SARS e-Filing in 2026: The Complete Guide to Login, Registration, Tax Numbers, Refunds and Contacting SARS
Everything you need to know about SARS e-Filing in 2026 — login, registration, tax numbers, refunds, banking details and contact info, explained simply.
- What Is SARS, Exactly?
- How to log in to SARS e-Filing
- Ways On How to Register for SARS e-Filing (Step by Step)
- SARS Tax Number: What It Is and How to Find Yours
- SARS Contact Number and Other Ways to Reach SARS
- SARS e-Filing Login on Mobile: The SARS Mobi-App
- SARS Registration: The Different Kinds
- Why SARS might owe you money
- SARS Certificate: Understanding the Tax Compliance Status (TCS)
- SARS Filing Season 2026: Key Dates to Know
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Quick Revision Flashcards
If you've typed "SARS" into Google recently, you've probably noticed the autocomplete practically writes the rest of the search for you — Sars login, Sars e-filing, Sars tax number, Sars contact number, Sars banking details, Sars WhatsApp number, Sars registration. That's not an accident. Millions of South Africans interact with the South African Revenue Service (SARS) every single year, whether they're filing a tax return, chasing a refund, applying for their first job and needing a tax number, or simply trying to figure out why an SMS from "SARS" just landed in their inbox. This guide pulls every one of those most-searched SARS questions into one place — what each term actually means, how the process works step by step, and where people typically get stuck.
Whether you're a first-time job seeker who's just been told "bring your tax number" for a new position, a freelancer trying to work out if you owe SARS money, or someone who simply wants to update a cellphone number on their profile, you'll find the answer below.
What Is SARS, Exactly?
SARS simply stands for the South African Revenue Service — the government agency responsible for collecting tax revenue and enforcing customs and excise law on behalf of the South African government. Think of SARS as the administrative engine that funds public services: roads, hospitals, schools, social grants and government salaries are all paid for, in large part, through the taxes SARS collects.
SARS administers several types of tax, but the ones ordinary South Africans deal with most often are:
• Personal Income Tax (PIT) — tax on salaries, wages, freelance income, rental income and investment income.
• Value-Added Tax (VAT) — the 15% tax added to most goods and services, collected by registered VAT vendors (businesses) and paid over to SARS.
• Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE) — the tax your employer deducts from your salary every month and pays to SARS on your behalf.
• Provisional Tax — advance tax payments made twice a year by people who earn income that isn't taxed at source, such as freelancers, landlords and business owners.
For most people, "dealing with SARS" really means dealing with one platform:
SARS e-Filing, the free online portal that lets you register, submit returns, check your tax status and manage almost every other tax interaction without ever setting foot in a branch.
SARS e-Filing Login: How It Works
SARS e-Filing (accessed at sarsefiling.co.za, or through the main SARS website) is the online system that lets registered taxpayers submit tax returns, view assessments, request statements, update their details and make payments — all digitally.
How to log in to SARS e-Filing
1. Go to www.sarsefiling.co.za in your browser (or open the SARS Mobi-App).
2. Enter your e-Filing username and password.
3. If prompted, complete a One-Time Pin (OTP) sent to your registered cellphone number or email address, or a biometric facial verification step (a photo/selfie check against Home Affairs records) — SARS has been rolling this out to strengthen account security and reduce identity fraud.
4. Once verified, you land on your e-Filing dashboard, which shows a snapshot of your current tax affairs — outstanding returns, notices, and any messages from SARS.
Example: Thandeka, a marketing coordinator in Johannesburg, logs into e-Filing every July to check whether SARS has auto-assessed her. She types in her username and password, receives an OTP by SMS, enters it, and is taken straight to her dashboard where a banner tells her an auto-assessment notice is waiting.
Forgot your username or password?
On the e-Filing login page, click "Forgot Username" or "Forgot Password" and follow the prompts — you'll typically need to answer security questions or verify your identity via the email or SMS registered on your profile. If you no longer have access to either your old cellphone number or email address, the automated recovery process usually can't verify you, and you'll need to phone the SARS Contact Centre or book a branch appointment with your ID document.
Ways On How to Register for SARS e-Filing (Step by Step)
Many of the top searches around SARS are really about registration — people who've never used e-Filing before and don't know where to start. Here's the process:
1. Go to sarsefiling.co.za (or download the SARS Mobi-App) and select "Register."
2. Choose "Individual" if you're registering for yourself, rather than on behalf of a company or as a tax practitioner.
3. Enter your South African ID number (or passport number, if you're a foreign national) and complete your personal details exactly as they appear on your ID — mismatches are one of the most common reasons registration fails.
