The Central Supplier Database, or CSD, is National Treasury's single, central database of suppliers who want to do business with government. It is run by the Office of the Chief Procurement Officer (OCPO) and gives every organ of state, from national and provincial departments to municipalities and state-owned entities, one verified source of supplier information. If you intend to supply goods or services to government or respond to a tender, CSD registration is the starting point. No CSD number, no order.
The CSD pulls your details together and verifies them against other government systems. It checks your business registration against the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC), your tax status against the South African Revenue Service (SARS), your identity and directors against the Department of Home Affairs, and your bank account against your bank. Once everything verifies, Treasury issues you a unique supplier number, often called the MAAA number because it starts with those letters.
Self-registration on the CSD is free. You do it yourself online at csd.gov.za. The catch is that the verification steps are unforgiving: a bank name that does not match, a non-compliant tax status, or wrong commodity codes and your registration sits unverified, which means you cannot be paid or shortlisted. This page explains what the CSD is, why you need it, the requirements, how to register step by step, your supplier number and the CSD report, how to keep it active, the cost and the timeline. If you would rather it was done right the first time, Insika can handle it for you.
What is the Central Supplier Database (CSD)?
The Central Supplier Database is the official, single supplier database for the South African government. Before the CSD, every department and municipality kept its own supplier list, so a business that wanted to sell to several organs of state had to register separately with each one. The CSD replaced all of that with one self-registration that every organ of state draws from.
The database holds consolidated, accurate and verified supplier information: who you are, your business registration, your tax status, your banking details, your directors or members, your B-BBEE status and the commodities (goods and services) you can supply. Because the information is centrally verified, a procuring department can trust it without asking you to prove it again.
- One registration, all of government. Register once on the CSD and you are visible to national and provincial departments, municipalities, and many state-owned entities.
- Verified, not just captured. The CSD checks your details against CIPC, SARS, Home Affairs and your bank, so your profile carries weight.
- Mandatory for doing business with the state. Organs of state are required to procure from CSD-registered suppliers, so registration is a precondition, not a nice-to-have.
Why register on the CSD?
CSD registration is the gateway to public-sector work. Whether you are a sole proprietor, a registered company or a co-operative, you need to be on the CSD to trade with government.
- You cannot tender without it. Almost every government tender and request for quotation requires a valid CSD registration and supplier number before you can be considered.
- You cannot be paid without it. Organs of state pay into the verified bank account on your CSD profile. No verified CSD record, no payment.
- It proves you are compliant. A verified CSD record shows a buyer at a glance that your CIPC, tax and banking details check out.
- It is free to register. Self-registration carries no government fee, so there is no cost barrier to getting started.
In short, if you want a single rand of government business, you start on the CSD.
CSD registration requirements
You self-register online, so there is no paper application to lodge. What you do need is the right information ready and your underlying registrations in order, because the CSD verifies them in real time. Before you start, make sure you have:
- A valid identity. Your South African ID number (for a sole proprietor) or the company / trust registration number, plus the ID numbers of all directors or members.
- CIPC registration (for a company). Your CIPC registration number must match Treasury's records. If you have not registered a company yet, see our company registration service.
- A compliant SARS tax status. Your income tax reference number must be active and tax compliant. The CSD checks your status with SARS, so sort out any non-compliance first. Our tax clearance and SARS service can help.
- A business bank account. The account name must match exactly what your bank holds, because Treasury verifies the account against the bank. A mismatch is the most common reason a CSD record fails to verify.
- Your B-BBEE status. A valid B-BBEE certificate or, for a small business, a sworn B-BBEE affidavit. See our B-BBEE certificate service.
- Contact details for OTP. A working cellphone number and email address, since the CSD uses a one-time pin to verify you.
- The right commodity codes. Know the goods and services you supply so you can classify them correctly and appear in the right searches.
How to register on the CSD step by step
CSD registration is a free, two-stage online process on csd.gov.za. Stage one creates your user account, stage two captures your full supplier profile. This is how it runs.
- Create your CSD user account
Go to csd.gov.za and select to register. Capture your basic details to create a user account. The system emails you an activation link, then sends a one-time pin (OTP) to your cellphone to confirm your identity.
