Tax and SARS knowledge base

How to request an IT150 notice of registration from SARS

How do I request an IT150 notice of registration from SARS?

Last reviewed:

Direct answer

Request a Notice of Registration, or IT150, from an official SARS channel. SARS lists eFiling, MobiApp, WhatsApp, SMS, USSD, Lwazi, SOQS and a branch appointment as options. On eFiling, use SARS Registered Details. The IT150 shows your income-tax reference number.

SARS must verify the request before issuing the document. If you use the WhatsApp route, SARS says the IT150 is sent as an encrypted attachment that you open with your ID or passport details.

What this means in practice

The IT150 is a document for a taxpayer who is already registered. Requesting it is not an application for a new tax number, nor does it update your registered details. Choose the channel that matches your access. A registered eFiler can use eFiling or MobiApp, while a taxpayer without eFiling access may use another SARS service or arrange a branch visit.

Do not use a number supplied in an unsolicited message as proof. Start on an official SARS channel yourself and save the notice that SARS generates. The information on it is sensitive because it identifies your tax reference number.

Step-by-step

  1. Select the official route you can authenticate on.

SARS offers several routes. For eFiling, log in to your own profile and use SARS Registered Details. For MobiApp, use the Notice of Registration service if you are a registered eFiler. Mobile options also include SARS WhatsApp, SMS, USSD and Lwazi.

  1. Ask for the Notice of Registration or tax reference number.

Follow the service menu and choose the relevant option. SARS may ask for identification details and a contact method as part of authentication. Enter your own information accurately so SARS can match it to the existing record.

  1. Complete the verification prompts.

A successful request depends on SARS verifying the submitted details. If the system cannot match them, use the help direction supplied by the official service rather than retrying with another person's details.

  1. Save the IT150 securely.

On WhatsApp, SARS says the Notice of Registration is issued as an attachment. It is encrypted. Use your ID or passport details as required to open it, and save it only in a secure location.

  1. Keep the document for the stated purpose.

The IT150 is useful when proof of the tax reference number is required. It is not a statement of account or a tax-compliance certificate, so do not use it to answer a different SARS question.

Documents and records to keep

  • ID or passport details used to authenticate the request.
  • Access to the eFiling, MobiApp or mobile service you selected.
  • The downloaded IT150.
  • Any SARS confirmation or service reference.

Important limits and exceptions

Not every channel will suit every taxpayer. Access and authentication requirements vary. A branch visit requires an appointment, and a query requires details that match SARS records.

An IT150 received through WhatsApp is encrypted. Do not share the password-like opening information with an unverified person, and do not forward the attachment casually.

Keep the downloaded notice with its original content. If a recipient questions it, retrieve a fresh copy through SARS rather than editing the document yourself.

When to get tailored advice

Get help where the request relates to a taxpayer who has died, an estate, a company, trust or a change in representative authority. The issue may not be just retrieval of an existing document.

TaxProof can help you prepare the correct taxpayer details and explain which document is being requested. SARS verifies the identity and generates the IT150.

Related TaxProof guides

Sources

Need tailored help?

Get the records and SARS steps in order.

TaxProof can help organise records and prepare the practical next step. General website information is not personal tax advice.