TAX SEASON 2018 FOR INDIVIDUALS
Tax Season 2018
The 2018 Tax Season for Individuals is open on 1 July 2018 for eFilers and our branches are open to assist you from 2 July 2018.
What are the deadlines?
The deadline for non-provisional taxpayers has been brought forward to allow more time for finalising audits before the year ends:
Channel Deadline Type of Taxpayer
Manual – post or at SARS branch 21 September 2018 Non-provisional and provisional
eFiling or electronic filing at SARS branch 31 October 2018 Non-provisional
eFiling 31 January 2019 Provisional
To download the Tax Season 2018 key dates directly into your calendar, click here.
Tips for filing your tax return
Don’t file if you don’t need to
You do not need to submit a return if ALL the criteria below apply to you:
Your total employment income / salary for the year (March 2017 to February 2018) before tax (gross income) was not more than R350 000; and
You only received employment income / salary for the full year of assessment (March 2017 to February 2018) from one employer; and
You have no car allowance/company car/ travel allowance or other income (e.g. interest or rental income); and
You are not claiming tax related deductions/rebates (e.g. medical expenses, retirement annuity contributions other than pension contributions made by your employer, travel).
If you are still unsure if you need to file a tax return, click here.
How to retrieve your eFiling login details and reset your password
Two ways to do it:
Go to SARS eFiling click the green LOGIN button and follow the prompts.
Forgot both your login name and password? First complete the I forgot my login name process > wait for your email or SMS notification containing your login name > use this login name to complete the I forgot my password process.
Call the SARS Contact Centre on 0800 00 7277 during office hours. Have your ID number and tax reference number on hand. Press service menu option 0 and follow the prompts. Your new password will be sent to you by email or SMS.
Register For eFiling
You must be a registered taxpayer with a tax reference number to register for eFiling.
Go to SARS eFiling > click Register > follow the 7 easy steps.
Remember, SARS may need 48 hours to verify and approve your registration you can eFile.
If you need to submit documents for your registration, you have 21 business days to do so.
Need help to eFile?
With Help-You-eFile, help is just a click or a call away. Click the Help-You-eFile icon, accept the term and conditions and select Call Me. A SARS agent will call you and will help you every step of the way while you’re eFiling. (This service is available during office hours only.)
Need your Tax Reference Number?
Get it on eFiling if you are registered as an eFiler. Simply login and locate your number on the Income Tax work page.
Request it verbally from the SARS Contact Centre. Have your ID number on hand as we will have to authenticate who you are.
Ask your employer for it.
Visit your nearest SARS branch. Please take along your ID.
Get it on the Notice of Registration you received from the SARS.
Top tip: SARS will not provide your tax number to another person, unless the person is your tax practitioner or has power of attorney to conduct your tax affairs.
Who is a Provisional Taxpayer?
Any person who receives income (or to whom income accrues) other than a salary, is a provisional taxpayer. Most salary earners are therefore non-provisional taxpayers, if they have no other sources of income. It is important to note that receiving exempt income, as follows, does not make you a provisional taxpayer:
If you receive interest of less than R23 800 if you are under 65; or
If you receive interest of less than R34 500 if you are 65 and older or;
You have income in a tax free savings account.
Supporting Documents
When completing your return, have your supporting documents at hand. You may need to refer to some of the supporting documents, read more.
Need help?
Call the SARS Contact Centre on 0800 00 7277
Don’t wait in the contact centre queue – Use the Call-back option and a SARS agent will call you back. The Call-Back option will be offered to you if you have been in the queue for a certain length of time. You will be prompted for specific personal information, including a number to be called back on. When the Call-Back has been successfully offered, a queue number will be reserved and you may hang up the call and wait for a friendly SARS agent to call you back. For Tax Season 2018, the Call-Back function is available during SARS Contact Centre hours, Monday to Friday between 8:00 and 18:00.
Let a friendly SARS Contact Centre agent guide you while you eFile using Help-You-eFile.
Visit your nearest SARS Branch.
You may also attend one of our tax workshops or visit your nearest SARS mobile unit.
If you have forgotten your password you can reset it by calling our SARS Contact Centre and following a simple procedure. See our simple self-service process.
For a summary of Tax Season 2018 highlights, you can refer to the documents below:
Pocket Guide: Your No Sweat guide to Tax Season 2018
Pocket Guide: eFiling for Individuals
Service Charter
Tax Rates
