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How do I get a tax compliance status PIN from SARS?
How do I get a tax compliance status PIN from SARS?
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Direct answer
You can request a Tax Compliance Status (TCS) through SARS eFiling or the SARS Online Query Service. After viewing your My Compliance Profile, choose Tax Compliance Status Request, select the applicable request type, complete the request and submit it to SARS. SARS lists Good standing and Approval International Transfer as the available options. Once SARS approves the request, it issues a PIN that you can view in the Tax Compliance Status Request dashboard, print in the TCS result letter or request by SMS.
A PIN is not issued simply because a request is started. It follows approval, and SARS says a unique PIN is issued for each request.
What this means in practice
The PIN is a controlled way to let an authorised third party check your overall tax compliance status. It is not a copy of your tax return, assessment or full tax record. SARS says the PIN allows the third party to view the taxpayer's overall status at the date and time they check it, while other taxpayer information remains inaccessible.
Start by checking the My Compliance Profile rather than applying blindly. The profile can show registration, return-submission and debt indicators that affect whether a taxpayer is compliant. If a red indicator appears, inspect the detail and use the correct process to address it before expecting an approved Good standing result.
Choose the category carefully. Good standing is used where a third party needs to verify tax compliance. Approval International Transfer is a distinct current application type for certain international-transfer matters. It replaced earlier Emigration and Foreign Investment Allowance application types. Do not select the international option merely because a bank, employer or tender document asks for proof of compliance.
Step-by-step
- Sign in to the correct taxpayer profile.
Make sure you are acting for the intended individual or legal entity. In an organisation or practitioner portfolio, confirm that the correct taxpayer is selected and that your access rights allow you to use the service.
- Open My Compliance Profile.
Review the current indicators for registrations, returns and debt. A TCS request is not a substitute for addressing an outstanding return or an unresolved account balance.
- Open Tax Compliance Status Request.
On eFiling, select the Tax Compliance Status Request option. SARS also allows TCS requests through SOQS. Use the official channel and current screen labels shown for the taxpayer.
- Select the correct application type.
Choose Good standing when the purpose is ordinary third-party verification. Select Approval International Transfer only where that is the actual requirement and you have considered the current SARS document requirements.
- Complete and submit accurate information.
Read the declarations and make sure the requested purpose, taxpayer details and supporting information are consistent. Save a copy of the submitted request and any acknowledgement.
- Retrieve the PIN after approval.
SARS says the approved PIN can be viewed in the Tax Compliance Status Request dashboard, printed on the TCS result letter or requested by SMS. Store it securely and do not circulate it beyond the intended verifier.
- Share the PIN, not unnecessary personal information.
Give the PIN to the authorised organisation or government department that needs to verify it. Keep a record of the request and the recipient, especially if it relates to a time-sensitive contract or transfer.
Documents and records to keep
- The TCS request confirmation and approved result letter.
- The PIN and a record of the third party authorised to receive it.
- My Compliance Profile screenshots or notices that show issues addressed before the request.
- Supporting records for an Approval International Transfer request where applicable.
Important limits and exceptions
A TCS PIN is a verification tool, not a permanent certificate of compliance. SARS says the third party sees the compliance status at the time of verification, rather than a historic status fixed at PIN issue. Continued compliance therefore matters after the PIN is received.
The available TCS request types are Good standing and Approval International Transfer. Do not refer to a Tender application as a current separate option, because SARS says that option was removed and Good standing is used for other third-party scenarios.
When to get tailored advice
Get advice if My Compliance Profile shows multiple tax types, unidentified debt, outstanding returns, incomplete reference numbers or a pending international transfer. This is also helpful if an urgent third-party deadline creates pressure to submit information you have not verified.
TaxProof can help organise the request and identify issues shown on the profile. SARS determines approval, the PIN and the status seen by a verifier.
Related TaxProof guides
- Why is my SARS tax compliance status not good standing? (B05-ADM-007)
- How do I request a tax compliance status for a tender? (B05-ADM-009)