South Africa
NCA compliance, made simple
12 yes/no questions for businesses that lend money or sell on credit: whether you must register as a credit provider, checking affordability, giving clear disclosure, dealing with default, and keeping records. You get a score for each area and a list of gaps with what to do about each one.
ComplianceDesk gives you 8 pre-built NCA controls, an evidence vault, audit-ready reports, and reminders before anything falls overdue — so proving NCA compliance stops being a spreadsheet exercise.
Take the free self-assessment: a score for each area and a list of gaps to close.
What is NCA?
12 yes/no questions for businesses that lend money or sell on credit: whether you must register as a credit provider, checking affordability, giving clear disclosure, dealing with default, and keeping records. You get a score for each area and a list of gaps with what to do about each one.
- Official name
- National Credit Act
- Status
- In force. Shown as in force as we understand it. Check the current text with the regulator or an attorney, since provisions can be amended or commence at different times.
Who it applies to
- Whether it applies to you depends on your size, activities and licences. Use the free "Which laws apply to me?" checker, or read the first section of the self-assessment.
- The Act applies to most credit agreements between a credit provider and a consumer: loans, instalment sales, leases, credit cards and store accounts. Answer Not applicable throughout if you never lend or sell on credit.
What you have to do
Are you a credit provider, and are you registered?
A business should be able to show that it can answer yes to these: Have you checked whether your credit agreements fall under the Act (consumer, type of agreement, and any exclusion) and written down the answer? Are you registered with the National Credit Regulator as a credit provider if you need to be? Do you renew your registration and pay the fees each year, and submit the annual return the Regulator requires?
Before granting credit
A business should be able to show that it can answer yes to these: Before granting credit, do you assess the consumer's affordability (income, expenses, existing debts and credit history) and keep the assessment? Do you avoid reckless credit, such as lending without the assessment, or when the consumer clearly cannot afford it? Do you check the consumer's credit record with a registered credit bureau where you rely on it?
The agreement and disclosure
A business should be able to show that it can answer yes to these: Do you give the consumer a pre-agreement statement and quotation, and a copy of the signed agreement, in a form the Act requires and plain language? Do your agreements stay within the maximum interest rates, fees and charges set by the regulations, and avoid prohibited terms? Do you send the consumer regular statements and tell them of changes, as the Act requires?
Default, collection and records
A business should be able to show that it can answer yes to these: Before you take court action or enforce a debt, do you send the required default notice and wait the required period? Do you collect debts fairly, without harassment, and tell consumers about debt review and their rights? Do you keep each credit agreement, the affordability assessment and all related records for the period the Act requires, and handle personal information in line with POPIA?
How to comply, step by step
- Are you a credit provider, and are you registered?. List the types of credit you offer, and have an attorney confirm which are covered. Check the current registration rules with the National Credit Regulator and register if required. Lending without needed registration can make agreements unenforceable. Put the renewal date and annual return in your compliance calendar.
- Before granting credit. Use a standard affordability form, and keep it on the customer's file. Train staff on affordability limits. Reckless credit agreements can be set aside by a court. Use only registered credit bureaus and follow the rules on permitted use of their information.
- The agreement and disclosure. Use the prescribed forms for your type of agreement, and give the consumer time to read them. Check your rates and fees against the current regulations. Take legal advice before you change your pricing. Set your billing system to issue statements on time.
- Default, collection and records. Use the standard notice and record how and when it was delivered. Give collectors a written code of conduct and check any collection agency you use is registered. Check the NCA retention period and keep records securely. See the POPIA assessment.
Sources and review status
Compiled from the public sources below. It is not legal advice and has not been reviewed by a lawyer. Last researched 2026-11-01. This is general information, not legal advice. Laws change, so check the current text and the regulator's notices before relying on it.
- National Credit Act 34 of 2005 (gov.za)
- NCR: registration of credit providers, sections 39 to 53 (National Credit Regulator)
- NCA section 42: thresholds applicable to credit providers (Acts Online)
- Change in threshold for registration as a credit provider (Simmons & Simmons)
- When is registration as a credit provider required? (Hogan Lovells)
Every NCA control, organised for you
The real control library ComplianceDesk seeds the moment you activate NCA — 8 controls across 4 categories.
Registration & Governance
- NCA-1.1 Registered as a credit provider with the NCR
- NCA-1.2 Reckless lending prevention controls
Affordability & Disclosure
- NCA-2.1 Affordability assessment conducted before granting credit
- NCA-2.2 Pre-agreement quotation and disclosure provided
Credit Agreement Management
- NCA-3.1 Credit agreements comply with prescribed form
- NCA-3.2 In duplum and cost caps applied correctly
Debt Collection & Complaints
- NCA-4.1 Debt collection conduct complies with NCA rules
- NCA-4.2 Consumer complaints process and NCR/Ombud escalation
Frequently asked questions
How can I check where my business stands on National Credit Act?
Take the free self-assessment. It scores each area, lists your gaps with what to do about each one, and does not say you are compliant. You can save the result to ComplianceDesk to turn each gap into a task with an owner and a due date.
Is this guide written by a lawyer?
No. It was assembled from the public sources listed below and has not been reviewed by a lawyer. Treat it as a starting point and check the current law before relying on it.
How many controls does ComplianceDesk track for NCA?
8, organised into 4 categories, ready to assign to an owner as soon as you activate the framework.
Can I track NCA alongside other frameworks?
Yes — most teams activate several frameworks at once. Controls that overlap across frameworks can share the same evidence, so you don't collect the same document twice.
How long does it take to set up NCA in ComplianceDesk?
Activating NCA instantly seeds its full control library. Most teams assign owners and get their first controls moving within a day.
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