Annual Return
| Form | Workflow | Outputs | E2E test | Docs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passed | Passed | Passed | Passed | Passed |
- End-to-end test
- 2/2 passed 2026-10-22 (mihud, combined)
- Documentation
- 6 steps, 34 images · Download the DOCX
- Who can apply
- Organization
- Catalogue ID
- 317
Fees
| Fee | Case | Amount (ZMW) |
|---|---|---|
| Annual return for a primary co-operative | New | 133.33 |
| Annual return for a co-operative union | New | 200 |
| Annual return for a federation | New | 266.67 |
Required documents
- Minutes of the last Annual General Meeting (New)
- Audited Accounts for the Last Financial Year (New)
Output documents
- Notice Of Action (notice-of-action)
- Application form (application)
- GF-1 Treasury Invoice (invoice)
- GF-2 Treasury Receipt (receipt)
Test evidence
Annual Return
Service documentation · Republic of Zambia · GSB e-Services
| Owner | Department of Registration and Regulation |
| Service key | DOC/annual-return |
| Version | service v1, platform 12841b43 |
| Date | 2026-10-22 |
Generated automatically by the service's end-to-end test run. Every screenshot shows synthetic test data on a local test installation, never real personal data.
This document describes the Annual Return service of Department of Registration and Regulation as the platform runs it today. It is generated by the service's end-to-end test: every step below was performed by the test, and every screenshot was taken during that run with synthetic data. Regenerate it with npm run docs:services in the e2e suite; do not edit it by hand.
1. Service summary
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Service | Annual Return |
| Owner (MDA) | Department of Registration and Regulation (DOC) |
| Purpose | A Co-operative Society shall furnish the Registrar with annual returns under the Co-operative Societies Act. Annual returns are due on the registration date of the Co-operative. |
| Who can apply | Organization |
| How to apply | Online on the national e-Services portal, signed in with ZamPass; pay with ZamPay. |
| Fees | Annual return for a primary co-operative: ZMW 133.33 Annual return for a co-operative union: ZMW 200.00 Annual return for a federation: ZMW 266.67 |
| Turnaround | 30 days |
| Validity of the output | 365 days |
| Required documents | Minutes of the last Annual General Meeting (required) Audited Accounts for the Last Financial Year (required) |
| Output documents | Notice Of Action Application form GF-1 Treasury Invoice GF-2 Treasury Receipt |
| Legal basis | Co-operative Societies Act, No. 20 of 1998 (https://www.ilo.org/dyn/natlex/docs/ELECTRONIC/53147/111628/F824149747/ZMB53147.pdf) Co-operative Societies Regulations, SI No. 26 of 1999 (http://extwprlegs1.fao.org/docs/pdf/zam16012.pdf) |
2. Application process, step by step
The process as configured in the back office:
| Step | Role | Task | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Applicant | Apply | form |
| 2 | Case Officer | Generate Payment | generate-payment |
| 3 | Applicant | Payment | payment |
| 4 | System | Generate Document | generate-document |
| 5 | Case Officer | Review | review |
| 6 | Supervisor | Review | review |
| 7 | Executive | Decision | decision |
| 8 | System | Generate Document | generate-document |
| 9 | System | Notify Client | notify |
Who takes part in this journey: Citizen, Case Officer, Supervisor, Executive.
Step 1. Find the service and read its page
Citizen · National e-Services portal
The society's account opens "Annual Return": a return is due every year on the anniversary of the registration; the fee depends on the kind of society.
Step 2. Inspect the case by Case Officer
Case Officer · Back office (done through its case API in the test run: no screenshot)
The Case Officer completes "Inspect the case by Case Officer". The case moves from "CO Review" to "SV Review".
Step 3. Inspect the case by Supervisor
Supervisor · Back office (done through its case API in the test run: no screenshot)
The Supervisor completes "Inspect the case by Supervisor". The case moves from "SV Review" to "EX Decision".
Step 4. Review, Inspect, e-Sign Executive
Executive · Back office (done through its case API in the test run: no screenshot)
The Executive decides: approve ("Review, Inspect, e-Sign Executive"). The case moves from "EX Decision" to "Completed".
Step 5. The return on the society's record
Supervisor · Back office
The society's record after the approval: the return is filed for the three years, with the two late years shown; the next return is due on the next anniversary.
Step 6. Board history
Supervisor · Back office
The board named in the return replaces the board on the register: the old chairperson's term ends on the day of the approval and stays in the history.
3. Payment
| Item | In the test run |
|---|---|
| Fee | ZMW 133.33 a year for a primary society (ZMW 200 for a union, ZMW 266.67 for a federation), from the service's fee schedule |
| Years filed | 2024, 2025, 2026 |
| Late penalty | one year's fee again for each year filed after its year: 2024, 2025 |
| Amount | ZMW 666.65, worked out on the server when the return is sent and fixed then |
| Invoice number | 4606926190439709 |
| Paid through | ZamPay (the ZamPay test double in this run) |
4. Output documents
On screen: step 5 (The return on the society's record), step 6 (Board history) in section 2.
