Govchain
Starting a company can be complicated. Govchain was built to make it easy. Start an official company, stay…
Licences and permits
Municipal trading, liquor, food handling, health, signage.
175 businesses10 verified67 cities2 services5 articles
Explore more
How things work, and how to do them.
Signage, zoning and working from home
Two permissions that catch small businesses out constantly, because they seem too small to need asking about. Almost every expensive version of this problem is…
Content Agency25 August 2026Selling food: what you need
The most regulated thing a small business commonly sells, whether that is a restaurant, a home bakery or a market stall. The standard is practical: right…
Content Agency25 August 2026Applying for a municipal business licence
Not difficult, but slow and sequential — several inspections that must happen in an order, each with its own queue. Plan the opening date around the licence,…
Content Agency25 August 2026Which licences does my business need?
There is no single business licence in South Africa. Most small businesses need fewer than they fear, and different ones from the ones they expect. Work…
Content Agency25 August 2026How To Find Out If Your Business Requires A Trade License
Content Agency12 May 2020archive
No buyer's guides or in-depth reviews for licences and permits yet.
What this obliges you to do
Requirements that attach to operating in licences and permits.
Municipal business licence
Required for food, health and body treatments, and public entertainment.
your municipalityonce, then renewalZoning consent
The property must be zoned for what you intend to do on it.
your municipalityonceCertificate of acceptability
Required to handle food for sale — restaurant, home bakery or market stall alike.
environmental healthonce, then inspection
A general description, not legal advice — requirements and thresholds change. Confirm the current position with the authority named.
What to read next
- Industry regulationLegal and compliance · 5
- Premises and leasesStarting a business · 5
- Registering the companyStarting a business · 5
What they offer
Services in this section, and how many businesses offer each.
Who does this in Cape Town
Verified businesses first, then the best rated.
Hello Contract
at Hello Contract we run South Africa’s first fully automated legal document platform for small businesses.…
Legal Fundi
Legal disruption through technology development and automation
Legalese
Legalese is a creative legal agency which has redesigned legal services to suit creative, start-up, and…
Bailey Haynes INC Attorneys
Bailey Haynes Incorporated specialises in the fields of civil litigation in the High-, Regional- and…
Bona Fide Professional Solutions
Bona Fide Professional Solutions is a B-BBEE Level 1 company that is 100% Black-owned and youth-led. We…
Cape Polygraph Examiners Cape Town
Cape Polygraph Examiners - Polygraph Examiners Cape Town
DSC Attorneys
DSC Attorneys is a Cape Town-based law firm specialising in personal injury claims, including road accidents,…
Euroconsulting Foreign Investment in South Africa
Euroconsulting provides excellent legal service for foreign investors in RSA. We offer Company & Business…
Go Private Investigator Cape Town
Go Private Investigator - Private Investigator Cape Town
GreenEdge Communications
GreenEdge is a specialist consultancy offering environmental communications, marketing and behaviour change…
Herold Gie Attorneys
Full-service law firm based in Cape Town, Bellville and Kenilworth - we deliver exceptional legal services.…
The conversation
Groups for licences and permits — nobody has posted yet.