Client Information System

What is the Client Information System?

SARS will be matching and merging your tax, customs and excise records into one consolidated profile based on your registered details across your current tax, customs and excise records, read more.

SARS’s Client Information System was implemented in 2014 and allows taxpayers and registered representatives to register, maintain and view all its associated tax and customs registrations in a consolidated tax profile. From a taxpayer’s view, if you are not yet registered for any of the listed taxes you would only be required to visit a branch once to verify your identity, address and bank details. All additional tax registration can be performed from eFiling without having to visit a branch again.

What will be included in the Client Information System?

Client Information System allows for the registration and maintenance of the following Revenue and Customs taxes:

Corporate Income Tax (CIT), Trusts (TR)
Income Tax (including Provisional Tax)
Employee taxes – Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE), Skills Development Levy (SDL) and Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF)
Value-Added Tax (VAT & Diesel)
Customs and Excise.
Mineral and Petroleum Resource Royalty (MPRR)

What are the benefits of the Client Information System?

Taxpayers/registered representatives will now be able to:

View all tax types registered for in a central place.
Manage all personal information centrally on eFiling or at SARS branch (Click here to make an appointment)
Register for additional taxes (CIT, PAYE, VAT excluding Customs and Excise) on eFiling provided you are already registered for at least one tax on eFiling.
For the first time, taxpayers or legal entities, such as Companies and Trusts, will be linked to their registered representative on the SARS system. For more information click here.

How does it work?

First-time taxpayers:

Top Tip: Make sure you aren’t already registered:

Send us a query. Please ensure your details match our records.

You can get your tax number on eFiling if you are registered as an eFiler. All you need to do is log on and check your number.

You can also request your notice of registration via the MobiApp if you are a registered eFiler.

eFiling has been updated to allow taxpayers to request the Notice of Registration (IT150) under the ‘SARS Registered Details’ menu option.

Send an SMS to SARS on 47277 – Request the issuing of the IT150 (Tax Registration Number)

TRN (Space) ID number/Passport number/ Asylum Seeker number

The SARS USSD Channel by typing, on your mobile device, a string of characters which comprises of an asterisk (*), followed by a few digits and ending with a hashtag (#) and dialling.

Steps on how to request tax services via the SARS USSD Channel

Step 1: Initiate USSD by dialing *134*7277#

Step 2: Select the service you require

Step 3: Taxpayer Verification – SARS will request you to complete either your,ID/Passport/Asylum Number

Step 4: Tax Resolution – Upon successful verification by SARS, a responce will be displayed

If you are registering as a new taxpayer, you need to:

Register on eFiling: When you register for SARS eFiling for the first time and you do not yet have a personal income tax number, SARS will automatically register you and issue a tax reference number. Note that you must have a valid South African ID. For more information click here.
Complete the applicable tax registration form:

If you are unable to register for VAT or PAYE on eFiling complete the forms below for an application at a branch office (remember to make an appointment):

Need help?

Visit the How to register for VAT on eFiling web page.
Visit the How to register for PAYE on eFiling web page.

Note: For CIPC registered companies you are not required to perform a separate SARS Tax registration for Income Tax, as your company will be automatically be registered via a direct interface with CIPC.

Top Tip: The completion of the relevant application form is no longer mandatory but can assist the branch agent with capturing your registered particulars during the visit. Make sure you take the required relevant material (supporting documents).

You will be registered and your profile created in real-time, provided there is no unverified information.

Once registered you’ll receive an email or posted notification to confirm your tax type registration.

VAT Registration may be subject to an interview.

Existing taxpayers:

If you’re an existing taxpayer:

you can log in to eFiling if you’re a registered eFiler, and complete the Registration, Amendment and Verification form (RAV01) where you can apply for additional tax subscriptions and update all registered details excluding Name and ID/Registered name and company registration number & your nature of entity. Click here for a guide on how to complete the RAV01.
should you need to update these details you will have to visit your nearest SARS branch. (Click here to make an appointment)
Remember the required relevant material (supporting documents).
Or visit your nearest SARS branch for any additional tax registrations or amendments to your registered particulars.

Where can I register or change details?