4. Complete your contact details. You'll need a working cellphone number and a unique email address (each e-Filing profile needs its own email — you can't share one across family members).
5. Complete a biometric facial verification if you're a South African citizen. This involves taking a live photo or short video that SARS checks against Home Affairs records to confirm you are who you say you are. If this step fails, or if you're not eligible for biometric verification, you'll need to visit a SARS branch with your original ID document.
6. Choose your preferred communication method for receiving OTPs (SMS or email) — this becomes your e-Filing "security contact detail."
7. Set your username and password, then log in to your new e-Filing profile.
If you don't yet have a tax reference number, SARS may automatically issue you one once your identity has been verified — you don't necessarily need to apply for a tax number separately before registering for e-Filing.
Worth knowing: e-Filing registration is completely free. There are no subscription fees, and there's no legitimate reason anyone should ever ask you to pay money to "register" or "activate" your e-Filing profile — that's a common scam pattern (more on spotting scams below).
SARS Tax Number: What It Is and How to Find Yours
SARS Tax Number: What It Is and How to Find Yours
A tax number (also called a tax reference number) is the unique 10-digit number SARS assigns to every registered taxpayer. Employers ask for it when you start a new job, banks may ask for it when you open certain accounts, and you'll need it for anything tax-related — from submitting a return to requesting a refund.
If you don't have a tax number yet
You are automatically issued a tax number the moment you register for Personal Income Tax, which can happen in a few ways:
• Automatically, if your employer registers you (common for first-time employees, since PAYE registration and income tax registration are often linked).
• By registering yourself on e-Filing or the SARS Mobi-App.
• Via the SARS Online Query System (SOQS), which lets you request registration without logging into e-Filing.
• Via USSD, by dialing *134*7277# from your mobile phone and following the Personal Income Tax registration menu — useful if you don't have data or a smartphone.
• At a SARS branch, by appointment.
If you already have a tax number but don't know it
This is one of the most searched SARS questions of all, and there are several free ways to retrieve it:
• e-Filing: Log in, search for "Notice of Registration" on your Home page, click "Request New," and your IT150 document (which displays your tax reference number) will be generated.
• SARS Mobi-App: The same IT150 request is available if you're a registered e-Filer.
• WhatsApp: Save the SARS WhatsApp number 0800 11 7277, send a greeting like "Hi," select the tax reference number option from the menu, and verify your identity with your ID/passport number. SARS will retrieve your number from your Notice of Registration.
• SMS: Text SARS on 47277 with the correct request format for your tax reference number, and SARS will reply with the information (or next steps).
• USSD: Dial *134*7277# and follow the prompts.
Example: Sipho matriculated last year and just landed his first job. His new employer's HR department asks for his tax number, but he's never registered before. Because his employer is registering him for PAYE, SARS will typically issue him a tax number automatically as part of that process — he can then retrieve his IT150 via the SARS Mobi-App once his profile is active
SARS Contact Number and Other Ways to Reach SARS
Channel Details
Contact Centre (local) 0800 00 7277 (0800 00 SARS), weekdays, excluding Wednesdays which open later
Contact Centre (international) +27 11 602 2093, for South Africans calling from abroad
WhatsApp 0800 11 7277 — save the number, then send "Hi" to start
SMS Send a request to 47277
USSD Dial 1347277# from any mobile phone
SARS Online Query System (SOQS) Available via the SARS website for specific queries without needing to log in to e-Filing
Branch appointments Booked online in advance — SARS generally requires an appointment rather than walk-ins
Tip before you call: Have your ID number, tax reference number, and any relevant SARS notice or case number ready. If you're phoning about a business, have your company registration details and the ID of the registered representative on hand too. This alone can cut your call time significantly, since the first thing any SARS agent does is verify your identity.
SARS WhatsApp number: what you can actually do with it
The SARS WhatsApp channel (0800 11 7277) isn't just a chat line — it offers a menu of self-service tax functions, including:
• Checking your auto-assessment status
• Retrieving your tax reference number
• Requesting your Notice of Assessment (ITA34)
• Checking your Statement of Account
• Uploading supporting documents SARS has requested
To use it, save the number, open a chat, send a greeting like "Hi" or "Hello," then follow the menu prompts. You'll be asked for identifying information (ID/passport and tax number) to authenticate you before SARS releases any personal tax information — a sensible security step, since WhatsApp itself isn't inherently secure against impersonation.
