How to get proof of your SARS income-tax number

Direct answer

The official proof of an existing SARS income-tax number is a Notice of Registration, known as an IT150. SARS says the IT150 shows your tax reference number. You can request it through official SARS channels, including eFiling, MobiApp, SARS Online Query System, WhatsApp, SMS, USSD, Lwazi or a SARS branch appointment.

You will need to complete the authentication SARS requires for the channel you use. A person cannot simply request another taxpayer's number without the authority SARS recognises.

What this means in practice

An IT150 is different from a tax return, assessment or statement of account. It confirms the tax reference number SARS has registered for you. It does not show that a return is due, that a return has been submitted or that your tax affairs are up to date.

Start with a channel you can use yourself. If you have eFiling access, use the SARS Registered Details area. If you use an official mobile tax service, follow the prompts and enter your own details for verification. SARS's options are useful alternatives when you have forgotten the number, but each route still depends on SARS matching your details to its records.

Treat an IT150 as confidential tax information. Do not send it, your password or an authentication code to an unverified caller or a person who says they can retrieve it for you.

Step-by-step

1. Choose an official SARS route.

SARS lists several ways to request a Notice of Registration. You can send a SARS query, use eFiling, use the MobiApp if you are a registered eFiler, start a SARS WhatsApp interaction, use the SARS SMS or USSD service, ask Lwazi, or book a branch appointment. Use a channel that you can access and authenticate on yourself.

1. Request the tax reference number or Notice of Registration.

The wording differs by channel. In eFiling, SARS directs users to the SARS Registered Details menu option. On mobile services, choose the tax-reference-number or notice option presented by SARS.

1. Complete SARS verification.

Enter the identification and contact information requested by the official service. SARS must match the request to its records before providing the result. Do not substitute somebody else's email address or cell number merely because you cannot access your own contact details.

1. Save the IT150.

Once SARS generates the notice, download or save it in a secure place. Use the document itself when an employer, bank or another legitimate party asks for official proof of the number.

1. Check whether the request exposes another problem.

If SARS cannot match your details, do not create another tax profile as a workaround. Use the official help route the channel gives you. A mismatch can relate to access or registered details rather than the existence of a tax number.

Documents and records to keep

• Your ID number, passport number or asylum-seeker number, as applicable.
• Access to the email address or mobile number used by the SARS channel.
• The generated IT150, saved securely.
• Any SARS query reference or confirmation if the request needs follow-up.

Important limits and exceptions

The IT150 is proof of the tax reference number. It is not proof that the taxpayer has no debt, has submitted every return, or has a particular tax-compliance status.

SARS says it will not provide a tax number to another person unless that person is your tax practitioner or has power of attorney to deal with your tax affairs. Do not assume that an employer, accountant, relative or office colleague is automatically allowed to obtain it.

When to get tailored advice

Get assistance if SARS cannot match your identity details, you believe the profile is linked to the wrong person, or the request relates to a company, trust, estate or representative arrangement. Those situations can involve separate authority and registration questions.

TaxProof can help you organise the information required for a tax-number proof request and identify the correct SARS administration route. SARS authenticates the request and issues the IT150.

Related TaxProof guides

• Do I need to submit a tax return in South Africa?
• How do I request an IT150 notice of registration from SARS? (B02-ADM-002)

Sources

• SARS, How do I register for tax?