COIDA payment not showing on CF Online: why it happens and how to get it allocated

A COIDA payment usually goes unallocated because the Fund cannot match it to your account: the wrong reference was used, it was paid into an old bank account, or it covers more than one invoice. Check those three things first, then send the Fund your proof of payment with your employer number and the assessment you want it applied to. Until the payment is allocated, CF Online will show the assessment as unpaid and will not issue a Letter of Good Standing.

Last updated 13 November 2026

Key facts

Bank account: Since 1 August 2025, ROE payments go only to the Compensation Fund's designated Nedbank contribution account (Notice 3495 of 2025)
Reference: For ROE payments, the contract account number that starts with 99 (Notice 3495 of 2025)
Payment due: Within 30 days of the notice of assessment (COIDA section 86)
Clarification contact: Clarification@labour.gov.za; call centre 0800 321 322 or 0860 105 350 (Notice 3495 of 2025)

Why a payment does not show

The Compensation Fund matches deposits to employers using the reference on the payment. Its September 2025 banking notice tells employers to use the prescribed reference numbers strictly, and warns that not doing so can delay processing. Most unallocated payments come down to one of the causes below.

Wrong or missing reference: the ROE reference is the number that starts with 99. A company registration number, invoice number or business name alone may not match.
Old bank account: from 1 August 2025 all earlier Compensation Fund account details were replaced by new Nedbank accounts. Payments made from saved beneficiaries can still go to an old account.
Wrong Fund account: the Fund has separate accounts for ROE contributions and for refunds of pension, medical and compensation overpayments. Only the contribution account is for assessments.
One payment for several years: a single amount covering more than one assessment may sit unallocated or be applied to the oldest debt first.
Timing: a payment made in the last few days may simply not have been processed yet.

What to check before you contact the Fund

Open your proof of payment and compare it with the notice of assessment. Look at the date, the amount, the receiving account name and number, and the reference exactly as the bank sent it. Compare the reference with the number that starts with 99 on your assessment or registration letter.

Then check CF Online. See whether the payment shows as unallocated, applied to another year, or not received at all. Check that the amount covers penalties and interest as well as the assessment, because a short payment can leave a balance that blocks your Letter of Good Standing.

How to get the payment allocated

Send the Fund a short written request with the evidence attached. Keep it to one employer per email, and say exactly which assessment year each payment should go to. If the payment went to an old or wrong Fund account, say so, because the Fund will need to trace it internally.

Keep a record of the date you sent it and any reference number you receive, and follow up through the call centre if the balance does not change.

Your Compensation Fund registration number (the number that starts with 99) and the business name as registered
The bank's proof of payment, or a bank statement showing the debit, date, amount and reference
A copy of the notice of assessment or invoice you were paying
Clear instructions: which assessment year or invoice each payment must be allocated to
Contact details for the person who can answer questions

If the Fund says it has not received the money

If CF Online shows nothing at all, first confirm with your bank that the payment left your account and was not returned. A payment to a closed or incorrect account is often reversed after a few days. If the bank confirms it was paid into a Compensation Fund account, ask the bank for a stamped proof of payment or a trace, and send that to the Fund with your allocation request.

If you paid into the wrong one of the Fund's own accounts, for example an overpayment account instead of the contribution account, say so clearly. The money still has to be moved internally before it can be applied to your assessment, so expect this to take longer than a simple reference correction.

How to avoid it next time

Delete old Compensation Fund beneficiaries from your banking profile and load the current account from the Fund's official notice or your invoice. Check banking details against an official source each time, because fraudsters do send fake change-of-bank-details letters. Pay each assessment as a separate payment with the correct reference, and save the proof of payment with the assessment. Pay within 30 days of the notice to avoid interest.

Step by step

1
Compare proof of payment with the assessment
Check account number, account name, amount, date and the exact reference used.
2
Check CF Online
See whether the amount is missing, unallocated or applied to a different year, and whether penalties or interest are still outstanding.
3
Write to the Fund
Email your registration number, proof of payment, the assessment and allocation instructions. Notice 3495 of 2025 gives Clarification@labour.gov.za for banking queries, and the call centre is cfcallcentre@labour.gov.za.
4
Follow up and confirm
Phone the call centre with your reference if the payment is still unallocated, then request your Letter of Good Standing once the balance is clear.

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Frequently asked questions

What reference do I use to pay COIDA?

For Return of Earnings payments, the Fund's 2025 banking notice says to use the contract account number, the number that starts with 99.

I paid into the old Compensation Fund bank account. Is the money lost?

Not necessarily, but the Fund has to trace it. Send proof of payment showing the account you paid and ask for it to be allocated. Future payments must go to the current account.

Can I get my Letter of Good Standing while a payment is unallocated?

Usually not. The system treats the assessment as unpaid until the payment is allocated.

How long does allocation take?

The Fund does not publish a fixed turnaround for allocation queries. Keep your reference and follow up through the call centre.

Official sources

This guide explains the general rules. Requirements and portal steps change, so check the official source before you file.