BEE affidavit and B-BBEE certificate validity: the deadlines that matter

Most B-BBEE deadlines run on a twelve-month cycle rather than a single fixed date: an Exempted Micro Enterprise or Qualifying Small Enterprise affidavit is valid for twelve months from the date it is signed, and a verified scorecard runs for twelve months from the certificate's issue date. On top of that annual renewal cycle, certain measured entities have a separate, recurring obligation to submit a compliance report to the B-BBEE Commission under section 13G of the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Act 53 of 2003.

Reviewed by TefCo Compliance Research — last verified 15 September 2026.

In short

An Exempted Micro Enterprise sworn affidavit or CIPC B-BBEE certificate is renewed annually — it reflects the entity's status as at the date it is signed.
A verification agency-issued B-BBEE certificate for a Qualifying Small Enterprise or Generic Enterprise is valid for twelve months from its date of issue.
Organs of state, public entities and other measured entities specified in the Act must submit an annual B-BBEE compliance report to the B-BBEE Commission under section 13G of the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Act 53 of 2003.
The compliance report is submitted using Form B-BBEE 1 and the compliance matrix set out in the B-BBEE Commission's explanatory notice on section 13G reporting.

Affidavits and certificates run on a twelve-month clock

Amended Code Series 000 requires an Exempted Micro Enterprise to obtain a sworn affidavit or a CIPC-issued B-BBEE certificate on an annual basis — the purpose, as the B-BBEE Commission's own practice guide records, is to keep the cost of compliance low for small businesses while still requiring the declaration to be refreshed every year.

A Qualifying Small Enterprise or Generic Enterprise scorecard, verified by a SANAS-accredited verification agency, is likewise valid for twelve months from its date of issue — there is no single annual date by which every entity must renew, because the clock starts on whatever date the entity's own certificate or affidavit was signed or issued.

B-BBEE renewal and reporting cycles
Document	Validity / timing	Source
EME sworn affidavit or CIPC certificate	12 months from date signed/issued	Amended Code Series 000, Statement 000; B-BBEE Commission Practice Guide 02 of 2016
QSE / Generic verification certificate	12 months from date of issue	B-BBEE Commission Practice Guide 02 of 2016
Annual B-BBEE compliance report (specified measured entities)	Annual, per section 13G	Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Act 53 of 2003, section 13G

Confirm the exact compliance-report submission date applicable to your entity type directly with the B-BBEE Commission, since the timing runs off each entity's own financial year end rather than one fixed calendar date for everyone.

The section 13G annual compliance report

Section 13G of the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Act 53 of 2003 requires the B-BBEE Commission to receive and analyse compliance reports from organs of state, public entities and specified private sector enterprises. Regulation 12 of the B-BBEE Regulations sets out the process for submitting that report, and the Commission's Explanatory Notice 02 of 2021 governs how Form B-BBEE 1 and the compliance matrix must be completed.

The report is not the same document as a scorecard certificate — it is a separate submission to the Commission itself, covering matters such as black ownership, procurement from black-owned entities, and enterprise and supplier development spend.

Confirm with the B-BBEE Commission which category your entity falls into and the exact submission date that applies, since section 13G reporting obligations differ between organs of state, public entities and private measured entities.

Frequently asked

Does an EME need a verification agency to issue its affidavit?

No. An Exempted Micro Enterprise can self-declare its status on a sworn affidavit, using a template such as the one published by CIPC, rather than obtaining an agency-verified certificate.

What happens if a scorecard certificate lapses before a tender closes?

A lapsed certificate no longer reflects a current, valid B-BBEE status level, so most procuring entities will not accept it — renew before the twelve-month validity period from the certificate's issue date expires.

Is the section 13G compliance report the same as submitting a scorecard to a client?

No — the section 13G report goes to the B-BBEE Commission itself and is a separate obligation from providing a verified scorecard certificate to a customer or procuring entity.

Sources

TefCo Corporate Compliance (Pty) Ltd is a compliance management platform, not a legal, tax or advisory firm. This guide is general information, not advice. Fees, dates and thresholds change — confirm current figures with the regulator before you rely on them.