for the playing of any game,
- keeping three or more snooker or billiard tables without being the holder of an apposite licence
- keeping or conducting a night club or discotheque without being the holder of an apposite licen
- keeping or conducting a cinema or theatre without being the holder of an apposite licence for t
- conducting adult premises referred to in section 24 of the films and publications Act, 1996 with

R2000

R1000

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 city of Johannesburg - What you need to start a business

R1000

R1500

R1000

R1000

R2000

R1000

R1500

Section
117514 2(3)(b)
Carry on
R500
of a business in hawking of meals without being the holder of a hawkers licence
Section
117522 2(3)(c)
Carry R1500
on of a business contrary to a condition
Regulation
117530 Fail
31(b)
to
R1000
produce a licence on request by an inspector
Regulation
117548 Refuse
31(c) R500
or fail, without just course, to answer any question which an Inspector has put to him or
Regulation
117556 Makes
31(d) R1500
a statement to an Inspector, which is false or misleading, knowing it to be false or mislea
Regulation
117564 Hinders
31(e) R1500
or obstructs an Inspector in the exercise, carrying out or performing of his powers, dutie

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Business licensing regional information

Information on the regional offices

Region Name Telephone Number and Cell

Fax Number and E-ma

Farlett Blignout

011 237 8011

083 467 5543

011 314 1716

[email protected]

Alphen square North Unit 7

C/o Goerge and 16Th Ave
Randjes Park
Midrand

Harold Mashapa

011 226 8300/27

082 559 3785

011 226 8300/28

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city of Johannesburg - What you need to start a business

011 474 6707

[email protected]

011 474 6707

[email protected]

Environmental Health Offices

C/o Avon and Main Reef Roads
Longdale/ Langlaagte

Elize Van der Walt

Raymond Baynes

011 761 0222

083 409 8290

011 761 0280

083 408 7400

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city of Johannesburg - What you need to start a business

011 761 0205

[email protected]

011 761 0205

[email protected]

2nd Floor
Roodepoort Civic Centre
100 Christiaan De Wet Road
Florida Park
Roodepoort

D1

Raymond Mothapa

011 986 0188

083 462 4857

011 986 0319

[email protected]

Jabulani Civic Centre

1 Koma Street
Jabulani

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city of Johannesburg - What you need to start a business

D2

Olinah Monama

011 933 2422

083 462 3317

011 933 2426 or

011 933 1676

Environmental Health Offices

C/o Old Potch Road and Nicholas Street
Zone 6
Diepkloof

Karl Zastrau

Map Botha

011 881 6464

083 706 2570

011 881 6347

083 706 2557

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011 881 6626

[email protected]

011 881 6626

No e-mail, no computer

7th floor
A - block
Sandton Civic Centre
C/o Rivonia Road and West Street
Sandown

F1

Beauty Sibanyoni

011 376 8602

083 406 9826

011 376 8594

[email protected]

People Centre
CJ Cronje Building
80 Loveday Street c/o Bree Street
Johannesburg

F2

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Elvis Moshoma

011 681 8267

082 824 0722

011 681 8211

[email protected]

Eureka House
C/o Marlborough and Rossetenville Roads
Springfield

Jabulani Boya

Henry Van Eden

011 213 0144

082 371 8690

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011 852 4333

083 400 9108

011 213 0030

[email protected]

011 852 1054

[email protected]

2nd floor
Ennerdale Civic Centre
C/o Katz and Smith Streets
Ennerdale x 9

Lenasia Civic Centre

C/o Eland and Rose Avenues
Lanasia

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