What’s new?

• 24 June 2021 – ALERT: Interruption to SARS Third Party Data production platforms 25 June 2021 

  Please note that the Production platforms for both Secure File Gateway and Connect:Direct will be temporarily offline for planned maintenance between 12:00 and 20:00 on Friday 25 June 2021. Please do not submit any files in the Production environment during this time, as they will not be processed.

• 1 June 2021 – Third Party Data Annual Submissions: 01 April 2020 – 31 May 2021: CLOSED

  This is a notification to advise you that the SARS Third Party Data Annual Submissions process for the period 1 March 2020 – 28 February 2021 opened on 1 April 2021 and closed on 31 May 2021. Your submissions are late, and should be submitted without any further delay as you may be liable for penalties

  Should you require assistance or experience any challenges while making your submissions, you are welcome to contact us by emailing SARS Third Party Data Support ([email protected])

• FINAL Reminder – Today (31 May 2021) is the deadline to submit annual Third Party Data Returns

  31 May 2021 – Third Party Data Returns are due today (31 May 2021) that includes the associated data files and correlating declarations [IT3(b), IT3(c), IT3(s), MED, INS, FTI].

  Important to note, submissions are not complete until declarations are submitted via eFiling that ensures your data files are reconciled via the respective Third Party Data Returns.

  Third Party Data Providers are urged to make timely submissions, as incomplete, late or non-submissions may be liable for penalties and would impact your respective clients.

  It is encouraging to convey that 98% of the required Third Party Data submissions have been receipted as at 08:00 this morning.

  We would like to thank those Third Party Data Providers that made their submissions well in advance of the due date.

  Should you experience any challenges while making your submissions, you are welcome to contact us by emailing SARS Third Party Data Support ([email protected]).

• Reminder – 31 May is the deadline to submit annual Third Party Data Returns 

  Third Party Data Providers have until Monday, 31 May 2021 to submit their annual Third Party Data Returns that includes the associated data files and declarations [IT3(b), IT3(c), IT3(s), MED, INS, FTI].

  Third Party Data Providers are urged to make timely submissions, as incomplete, late or non-submissions may be liable for penalties and would impact your respective clients. It is of crucial importance that data submissions are first time around complete and accurate as this data is direct inputs into the SARS processes that include pre-population and auto-assessments of tax returns. These data submissions are enabling our ability  to offer a seamless service and experience to taxpayers (your clients) in line with our objective to make it easy for taxpayers to comply with their obligations.

  It is encouraging to convey that 90% of the required Third Party Data submissions have been receipted as at 16:00 on Thursday, 27 May, and we would like to thank those Third Party Data Providers that made their submissions well in advance of the due date.

  Should you experience any challenges while making your submissions, you are welcome to contact us by emailing SARS Third Party Data Support ([email protected]).

• 1 March 2021 – THIRD PARTY DATA ANNUAL SUBMISSIONS: 01 April 2021 – 31 May 2021: OPEN

The SARS Third Party Data Annual Submissions process for the period 1 March 2020 – 28 February 2021 opens on 01 April 2021 and will close on 31 May 2021. Submissions in respect of data files and declarations of the various reportable data types as detailed per Table 1 are now due.

This applies only to the data types listed in the table below. If you only submit Dividends Tax data, you may ignore this mail.

Table 1: Submissions 2021: 

Please note:
The TEST and LIVE platforms are OPEN, you may begin testing and submitting your final, correct files as soon as you are ready. The below are suggested timelines to aid your process:

• 1 March to 31 March – Gather and verify data quality, construct files – CLOSED NOW
• 1 April to 15 April – Submit files in the TEST environment – CLOSED NOW
• 16 April to 31 May – Submit files in the LIVE environment and complete declaration on eFiling – CLOSED NOW

Making your submission
Please follow the following five easy steps to prepare your submission file, submit to SARS, and declare your data before the submission due date:

• Step 1: Prepare a data file as per specified BRS
• Step 2: If you have not already, you will need to enrol for Third Party Data Submission on SARS eFiling. You may use either:
  • eFiling (via a data submission form with a limited volume)
  • Connect:Direct® (Unlimited)
  • Secured File Gateway [HTTPS] (for files smaller than 10MB)
• Step 3: To test your data file on the SARS Trade Test Platform, request access from Third Party Data Support
• Step 4: Submit the data on the SARS Production Platform using your preferred channel as per step 2 above
• Step 5: Declare a summary of your data submissions by submitting the specified declaration form via eFiling.

