NCR deadlines for credit providers and debt counsellors — renewal, Form 39 and the compliance report

Every entity registered with the National Credit Regulator — credit provider, credit bureau or debt counsellor — carries three separate annual clocks: the registration renewal fee due by 31 July, the Form 39 statistical return, and a compliance report due within six months of financial year end. Missing the renewal fee is the one that bites hardest, because registration lapses automatically.

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

In short

Registration renewal fees are due by 31 July each year, with a 30-day grace period before a penalty and, ultimately, automatic lapsing of registration.
Form 39 is due quarterly for credit providers whose annual disbursements exceed R15 million, and by 15 February each year for all other credit providers.
The annual compliance report is due within six months of the credit provider's own financial year end, not a fixed calendar date.
A lapsed registration makes credit agreements concluded while unregistered unlawful — this is not a paperwork-only consequence.

The 31 July renewal fee

Under the National Credit Act 34 of 2005, section 51, the Minister prescribes an annual registration renewal fee payable by every NCR registrant — credit providers, credit bureaux and debt counsellors alike. The NCR's own circular sets the payment date as no later than 31 July each year, with a further 30-day grace period during which a penalty fee applies before registration automatically lapses.

For debt counsellors specifically, the annual renewal fee has been R500 plus a R250 branch fee per additional location, figures the NCR has continued to point registrants back to in its annual renewal reminders. Confirm the current fee schedule with the NCR before paying, since fee guidelines are revised from time to time.

The NCR's three recurring dates
Obligation	Timing	Source
Registration renewal fee	By 31 July each year, 30-day grace period thereafter	NCR Circular 2 of 2017; NCA 34 of 2005, section 51
Form 39 (large credit providers, >R15m disbursements)	Quarterly — 15 May, 15 August, 15 November and a February date for Q4	National Credit Regulations, regulation 64
Form 39 (all other credit providers)	Annually by 15 February, for the prior 1 January–31 December period	National Credit Regulations, regulation 64
Compliance report	Within 6 months of the credit provider's financial year end	National Credit Regulations, regulation 63

Confirm the exact Q3/Q4 Form 39 due dates and the current renewal fee schedule on the NCR's own circulars before relying on them for a specific filing.

Form 39: who files quarterly, who files annually

Regulation 64 of the National Credit Regulations splits credit providers into two groups. A credit provider whose annual disbursements exceed R15 million must submit Form 39 quarterly, against reporting periods running from 1 January. Every other registered credit provider files Form 39 once a year, by 15 February, covering the previous full calendar year.

The NCR reissued a circular in July 2025 reminding registrants that Form 39 submission is obligatory regardless of size — the annual route is a lighter reporting burden, not an exemption.

The compliance report is tied to your own year end, not the calendar

Regulation 63 requires a compliance report within six months of the credit provider's financial year end. A March year end means a September deadline; a December year end means a June deadline. This is the deadline most often missed by smaller providers because it does not sit on a fixed date like the renewal fee or Form 39.

Registration lapses automatically once the 30-day grace period on the renewal fee runs out — there is no further warning notice required. Diarise the payment itself, not just an expected NCR reminder.

Frequently asked

What happens to credit agreements signed while registration has lapsed?

They are treated as unlawful credit agreements under the National Credit Act. This is a substantive consequence for the credit provider, not just a compliance breach.

Does a debt counsellor with several branches pay one renewal fee?

No — the NCR charges the base annual renewal fee plus a branch fee for each additional location or premises at or from which the debt counsellor conducts registered activities in their own name.

Is the Form 39 annual deadline the same as the compliance report deadline?

No. Form 39 for smaller credit providers is fixed at 15 February each year. The compliance report deadline moves with each credit provider's own financial year end.

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.