Depending on what you want to do, the following options will be available:

	Register as a first time taxpayer	Update my registered details	Activate my registered representative	Add new taxpayers and/or non-registered representatives to my profile	Enquire about my details
	I want to:
SARS Branch	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
eFiling	✔ 1st time registration (Income tax)	✔ Excluding Name and ID/Registered name, Company Registration number & Nature of Entity	✔	✔	✔
SARS Online Query Sytem (SOQS)	Only Trust Registration can be done via SOQS	❌	✔	❌	n/a
Registration of employees by Employers	✔	✔	❌	❌	❌
SARS Contact Centre	❌	❌	❌	❌	✔
Post	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌

Top Tips:

Registered Representatives for more info, click here.

Need to merge all the types of taxes into a single profile? See more information.

A few things to note:

No registration or updating of details will be accepted by post, fax or email any longer.
Employers can register employees by using the Income Tax Registration (ITREG) process. Employees may be registered via eFiling, using e@syFile™ Employer or at a SARS branch. For more information see the guide EMP-REG-03-G01 – Guide for completion of Employer Registration application – External Guide.

Who can do what?

Depending on your role or mandate, you will be able to do the following transactions:

If I am a(n):	I want to:
If I am a(n):	Register for the first time as a taxpayer at a branch	Register for additional tax, customs or excise products at a branch	Update my identity number or registration number at branch	Update bank details at branch	Update my address, contact details, representative details via branch or eFiling	Update eFiling Security details	Enquire about details via branch or eFiling	Merge all types of tax on eFiling
Individual	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
Tax Practitioner on behalf of a client	❌	✔	❌	✔	✔	❌	✔	✔
Representative on behalf of a Business/Company	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
Representative on behalf of a Trader	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
Representative on behalf of a Trust	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
Representative on behalf of an Estate	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔

Please note: Representative Details can also be updated the SARS Online Query System (SOQS).

Again a few things to note:

Once-off mandates – how does it work? In exceptional circumstances e.g. incapacitated clients, an individual may be appointed to act on a taxpayer’s behalf once off. The individual appointed must have a signed power of attorney to request a service each time they visit a branch.
Top Tip: The individual who will act on the taxpayer’s behalf must be registered as an entity with SARS but not necessarily for a tax type.
Any estate;
Where the taxpayer is incapacitated / terminally ill;
Where the taxpayer is a non-resident (emigrant, expatriate, foreigner or SA citizen temporarily outside the Republic);
Where the taxpayer is imprisoned;
Where a trustee is appointed to act on behalf of an insolvent individual and/or trust;
Where the taxpayer is a minor child;
Shared Account (Spouse’s Account);
Income below tax threshold/Impractical; and
Where distance of the taxpayer from the SARS branch is more than 200km. To check your distance to your nearest branch click here.
For normal first time registrations, tax practitioners can only do it if accompanied by the taxpayer.
Recent enhancements for registered tax practitioners and registered representatives on eFiling, read more here.
Registered Tax Practitioners will still be required to produce a signed power of attorney with each branch visit, and their current eFiling profile will remain unchanged.
Is your Tax Practitioner Registered? Please remember that all Tax Practitioners need to be registered with a recognised controlling body (RCB) as well as with SARS. Find out if your Tax Practitioner is registered.
When Tax Practitioners phone the SARS Contact Centre, a link between the Practitioner and their clients must already exist on eFiling otherwise the Contact Centre will not be able to assist, read more.

Need help?

Call the SARS Contact Centre on 0800 00 7277 or visit your nearest SARS branch. (Click here to make an appointment) Make sure you take your relevant material along.

06/07/2023
14:10

Client Information System

What is the Client Information System?

What will be included in the Client Information System?

What are the benefits of the Client Information System?

How does it work?

Where can I register or change details?

Who can do what?

Again a few things to note:

Need help?

Related Documents

Frequently Asked Questions

FAQ: What are the three SARS POA forms provided?

FAQ: Can I register for all types of tax types using eFiling?

FAQ: How will I be kept up-to-date of any new registrations or changes made to the registered particulars?

FAQ: Will I still need to complete the various tax application forms to register?

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