Important to note – procedural requirements

• We place great emphasis on receiving complete, correct and quality data submissions the first time around.
• You are urged to make use of the SARS Trade Test Platform prior to making your production submissions to ensure that your data submissions are validated. You are requested to refrain from testing your data submissions on the SARS Production Platform – this functionality will be removed in the next submission period.
• In respect of FATCA and the CRS Regulation, if you have no financial accounts to report, you are required to submit a NIL file and a declaration form as proof that you have done the required due diligence and that you declare that you have no financial accounts. This can now be done on eFiling via the FTI-01 form.
• In the event you are required to amend your submissions, please alert us of such as soon as possible and make the necessary corrections timeously.
• Please make timely submissions as late or non-submissions may be liable for penalties.

Should you experience any challenges while making your submissions, you are welcome to contact us by emailing SARS Third Party Data Support ([email protected]).

19 January 2021 – ALERT! SARS IT3 BRS (SARS_External BRS_2020_IT3s_v3.0.0-32) [FOR IMPLEMENTATION – Reporting Due Date 31 October 2021]

Dear Third Party Data Provider,

Compliments of the season!
We trust you are well and safe.

Herewith the updated SARS IT3 BRS (v3.0.0-32) for implementation from the bi-annual submission period (1 March 2021 to 31 August 2021) with the reporting due 31 October 2021.

It is imperative to note, that this updated version of the IT3 BRS (v3.0.0-32) is applicable only later in this year.
For the upcoming annual submissions period with reporting due date 31 May 2021 the current version of the BRS is applicable (v2.0.3-27).

We would like to thank you for your participation and valued inputs in the BRS review process as well as participation in the industry review workshop.

If you have any questions or comments feel free to engage us via email: [email protected].

Kind regards,
SARS Third Party Data Support

What is it?

Who must submit data to SARS?

• Attorneys
• Banks (including Mutual banks)
• Companies listed on the JSE that issue bonds, debentures or financial products
• Co-operatives as well as any other person who purchases livestock, produce, timber, ore, mineral or precious stones from a primary producer other than for retail purposes.
• Co-operative Banks
• Estate agents
• Financial Institutions (such as Long-term insurers, Pension funds and Collective investment schemes)
• Medical Schemes
• Organs of state that issue bonds, debentures or financial products
• Postbank
• State-owned companies that issue bonds, debentures or financial products
• Any person who pays an amount of interest to or for the benefit of a foreign person (to the extent that it is regarded as being from a source in SA)
• SA resident companies, foreign resident companies whose shares are listed on the JSE, and regulated intermediaries paying dividends/foreign dividends
• Reporting institutions as described in the FACTA agreement.

What must be submitted?

• Withholding Tax on Interest
• Automatic Exchange of Information (FATCA AND CRS)
• Dividends Tax
• IT3 data submissions:
  • IT3(b)
  • IT3(c)
  • IT3(e)
  • IT3(s)
  • Medical scheme contributions
  • Insurance payments

For an overview of the data types to be submitted, click here.

When & how must it be submitted?

Why must it be submitted?

• Confirm whether a person has filed or submitted the correct information in his/her tax returns.
• Ensure that the information or documents are compliant with the provisions of a relevant tax Act.
• Determine a person’s tax liability. 

Need help?

• Tax Reference number: XXXXXXXXXX
• Platform: Test or Live
• Submission channel: (HTTPS or Connect:Direct or eFiling)
• Detailed explanation of the query: If the query relates to system error then what is the event being executed, what are the steps completed, what is the expected system response and what is the actual system response. If the query relates to process enquiry then state the published document that outlines the process, the section and page number.
• Screen print of the error (where applicable)

To see the documents for each data type, visit the relevant data type webpage.

For a list of archived documents, click here.