Tax Practitioners

What’s New

30 May 2025 – The May 2025 issue of the Tax Practitioner Connect Newsletter is available.

In this issue, we provide guidance on simplifying tax compliance for both taxpayers and third-party data providers. We highlight new functionalities on the SARS Online Query System (SOQS), improvements to the Auto-Merge function on eFiling and updates to the Corporate Income Tax (CIT) guide. Additionally, we offer comprehensive information on how and where taxpayers can update their banking details. Lastly, we remind you that Help-U-eFile has been decommissioned.

27 March 2025 – New e@syFile™ Employer videos

See the latest videos produced by our Taxpayer Trader and Education Team to help you with using the new version of e@syFile.

26 March 2025 – The new e@syFile™ Employer version 8.0

The new e@syFile™ Employer version 8.0 is now available, bringing a faster, smarter, and more secure way for employers to submit their reconciliations.

Employers need to download and install Version 8.0 to ensure a seamless transition before submission period opens on 1st April 2025. For more information visit e@syFile™ or see our new short video.
23 December 2024 – Protect yourself, only use registered Tax Practitioners!

Be aware of unregistered individuals offering to help with your tax matters, watch our short tutorial video – Protect yourself, only use registered Tax Practitioners!

You can also use the online look-up feature to check if a Tax Practitioner is indeed registered.

22 November 2024 – The November 2024 issue of the Tax Practitioner Connect Newsletter is available.

In this edition, we talk about the release of new guides for Recognised Controlling Bodies (RCBs) and tax practitioners. This is an initiative that SARS has embarked on to update the Tax Practitioner Register and the biometric information that SARS is introducing for eFiling. We also share information about third-party data submissions for Tax Exempt Institutions. Finally, the newsletter contains information about the new Donations Tax declaration form, new service channel offerings for Trust registration and a reminder for tax practitioners to ensure that they are using the tax practitioner’s profile on eFiling to submit returns and information on behalf of their clients.

11 October 2024 – Clarification on the criteria for the recognition of Controlling Bodies and the registration of tax practitioners

The Tax Administration Act stipulates that an individual must register with both a Recognised Controlling Body (RCB) and SARS as a Tax Practitioner if they wish to provide tax related services to taxpayers. An RCB is responsible for overseeing the registration and admission of Tax Practitioners. RCBs are also required to manage their tax practitioner members’ compliance to the registration requirements. To support RCBs and tax practitioners in fulfilling these responsibilities, SARS has reworked the ‘Criteria for the registration of Tax Practitioners and the recognition of controlling bodies’ as previously published and agreed to.

See the following guides for more information:
29 July 2024 – Submitting returns older than five years

SARS has recently received complaints from tax practitioners regarding difficulties in accessing their clients’ returns older than five years. To address this issue, tax practitioners are required to reconfirm their status on eFiling before attempting to request or submit such returns. Once their status has been successfully reconfirmed, tax practitioners may proceed with these requests or submissions.

Additionally, it has been noted that tax administrators linked to tax practitioners are currently unable to request or submit old returns, placing an undue burden on the tax practitioners. In response, SARS has implemented a change allowing tax administrators linked to tax practitioners to request or submit returns older than five years.
12 July 2024 – Check Tax Practitioner’s registration status
If in doubt, remember you can confirm here that your Tax Practitioner is registered.

About Us

SARS places great value on a healthy professional relationship with Tax Practitioners who are key in providing a service to our clients the taxpayers.

SARS is therefore committed to:

- Engaging with practitioners continuously and constructively
- Providing access and channels to practitioners
- Specific Service offerings to registered practitioners
- Providing specific communications for Practitioners

Here you will find the latest information and updates from SARS to assist you in serving your clients and in broadening the culture of tax compliance.