5. Notifications
| When | Channel | To | Message | Delivery |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Payment due (invoice raised) | in-app (portal bell) | the applicant | Payment due for application DOC-AR/00002/10-22-26 - The fee of ZMW 666.65 for Annual Return (DOC-AR/00002/10-22-26) is now due. Invoice 4606926190439709. | shown |
| Application received | in-app (portal bell) | the applicant | Application DOC-AR/00002/10-22-26 received - Your application DOC-AR/00002/10-22-26 for Annual Return has been received by Department of Registration and Regulation. | shown |
| Payment received | in-app (portal bell) | the applicant | Payment received for DOC-AR/00002/10-22-26 - Your payment of ZMW 666.65 for DOC-AR/00002/10-22-26 (Annual Return) has been received. Receipt: <ZamPay>/pdf?documentType=receipt&invoiceNumber=4606926190439709 | shown |
| Licence / permit issued | in-app (portal bell) | the applicant | Your Annual Return document has been issued - DOC-AR-2026-00002 has been issued for Annual Return and is valid until 22/10/2027. | shown |
| Invitation to rate the service | in-app (portal bell) | the applicant | How was Annual Return? - How was Annual Return? Tell us in about a minute. | shown |
| Decision: approved | in-app (portal bell) | the applicant | Application DOC-AR/00002/10-22-26 completed - DOC-AR/00002/10-22-26 (Annual Return) is complete. Your documents are ready. | shown |
| Payment due (invoice raised) | sms | +260 97* *** 567 | Fee of ZMW 666.65 due for DOC-AR/00002/10-22-26. Invoice 4606926190439709. Pay: <ZamPay>/pay-for-service/get-invoice/4606926190439709 | delivered |
| Payment due (invoice raised) | e2e.c***@example.test | Payment due for application DOC-AR/00002/10-22-26 | skipped | |
| Application received | sms | +260 97* *** 567 | Application DOC-AR/00002/10-22-26 for Annual Return has been received. Track it: <portal>/my-workplace | delivered |
| Application received | e2e.c***@example.test | Application DOC-AR/00002/10-22-26 received | skipped | |
| Payment received | sms | +260 97* *** 567 | delivered | |
| Invitation to rate the service | sms | +260 97* *** 567 | skipped | |
| Invitation to rate the service | e2e.c***@example.test | How was Annual Return? | skipped | |
| Licence / permit issued | sms | +260 97* *** 567 | delivered | |
| Licence / permit issued | e2e.c***@example.test | Your Annual Return document has been issued | skipped | |
| Decision: approved | sms | +260 97* *** 567 | delivered | |
| Decision: approved | e2e.c***@example.test | Application DOC-AR/00002/10-22-26 completed | skipped |
Delivery: shown = in the portal's notification bell; delivered = the SMS gateway (a test double in this run) reported the text delivered; skipped = not sent on that channel (e-mail is not configured on the test installation, and some notices go out on one channel only); sent by the national portal = a ministry node handed the notice to the national portal, which texts and e-mails the citizen under its own name and the citizen's preferences. Addresses written <portal>, <ZamPay> stand for the national portal and ZamPay.
6. Legacy mapping
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Replaces | Annual Return in the legacy ZIGS e-Services directory (ZIGS_Services) |
| Legacy service id | 317 |
| Legacy provider | Department of Registration and Regulation (DOC) under Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprise Development |
| Legacy process | Standard.Review_3Step (process 103) |
| Fee in the legacy system | Annual return for a primary co-operative: ZMW 133.33 (New) Annual return for a co-operative union: ZMW 200 (New) Annual return for a federation: ZMW 266.67 (New) |
| Fee taken before submission | yes (as in ZIGS) |
| Time to issue (legacy) | New: 30 working days |
| Legacy output templates | Notice Of Action: ZIGS_Forms_Notices / GS-2.NoticeOfAction Application form: ZIGS_Forms_DOC / DOC_AnnualReturn.Application GF-1 Treasury Invoice: ZIGS_CustomForms / GF-1 Invoice GF-2 Treasury Receipt: ZIGS_CustomForms / GF-2 Receipt |
| Legacy address | https://cooperatives.gsb.gov.zm |
| How it was brought over | Imported by the platform's legacy catalogue importer (zcm-backend scripts/zigs/importLegacy.js) from the ZIGS snapshot: form, case types, fees, documents, process and output templates, then served by the new platform. |
7. Version and date
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Document version | service v1, platform 12841b43 |
| Generated | 2026-10-22T00:53:44Z (by the end-to-end run, not edited by hand) |
| Service version | published version 1 |
| Platform snapshot | backend 12841b43 portal 8d4a375 back office 8a4ad7a |
| Test suite | e2e f4407ea; one installation (combined); seed profile mihud |
| Journeys | 39-cooperative-registration-annual-return.spec.js: citizen: files the annual return; the fee and the late penalty are worked out on the server - passed 39-cooperative-registration-annual-return.spec.js: officers work the steps; the return is filed and the register brought up to date - passed |
| Result | 2 of 2 journey tests passed |
| Data | Synthetic test data on a local test installation; provider test doubles for ZamPass, ZamPay, SMS and signing. |