SARS eFiling Login on Mobile: The SARS MobiApp
A large chunk of "SARS e-filing login mobile" searches are really people looking for the SARS Mobi-App, the official smartphone app available on the Google Play Store, Apple App Store and Huawei App-Gallery.
The Mobi-App lets individual taxpayers and registered tax practitioners:
• Register for tax (Personal Income Tax)
• Log in to an existing e-Filing profile
• Submit an ITR12 Income Tax Return
• View and respond to an auto-assessment
• Make payments for outstanding tax
• Check refund and debt status
• Request a Notice of Registration (IT150)
• Request and manage a Tax Compliance Status (TCS) PIN, provided TCS has already been activated on the profile via e-Filing
• Chat with Lwazi, SARS's virtual assistant chatbot, for guided help
The registration and login process mirrors the desktop e-Filing experience, including biometric facial verification for South African citizens. One limitation worth knowing: some more complex functions — like activating Tax Compliance Status for the first time, fixing a "non-compliant" flag, or merging multiple tax types into one profile — are generally easier to do on the full desktop version of e-Filing rather than the app.
Example: Palesa works as a delivery driver and mostly uses her phone for everything. During the 2026 filing season she receives an SMS notifying her of an auto-assessment. She opens the SARS MobiApp, logs in with her fingerprint-linked password, reviews her auto-assessment, confirms it's correct, and does nothing further — SARS pays her refund automatically into her bank account within days.
SARS Registration: The Different Kinds
"SARS registration" gets searched heavily because it actually covers several distinct processes that people often confuse:
1. Personal Income Tax registration — becoming a registered taxpayer and receiving a tax reference number. Many people are registered automatically by their employer or by SARS itself using third-party data (banks, employers, retirement funds) since SARS expanded automatic registration in mid-2022.
2. eFiling registration — creating your online profile so you can use SARS's digital services. This is separate from tax registration — you can be a registered taxpayer without yet having an eFiling account.
3. VAT registration — required for businesses whose taxable turnover exceeds the compulsory threshold (or optional below it), and it now requires biometric facial verification as either the taxpayer or an appointed representative.
4. PAYE / Employer registration — required for businesses that employ staff and must deduct and pay over employees' tax.
5. Provisional Tax registration — for people earning income other than a regular salary, such as freelancers, consultants, landlords and business owners, who must pay tax in advance twice a year.
Each of these is managed through the same eFiling profile once you're registered, under "Maintain SARS Registered Details."
How to Check Your SARS Tax Balance (and Whether SARS Owes You Money)
This is one of the biggest clusters of SARS searches — "can I check my tax balance," "how do I check if SARS owes me money" — and it's a genuinely important question, because refunds do sometimes sit unclaimed simply because people don't know how to check.
Why SARS might owe you money
A refund arises when you've paid more tax during the year than you actually owed — commonly because of:
• Overpaid PAYE deducted by an employer
• Medical aid contributions and out-of-pocket medical expenses
• Retirement annuity or pension fund contributions
• Corrected or updated third-party information (e.g. your employer submits a revised IRP5)
• Historical returns from previous tax years that were never finalised
How to check
There are several ways to see exactly where you stand with SARS:
1. eFiling — Statement of Account (ITSA): Log in, go to your account, and request an Income Tax Statement of Account. This shows your running balance, including any refund amount and the date it will be (or was) paid, or the amount you owe and its due date.
2. eFiling — Notice of Assessment (ITA34): After SARS processes a return, the ITA34 tells you the outcome. A negative amount on the assessment generally signals a refund is due to you; a positive amount means you owe SARS.
3. SARS MobiApp: Request the same Statement of Account or view your refund/debt status directly from your phone.
4. SMS: Send a request to 47277 to receive a balance statement — this works even without airtime in some cases, since SARS designed it as a low-data option.
5. USSD: Dial the relevant SARS USSD code from any phone, even one without internet access.
6. WhatsApp: Ask for your Statement of Account or ITA34 through the SARS WhatsApp menu (0800 11 7277).
A crucial detail people miss: if your refund is under R100, SARS does not pay it out immediately — the amount simply rolls over to offset next year's tax, or accumulates until it crosses that R100 threshold.
Another crucial detail: if you owe SARS from a previous year, any new refund will typically be automatically "set off" against that old debt before whatever remains is paid to you. If your ITA34 shows a refund but your bank account shows nothing (or less than expected), check your Statement of Account for a set-off entry before assuming something has gone wrong.