- Activate and log in
Click the activation link in the email, enter the OTP, and log in to the CSD portal. You now have access to capture your supplier details.
- Add your supplier (identification)
Under Supplier Details, choose Add Supplier and complete the identification tab. For a company this is your CIPC registration number, for a sole proprietor your ID number. The CSD verifies the identity against CIPC and Home Affairs.
- Capture tax, banking and directors
Enter your SARS income tax reference number (verified against SARS for compliance), your bank account details (verified against your bank, which can take a few days), and the names and ID numbers of all directors or members.
- Complete the remaining tabs
Work through the remaining sections: industry classification, contacts, address, associations, accreditations (such as CIDB or SETA if relevant), the commodities you supply, notifications and your B-BBEE status. Capture commodity codes carefully so buyers can find you.
- Review the overview and submit
Check the Overview tab for any incomplete or failed items, fix them, then submit. Treasury verifies your details against the other government systems and your bank, and on success issues your supplier number.
Your CSD supplier number and the CSD report
When your registration verifies successfully, the CSD issues two things: a supplier number and a longer unique registration reference number.
- The supplier number (MAAA number). This is your unique CSD identifier. It begins with the letters MAAA, which is why suppliers and tender documents often ask for your "MAAA number". You quote it on every tender, quotation and order.
- The unique registration reference number. A long reference (36 characters) that ties to your verified record.
From the portal you can also generate your CSD report, sometimes called the CSD summary or registration report. This is the document tender committees ask for. It shows your supplier number, your verified business, tax, banking and B-BBEE status, your directors and your commodities, all in one printout. A clean CSD report, with everything showing as verified, is what makes you tender-ready.
Keeping your CSD registration active
CSD registration is not once-off. Your record must stay current and verified, or it can show as non-compliant exactly when a buyer checks it.
- Tax status is re-checked. The CSD continuously verifies your tax status with SARS. If you fall out of tax compliance, your CSD record reflects it and you can be passed over. Keep your SARS account in good standing.
- Update changes promptly. If your banking details, directors, address, contact details, B-BBEE status or commodities change, log in and update them. Paying into an old bank account or quoting a lapsed B-BBEE status causes real problems.
- Renew your B-BBEE proof. A B-BBEE affidavit or certificate has a validity period (usually a year). Refresh it and update the CSD when it expires.
- Check before every tender. Pull a fresh CSD report before you submit a bid so you know everything still verifies.
How much does CSD registration cost?
Self-registration on the CSD is free. National Treasury does not charge a fee to register, to verify your details or to obtain your supplier number. Anyone can register themselves at csd.gov.za at no cost.
The only money involved is around getting your underlying registrations right and, if you choose, paying someone to set the profile up correctly. Those costs are advisory and optional, not a government charge. The table below sets out what a typical supplier actually spends, and where.
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| CSD self-registration on csd.gov.za | Free (no government fee) |
| Your supplier number / MAAA number | Free |
| CSD report / summary download | Free |
| Getting tax compliant first (if needed) | Depends on your SARS position |
| B-BBEE affidavit (small business) | Often free at a commissioner of oaths |
| Optional help to register correctly | Advisory fee only - get a quote |
How long does CSD registration take?
Creating the account and capturing your details can be done in a single sitting if you have everything ready. Verification is what takes time, because Treasury checks your details against other systems.
- Capturing your profile: under an hour if your ID, CIPC, tax, bank and B-BBEE details are to hand.
- Bank account verification: commonly up to about four working days, as Treasury asks your bank to confirm the account.
- Full verification and supplier number: typically around five to ten working days from a complete submission to a fully verified record, depending on how quickly each check clears.
The fastest path is a clean submission: a matching bank name, a compliant tax status and correct CIPC details. Most delays are caused by a failed bank or tax check that sends you back to fix something, so getting it right up front is what saves the time.
Documents and information you will need
You do not upload a stack of documents to the CSD the way you would for a paper application, but you do need the following information and supporting records ready before you start, because each one is captured and verified.
Official sources
This guide is based on the current rules published by the relevant South African authorities. Always confirm the latest fees and requirements with the office that applies to you.
