Changing a Company’s Financial Year-End: A Practical Reality Check for CBAP’s

Changing a company’s financial year-end may look like a simple date change, but in reality it is a regulated decision with compliance consequences. The year-end can be shortened, but it may never exceed 15 months, and the change only becomes valid once approved by CIPC. When this step is missed, financial statements, annual returns, and compliance timelines fall out of sync, often leading to penalties and unnecessary rework. For CBAPs, understanding not just what can change, but how and when, is essential to getting it right the first time.