-FICA Compliance in Property Transactions

Let’s be honest—nobody enjoys paperwork, especially when it comes to FICA compliance. Believe me, I understand—it can feel like a hassle. But FICA isn’t just bureaucratic red tape designed to make our lives difficult; it’s there to protect both you and me, and to help keep our country safe.

Why Is FICA Important?

FICA, or the Financial Intelligence Centre Act, is a South African law designed to combat money laundering, terrorism financing, and other financial crimes. As real estate professionals, we are legally required to collect and verify certain documents from buyers and sellers to ensure that funds used in property transactions come from legitimate sources.

By complying with FICA, we contribute to keeping the property market—and South Africa as a whole—free from criminal influence. This protects all parties involved in property transactions and enhances the safety and stability of our economy.

How FICA Protects You

When it comes to property transactions, FICA compliance helps to:

  • Prevent Financial Crimes: Ensuring that no illegal funds enter the property market, protecting buyers and sellers from unknowingly being involved in criminal activity.
  • Enhance National Security: Preventing criminals from using property deals for money laundering.
  • Protect You and Me: Helping avoid potentially costly and time-consuming legal issues.

What Documents Will You Need?

Whether you are buying or selling property, you will need to provide the following documents for FICA compliance:

For Individuals:

  1. Proof of Identity: A copy of your ID or passport (both sides if using the newer ID card).
  2. Proof of Address: A recent utility bill, bank statement, or other acceptable document, no older than three months.
  3. Income Tax Number: Found on your SARS correspondence or tax return.

If married in community of property, we’ll also need these documents from your spouse.

For Companies:

  • Company’s Certificate of Incorporation
  • Shareholders’ Certificate
  • Resolution authorizing specific individuals to transact on behalf of the company
  • Proof of the company’s address
  • Company’s Income Tax Number
  • FICA documents for all directors and any shareholders owning 25% or more of the company

For Trusts:

  • Copy of the Trust Deed
  • Letters of Authority from the Master of the High Court
  • Resolution authorizing individuals to transact on behalf of the trust
  • Proof of the trust’s address
  • Trust’s Income Tax Number
  • FICA documents for all trustees and beneficiaries

For Deceased Estates:

  • Death certificate and ID of the deceased
  • Letter of Executorship issued by the Master of the High Court
  • ID, proof of address, and income tax number of the executor

Marriage Certificates & Antenuptial Contracts:

We may request these to verify whether additional signatures or legal consents are required for certain transactions.

Why Do You Need to Provide Documents Again?

We understand how frustrating it can be to provide documents multiple times, especially if you’ve already shared them with the transferring attorneys. However, FICA laws require each accountable institution involved in a property transaction—such as property practitioners, attorneys, banks, and bond originators—to verify your identity independently.

This ensures that all parties conduct proper due diligence and that no one relies solely on information received from others.

Risk Assessments & Enhanced Due Diligence

We are also required to conduct risk assessments for every client. This means assessing potential money laundering or terrorist financing risks in every transaction by considering factors such as:

  • Whether the client is a Politically Exposed Person (PEP)
  • Whether the transaction appears suspicious or commercially unreasonable
  • Whether unusually large cash payments are involved

Additionally, we must check clients against official terrorist and sanctions lists to ensure no transactions involve flagged individuals or funds linked to illegal activities.

Final Thoughts

FICA compliance may seem like extra paperwork, but it’s designed to protect you, the property market, and our country. Please bear with us when we request documents—we’ll always do our best to make the process as smooth as possible.

Pro Tip: Keep your FICA documents organized and easily accessible. They are frequently required for many financial transactions—not just when buying or selling property.

If you have any questions about FICA compliance or need assistance with your property transactions, feel free to contact us:

Please contact us if you have any questions or need guidance on selling or buying property. We specialize in making the process as smooth as possible.

We look forward to hearing from you…