CSD login problems: how to fix them
Short answer
noredtape is not the CSD. Log in only at csd.gov.za, using the email address you registered with. To reset a forgotten password, choose Forgot Password, enter that email, open the reset email, set a new password and enter the OTP sent by SMS to your registered cellphone number.
Most CSD login trouble comes from five things: the wrong email, a missing OTP or email, a lost cellphone number, confusing your login with your supplier profile, or a timed-out session. Work through them in order.
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On this page
Who needs it
- Suppliers who cannot log in to the Central Supplier Database to update details or run a report
- Owners locked out after a change of cellphone number, email address or accountant
- Anyone managing more than one supplier profile
Before you start
Tick these off as you gather them.
Step by step
Go to the official site at csd.gov.za. noredtape is an independent guide and is not the CSD, so never enter your CSD password anywhere else.
Choose to log in, then enter the email address you registered with, your password and any security check the page shows.
If the password is wrong, choose Forgot Password on the login page and enter your registered email address. The page tells you if that email is not on the system.
Open the reset email, including your spam folder, and click the link in it.
Enter a new password and confirm it, then request the one-time PIN (OTP). It is sent by SMS to your registered cellphone number.
Enter the OTP and confirm the reset. You should see a message that your password has been reset.
Log in with the new password. Once in, check that your cellphone number and email address are current.
If you still cannot get in, use the contact option on the CSD site to reach support. Tell them your registered email and your supplier number.
Fix a problem
The issues people hit most, and what to do. Each one has its own link you can share.
I forgot my CSD password
Use the forgot password option on the login page, enter your registered email, then follow the emailed link. You set a new password and confirm it with an OTP sent by SMS to your registered cellphone number. Without access to that number, the reset cannot finish: see the next problem.
My CSD OTP is not arriving
The OTP is sent by SMS to the cellphone number on your CSD user account. Check that the number is the one you registered, that your phone has signal, and that your SMS inbox is not full. Wait a few minutes before requesting another one, because several requests can cause confusion over which code is current. If you no longer have that number, contact CSD support, as changing a registered cellphone number also uses an OTP.
The CSD reset or activation email never arrived
Check spam and junk, then check you typed the email exactly as you registered. The CSD tells you if an email address does not exist on the system, which means you used the wrong address or never finished creating the user account. Try your other addresses, including an old business email or an accountant's email.
I am locked out or I do not know my CSD username
Your login is the email address on your CSD user account, not your supplier number. The official guides we checked do not describe a separate username or a lockout rule. Try your possible email addresses with the password reset. If none is recognised, contact CSD support through the site and ask them to confirm which email is linked to your supplier.
I mixed up my CSD user account and my supplier profile
The user account is your login: an email, password and cellphone number. The supplier profile is the business, with its own MAAA supplier number and registration reference number. You log in with the first, not the second. Neither number works as a password. One person can create and manage several suppliers from one login.
I cannot see my supplier, or I have several suppliers under one login
A user can be linked to more than one supplier, and a supplier created by an agent or colleague sits under their login. If your business is missing, you probably registered it under a different email. Log in with that address, or ask the person who set it up to link you. Treasury's user guide describes removing a user from a supplier in the supplier details, under the users tab.
CSD keeps logging me out, or it does not work on my phone
The guides we checked do not state a time-out period, so treat sessions as short. Save each section as you finish it rather than at the end. On a phone, bank and OTP steps can fail when the page reloads, so use a laptop or desktop with a current browser if you can. Clear the browser cache or try another browser if the page keeps failing.
What it costs
| Route | What you pay |
|---|---|
| Reset your password on the official CSD site | We found no fee for this. Check the portal. |
| Pay a third party to recover your login | Agents set their own fee. Never share your password or OTP with anyone. |
Nobody should ask you for your OTP. It confirms an action you are taking yourself.
How long it takes
A password reset takes a few minutes when the email and SMS arrive. A support request takes longer, and CSD does not publish response times.
When it expires
- Keep your registered email address and cellphone number current. A reset needs both
- Change your cellphone number on the CSD before you give up the old SIM, because the change itself uses an OTP
- Review who is linked to your supplier profile when staff or agents leave
What comes next
- Once you are in, download your CSD report to see what buyers see
- Not registered yet? Follow the CSD registration steps
- Keep your tax compliance PIN in Good Standing so your profile stays clean
Sources
- National Treasury Central Supplier Database (official login)
- National Treasury: CSD User Guide (PDF)
- National Treasury: CSD supplier registration support and training (PDF)
- Western Cape Government: supplier databases
Cite this guide: noredtape, "CSD login problems: how to fix them", last checked 3 November 2026. https://noredtape.co.za/guides/csd-login-problems/
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