Why SARS eFiling Matters for Every New Company
When CIPC registers your Pty Ltd, SARS auto-assigns a company income tax number within 21 business days. But the tax number sits dormant until you activate SARS eFiling — the online portal for submitting returns, paying tax, requesting Tax Clearance Certificates, and issuing SARS notifications.
Without eFiling activation, your company cannot:
- •File its ITR14 annual income tax return
- •Register for PAYE, UIF, SDL, VAT or Customs
- •Request a Tax Compliance PIN for tenders
- •Receive SARS correspondence
- •Claim any refunds
The 3 Types of SARS eFiling Profiles
| Profile Type | Use Case |
|---|
|---|---|
| Individual | Personal tax matters |
|---|---|
| Organisation | Companies, trusts, NPCs |
| Tax Practitioner | Registered practitioners filing for clients |
For your Pty Ltd, you need an Organisation profile — either as a new profile or added to your existing personal eFiling as a linked organisation.
Step-by-Step: Activate Company eFiling
Step 1: Register/Log Into eFiling
Go to [www.sarsefiling.co.za](https://www.sarsefiling.co.za) and log in with your personal profile (or register if you don't have one).
Step 2: Register a New Organisation
- •Click Organisation → Register New
- •Select "Company"
- •Enter your company income tax number (from CIPC or SARS registration confirmation)
- •Enter registered company name exactly as on CoR14.3
Step 3: Verify Company Details
SARS pulls the registered address, directors, and tax status from CIPC. Verify:
- •✅ Registered address matches CIPC records
- •✅ Public officer appointed (usually the primary director)
- •✅ Financial year-end matches MOI
Step 4: Appoint the Public Officer
Every company MUST appoint a public officer — the natural person accountable to SARS. This is filed on REV267 (or captured directly in eFiling).
The public officer must:
- •Be a director or senior employee of the company
- •Have a valid SA ID or asylum permit
- •Reside in South Africa
Step 5: Link Additional Tax Types
Within the same organisation profile, add:
- •PAYE / UIF / SDL (if you have employees)
- •VAT (if turnover exceeds R1m/year, or by voluntary registration)
- •Customs & Excise (for import/export)
- •Diesel refund (if applicable)
Step 6: Verify Company Banking Details
Under Organisation → Merge Entities → Banking Details, upload:
- •✅ Bank confirmation letter (issued in last 3 months)
- •✅ Company registration documents
- •✅ Public officer ID copy
Banking details are used for refunds — without verified banking, refunds are held indefinitely.
Common eFiling Errors and Fixes
"Your access has been denied by the Organisation"
The public officer's ID is not linked. Solve by re-registering the public officer on REV267.
"Company details differ from CIPC"
CIPC/SARS data mismatch — usually the registered address. Update CIPC first via CoR21.1, then wait 7 days for SARS sync.
"Tax number not yet issued"
CIPC has not yet notified SARS. Standard delay is 21 business days — Amashad expedites this to 48 hours on all our registrations.
"Public officer not appointed"
File REV267 immediately — SARS penalises companies R250 per return without an appointed public officer.
What to File in Your First Year
| Return | Deadline |
|---|
|---|---|
| First provisional tax (IRP6) | 6 months into financial year |
|---|---|
| Second provisional tax (IRP6) | End of financial year |
| Company income tax (ITR14) | 12 months after year-end |
| Third provisional (top-up) | 6 months after year-end |
Missing any of these triggers a R250–R16,000 monthly admin penalty.
Let Amashad Set Up Your eFiling
We activate your company eFiling profile, appoint the public officer, link all tax types, verify banking details, and hand over full login access — all within 5 working days. [Request an eFiling setup quote](/services) or add it to your company registration package.