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Where Do I Register a CoC for SA Imports?
You register a Certificate of Conformity for South African imports on cofc (certificatesofconformity.co.za) — Africa's first independent CoC vault. Upload your CoC PDF, receive a permanent SHA-256-anchored verification URL, and give that URL to your clearing agent for the SAD500 customs declaration.
cofc is not a government portal. It is an independent vault operated by LinkDaddy LLC (Florida, USA), which satisfies the independence requirement of the PVoC programme.
What CoC Registration Actually Means
Not Just Storage — SHA-256 Hash and Permanent URL
Registering a CoC on cofc does more than store the PDF. The platform computes a SHA-256 hash of the document at upload time — a mathematical fingerprint that makes any subsequent modification detectable. The hash is stored immutably. The platform then issues a permanent verification URL on cofc's domain that cannot be changed by the importer after registration.
This is what SARS Customs and the BMA verify when your clearing agent submits the SAD500. The BMA officer scans the QR code on the SAD500, which resolves to the cofc verification page showing all CoC metadata.
Why the Registration Must Be Independent
The Self-Witnessing Prohibition
The PVoC programme requires that the CoC documentation record be held by an entity independent of the importer. An importer cannot register their CoC on their own website or Google Drive — this would constitute self-witnessing. The documentation record must be held by an independent third party. cofc satisfies this requirement as an independent vault operated by a US entity with no commercial interest in the trade.
What You Get After Registration
Verification URL, QR Code, Dashboard, and 5-Year Retention
After registering a CoC on cofc, you receive: a permanent verification URL (e.g., certificatesofconformity.co.za/v/[hash]/), a QR code PNG for download and inclusion in shipping documents, a dashboard entry showing all your registered CoCs, and 5-year document retention (contractually guaranteed, satisfying the Customs and Excise Act §101 requirement).
The verification URL is what your clearing agent needs for the SAD500. Give them the URL before they submit the declaration.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common Questions
Do I register the CoC before or after the goods ship?
Before. The CoC must be issued by the inspection body in China before the goods leave China (before the bill of lading). You register the CoC on cofc after receiving the CoC PDF from the inspection body, and before the goods arrive at a South African port. Your clearing agent needs the verification URL before they submit the SAD500.
Can I register multiple CoCs on the same account?
Yes. The R1,997 onboarding fee is a one-time fee per importer entity. After onboarding, you can register as many CoCs as you need. Each CoC registration requires a tiered minting fee (0.5%–2% of the CIF value of that shipment).
What if I need to correct an error in a registered CoC?
A registered CoC cannot be modified after registration — this is by design, as the tamper-evidence depends on the immutability of the record. If there is an error in the CoC, you need to obtain a corrected CoC from the inspection body and register the corrected version as a new CoC registration.
Is cofc the only place to register an import CoC?
cofc is Africa's first independent CoC vault for the SABS PVoC programme. The programme requires that CoCs be registered on a recognised independent vault. cofc satisfies this requirement. Other vaults may emerge as the programme matures.
Continue Learning
The PVoC Programme
Full regulatory context for the SABS PVoC programme.
Certificate of Conformity Guide
What a CoC is and how the vault works.
Why Importers Cannot Self-Witness Their Own CoC Documentation
The structural reason independent vaulting is required.
Clearing Agent's Role in CoC Compliance
What your clearing agent needs from you.
I Was Told I Need a CoC — What Does That Mean?
The full explanation.
Register your import CoC on cofc.
Upload your CoC PDF, receive a permanent verification URL, and give it to your clearing agent for the SAD500. R1,997 one-time onboarding.
Sources: Government Gazette No. 54374 (20 March 2026); Standards Act 8 of 2008. Last verified: 3 May 2026. certificatesofconformity.co.za is an independent reference publication operated by LinkDaddy LLC, a Florida-registered US entity. Not affiliated with or endorsed by the SABS, NRCS, SARS, or any agency of the Government of South Africa.