Example: Farai left his first job two years ago and never checked his tax situation again. Logging into eFiling out of curiosity, he requests his Statement of Account and discovers a small refund from an old return that was never paid out because his banking details on file were outdated. Updating his bank account details and confirming them via OTP releases the payment.
How to Update Your SARS Banking Details
Refunds are only paid into verified bank accounts, so outdated banking details are one of the most common reasons a legitimate refund gets delayed. To update them:
1. Log in to eFiling.
2. Go to Maintain SARS Registered Details → My Bank Accounts (this uses the RAV01 form — the Registration, Amendments and Verification form SARS uses for most detail changes).
3. Add or edit your bank account information.
4. Confirm the change with the OTP sent to your registered cellphone number or email.
If both your registered email and cellphone number have changed since you last updated your profile, the OTP step can't be completed automatically — in that case, you'll need to call the SARS Contact Centre or visit a branch by appointment to verify your identity in person before the banking change can go through. SARS treats banking-detail changes with extra scrutiny precisely because they're a common target for fraud.
How to Change Your Cellphone Number on SARS
Another heavily searched query, usually from people who've switched SIM cards and can no longer receive their OTPs. There are two different routes, depending on your situation:
If you can still log in to eFiling
1. Log in, click "My Profile."
2. Select "Profile and Preference Setup" and scroll to "Security Contact Details."
3. Update your cellphone number and/or email address.
4. Verify the change with an OTP sent to your new or existing contact method.
If you can't log in (you've lost access to your old number and email)
1. On the eFiling login page, click "Update Contact Details" — this special function works without logging in.
2. Enter your first name, surname and South African ID number.
3. Complete the biometric facial verification step (this option is only available to South African citizens).
4. Once verification passes, capture your updated cellphone number and email address, choose your preferred communication method, and submit.
5. Confirm with the OTP sent to your newly captured details.
If you fail biometric verification, or you're not a South African citizen, you'll need to contact the SARS Contact Centre (0800 00 7277) or book a branch appointment to verify your identity and update your details in person.
SARS Certificate: Understanding the Tax Compliance Status (TCS)
A lot of people still search for a "SARS certificate" or "tax clearance certificate," but here's the key update: the old paper Tax Clearance Certificate no longer exists. SARS replaced it back in 2015 with a fully digital system called Tax Compliance Status (TCS).
How TCS works
Instead of a printed certificate that's only accurate on the day it's issued, TCS gives you a security PIN that reflects your live compliance status at the exact moment someone checks it — not a frozen snapshot from months ago. This is why tenders, job applications, visa processes and supplier vetting increasingly ask for a "TCS PIN" rather than a certificate.
How to request your TCS PIN
1. Log in to eFiling.
2. Activate the Tax Compliance Status service on your profile (a once-off step if you haven't used it before).
3. Check your My Compliance Profile (MCP) dashboard — this shows your compliance status across every tax type you're registered for (income tax, VAT, PAYE, etc.).
4. If you're registered for more than one tax type, complete the "Merge Entities" function first, so your TCS reflects your full compliance picture rather than just one tax type.
5. If anything shows as non-compliant, fix it — submit outstanding returns, arrange a payment plan for any debt, or complete any missing registrations — before applying.
6. Request the relevant TCS type (usually "Good Standing" for general purposes, though other types exist for tenders, emigration and foreign investment).
7. Once approved, SARS issues your PIN, which you can receive via SMS, view on your "Tax Compliance Status Request" dashboard, or print as part of the TCS result letter.
Using the PIN
You give the PIN — not your login details, not any other personal tax information — to whichever third party needs to check your status (an employer, a tender board, a bank). They verify it through eFiling or the SARS Online Query System (SOQS), and SARS shows them only your current compliance status, nothing else about your tax affairs.
Example: Nomvula runs a small catering business and needs to prove she's tax compliant to bid on a municipal tender. She logs into eFiling, checks her My Compliance Profile, notices one outstanding VAT return, submits it, waits for her status to update, then requests a "Good Standing" TCS PIN and emails it to the tender office — who verify it themselves online in seconds.
SARS Letters: What They Usually Mean
If you've received a "SARS letter" — by post, email, or as a downloadable eFiling notice — it typically falls into one of these categories:
• Notice of Registration (IT150) — confirms your tax reference number.
• Notice of Assessment (ITA34) — the outcome of your tax return, showing whether you owe SARS or are due a refund.
• Statement of Account (ITSA) — a running ledger of everything on your tax account.
• Verification or audit letters — requesting supporting documents to confirm figures on your return. These will always specify exactly what's needed and how to upload it via eFiling.
