Tax and SARS knowledge base
How do I pay an individual income-tax balance on eFiling?
How do I pay my individual income-tax balance on SARS eFiling?
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Direct answer
SARS lists eFiling as a way to make a payment. Its August 2026 update explains that an eFiling payment request is generated and sent to the taxpayer's bank, where the taxpayer authorises it as a credit-push payment. Start with the latest assessment or account position, initiate the request only through a verified SARS channel, and check the amount, tax period and reference before authorising it at the bank.
Paying an amount is not the same as accepting a calculation, filing a return, correcting an error or entering a payment arrangement. If you disagree with an assessment, have an estimated assessment, or cannot pay in full, stop before treating an ordinary payment as the complete solution. The relevant SARS route depends on the actual notice and circumstances.
What this means in practice
The latest assessment is the starting point. An ITR12 result may show an amount due, a refund or no balance, but a saved return or a tax-calculator estimate is not automatically the final payable position. Read the most recent notice of assessment and, where appropriate, request or view a statement of account to check whether a payment has already been allocated or another period is affecting the balance.
Use eFiling through the official SARS site, not through a link sent by someone claiming to collect tax. SARS's eFiling service includes the ability to make payments, and it is designed to create a payment request that is then authorised through your bank. Your bank will have its own approval process. Ensure that your bank access is current and that enough funds are available before you create the request.
The bank authorisation is a critical checkpoint. Check the amount and reference on the banking screen against the SARS request. Do not approve a request you do not recognise merely because it uses SARS's name. If the amount, period or beneficiary information looks wrong, cancel the payment if possible and use a verified SARS channel to investigate. Do not replace a generated tax reference with one copied from a message or a previous payment.
After authorisation, retain proof from both systems. The bank confirmation proves that you authorised an instruction, while the eFiling status or later statement helps show whether SARS allocated the payment. Allocation can take time. Avoid paying again simply because the balance does not change immediately, unless you have confirmed that the first request did not proceed.
Step-by-step
- Read the latest assessment.
Identify the tax year, amount payable, due date and any other instruction. If you have several years or tax types, confirm exactly which balance you intend to pay.
- Check for an active correction or dispute.
If you are filing a return, correcting third-party information, responding to an estimate, seeking a payment arrangement or disputing an assessment, obtain advice on how payment interacts with that process. Do not assume the ordinary payment route resolves it.
- Log in using a verified eFiling route.
Begin at SARS's official website. Use your own eFiling credentials and complete any security prompt yourself. Never disclose your password or one-time pin to a caller, email sender or adviser.
- Create the payment request.
Select the relevant tax debt or payment option shown in the current eFiling profile. Check the tax type, period, amount and reference before progressing. The eFiling screen is the source of the current detail.
- Authorise the credit-push request at your bank.
SARS says the request is sent to the taxpayer's bank for authorisation. Open your normal banking channel, locate the actual request and compare its details to the eFiling information. Ensure sufficient funds are available.
- Keep both confirmations.
Save the eFiling payment reference and the bank confirmation. Record the date, amount and tax period. These records are useful if a payment later appears unallocated or duplicated.
- Check the account afterwards.
Return to eFiling or use the appropriate SARS account service to confirm the balance position. Allow for normal system processing. If the payment remains missing after a reasonable processing period, use the official SARS channel with your payment evidence.
Documents and records to keep
- Latest notice of assessment and, where needed, statement of account.
- eFiling-generated payment reference and confirmation.
- Bank payment authorisation and transaction confirmation.
- A dated note of the tax type, tax year and amount paid.
- Any SARS correspondence about allocation, debt or a payment arrangement.
Important limits and exceptions
SARS lists other payment channels, including EFT and participating banks. This article focuses on eFiling and does not provide bank account details, fixed cut-off times or an alternative reference. Follow the payment instruction generated by the official channel. A reference used for a different tax or period can delay allocation.
Do not pay an amount simply because an unexpected caller threatens a penalty. Independently check the assessment through eFiling or SARS. If a debt is real but cannot be paid in full, SARS's current resources refer to payment-arrangement options. Get tailored advice before allowing a short-term payment decision to affect a broader compliance plan.
When to get tailored advice
Seek help if the balance relates to several tax years, you cannot reconcile the account, an estimated assessment is involved, an EFT was already made, a payment was allocated unexpectedly, or you need a payment arrangement. Bring the assessment, statement, eFiling reference and bank proof.