Verify a Letter of Good Standing Online (2026 Guide)

Quick Answer

How do I verify a Letter of Good Standing?

Take the unique certificate number printed on the letter and verify it through the Compensation Fund’s online services at cfonline.labour.gov.za. A genuine letter returns a result matching the employer name, registration number and validity dates. Report suspected fakes to cf-fraud@thehotline.co.za or 0800 234 432.

Key Terms Explained

Letter of Good Standing: The certificate issued by the Compensation Fund, RMA or FEM proving an employer is registered, has filed its Return of Earnings and has paid its assessment.
Certificate number: The unique system-generated number on every Letter of Good Standing, used to verify it online.
CF number: The employer's 12-digit Compensation Fund registration number, starting with 99, printed on the letter.

Whether you are a main contractor checking a subcontractor, a tender board evaluating bids, or an employer confirming your own document, you do not have to take a Letter of Good Standing at face value. Every genuine letter issued by the Compensation Fund carries a unique certificate number that can be verified online. With forged letters circulating in the construction and tender space, a two-minute verification is the cheapest risk control in procurement. This guide shows you how.

An employer working through COIDA compliance documents and verifying a Letter of Good Standing online — Every Letter of Good Standing carries a unique certificate number that can be verified online. Image: Wikimedia Commons.

How to Verify a Letter of Good Standing

Find the certificate number. It appears on the face of the Letter of Good Standing, together with the employer’s CF registration number (starting with 99) and the validity dates.
Use the official verification service. Verify the certificate through the Compensation Fund’s online services on the online submissions portal. Letters from RMA or FEM are verified with the relevant mutual association – see Compensation Fund vs RMA vs FEM.
Match the details. A genuine result shows the same company name, registration number, validity period and status as the document in front of you. Any mismatch – different entity name, expired dates, unknown certificate number – means the letter cannot be relied on.

What a Valid Letter Shows

Field	What to check
Employer name and registration number	Must exactly match the bidding or contracting entity – not a sister company
Certificate number	Must verify online with a matching result
Validity dates	Must cover the tender award or site work period – see how LOGS validity works
Issuing fund	Compensation Fund, RMA or FEM are all valid under COIDA

Red Flags of a Fake Letter

The certificate number fails online verification or belongs to a different company.
Fonts, alignment or logos look inconsistent with genuine Fund-issued letters.
The validity dates were clearly edited – genuine letters are system-generated.
The “letter” was issued by a consultancy or broker. Only the Fund and licensed mutual associations issue Letters of Good Standing – no third party can write one.
The seller promises a letter “without registration or payment”. A letter only exists once registration, the Return of Earnings and assessment payment are complete – see what a Letter of Good Standing really is.

Reporting a Forged Letter

The Compensation Fund runs a fraud hotline for exactly this. Report a suspected forged Letter of Good Standing to cf-fraud@thehotline.co.za, call 0800 234 432 or SMS 30916. Using or supplying a forged letter can disqualify a bidder, void contracts, and expose the user to criminal charges – verification protects everyone in the chain.

Employers: Keep Your Own Letter Verifiable

If your letter fails verification when a client checks it, the usual causes are an unpaid assessment, an outstanding Return of Earnings, or a payment made with the wrong reference number. Work through how to apply for a Letter of Good Standing online and, if cash flow is the blocker, consider an assessment instalment plan. For hands-on help getting compliant and staying verifiable, Admin Boss supports South African businesses with COIDA and other company compliance admin.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I verify a Letter of Good Standing online?

Who can issue a Letter of Good Standing?

Only the Compensation Fund and the licensed mutual associations (Rand Mutual Assurance and FEM) can issue Letters of Good Standing. No consultancy, broker or accountant can issue one – third parties can only help you apply.

How do I report a fake Letter of Good Standing?

Report suspected forged letters to the Compensation Fund fraud hotline at cf-fraud@thehotline.co.za, by phone on 0800 234 432, or by SMS to 30916.

Why does a genuine-looking letter fail verification?

Usually because the employer’s assessment is unpaid, the Return of Earnings is outstanding, or a payment was made with the wrong reference number so it was never allocated. The letter then lapses or was never validly issued.

Must the letter be in the exact name of the tendering entity?

Yes. A Letter of Good Standing in the name of a different company – even a related one – does not prove the bidding entity’s compliance and is routinely rejected by tender boards.

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Sources and Further Reading

Last reviewed: 14 August 2026 against the official sources listed above. This guide is general information for South African employers and employees, not legal advice. Figures such as minimum assessments and earnings ceilings are set by the Compensation Fund and change annually – always confirm the current amounts on the official portals before paying.

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