• Request for Correction / Dispute outcome letters — responses if you've queried or objected to an assessment.
• Auto-assessment notification — an SMS or email (not usually a formal letter) alerting you that SARS has calculated your tax using third-party data and you don't need to do anything unless you disagree.
If a letter or SMS asks you to click a link and enter your banking details, ID number or eFiling password, treat it as a red flag — SARS never requests sensitive personal or banking information via unsolicited links (see the scam-safety section below).
SARS Filing Season 2026: Key Dates to Know
Understanding when things happen with SARS helps a lot of these individual questions make more sense. For the 2026 year of assessment (covering 1 March 2025 to 28 February 2026):
• Auto-assessment notices: 1 July – 12 July 2026
• Filing season opens for manual submissions: 13 July 2026
• Non-provisional individual taxpayers' deadline: 23 October 2026
• Provisional taxpayers and trusts' deadline: 22 January 2027
If you receive an auto-assessment and agree with it, you don't need to do anything — if a refund is due, it's paid automatically into your registered bank account, and if you owe money, you pay by the date shown on the assessment. If you disagree, you correct the figures and submit an updated ITR12 before your applicable deadline. Missing your deadline entirely can trigger administrative non-compliance penalties, which scale from R250 up to R16,000 a month depending on your income, and can run for up to 35 months.
Staying Safe: How to Avoid SARS Scams
Because SARS holds so much sensitive financial data — and because "refund" is one of the most emotionally persuasive words in the English language — SARS impersonation scams are extremely common. A few rules that will protect you from almost all of them:
• SARS will never ask you to click a link in an SMS or email to "claim your refund" or "verify your banking details."
• SARS will never ask for your eFiling username, password, or OTP over the phone, by SMS, or via WhatsApp.
• SARS's official WhatsApp number is 0800 11 7277 — be wary of any other number claiming to represent SARS.
• Registering for eFiling, requesting a tax number, and checking your refund status are all completely free. Anyone asking for payment to "process" or "release" a SARS refund is running a scam.
• When in doubt, don't respond to the message at all — log in to eFiling directly by typing the address yourself, or phone the official Contact Centre on 0800 00 7277 to check.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is SARS eFiling free to use? Yes. Registration and use of eFiling carries no subscription fee or usage charge.
Do I need a tax number to apply for a job in South Africa? Not always upfront — many employers register new employees for PAYE (and, in the process, for income tax) once you're hired. However, some employers do ask candidates to already have one, so it's worth registering in advance if you're job hunting.
How long does a SARS refund take? Typically SARS aims to process straightforward refunds within about 72 hours for many auto-assessments, and generally within 7–21 business days for manually filed returns, provided there's no audit, verification hold, or outstanding debt being set off.
Can I use the SARS MobiApp instead of the website? Yes — the MobiApp covers registration, filing, payments, refund/debt checks, and TCS PIN requests for individual taxpayers, though a few more complex profile-management tasks are easier on the full desktop eFiling site.
What happened to the Tax Clearance Certificate? It was phased out in 2015 and replaced by the Tax Compliance Status (TCS) system, which issues a live-verification PIN instead of a static printed certificate.
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Tap a question to reveal the answer and test yourself.
Can I reuse the same letter for every application?
No. Always tailor it to the specific role, organization, and opportunity.
Do I need Mathematics for a Law degree (LLB)?
No — most South African universities accept either Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy for LLB admission, which makes Law one of the more accessible professional degrees for students without a strong Mathematics background, provided your overall APS and English level meet the requirement.
Final Thoughts
Almost everything people search for under "SARS" comes down to the same handful of building blocks: a tax number that identifies you, an eFiling or MobiApp profile that gives you access, contact details SARS uses to verify it's really you, and a set of digital documents — the IT150, ITA34, Statement of Account, and TCS PIN — that tell you exactly where you stand. Once you understand how those pieces connect, "sars login," "sars efiling," "sars tax number" and "sars certificate" stop being separate mysteries and start looking like different doors into the same system.
If you're just starting out — registering for your first job, freelancing for the first time, or trying to track down an old refund — the safest first step is always the same: register (or log in) directly at sarsefiling.co.za or through the official SARS MobiApp, keep your cellphone number and email up to date, and treat any unsolicited "SARS" message asking for banking or login details with suspicion. From there, everything else on this list — refunds, compliance PINs, contact numbers, registration — is just a few clicks away.
This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute tax, legal or financial advice. SARS processes, screens and requirements can change — always confirm current procedures directly at www.sars.gov.za or with a registered tax practitioner before acting on anything above.