Can I use the SARS MobiApp to file my individual tax return?

Direct answer

Yes. SARS says the official SARS MobiApp can activate, complete, save and submit an Individual Income Tax Return, known as an ITR12. It can also be used to upload supporting documents when SARS asks, view a notice of assessment, make a payment and check a return status.

For Filing Season 2026, SARS says taxpayers who are not auto-assessed can file through eFiling or the MobiApp from 13 July 2026. The app is therefore a filing channel, not simply a way to view a SARS account.

What this means in practice

The MobiApp may be useful if you are filing a relatively straightforward individual return and want to use a phone rather than a computer. It does not remove the need to review the return carefully. You remain responsible for checking that the information on the return is complete and correct before you submit.

The app can help you move through the filing process, but it does not decide whether you need to file or whether a prepopulated certificate is accurate. Do not submit a return merely because it has been generated in the app.

If you have a complex tax position, such as several income sources, a capital gain, business records, foreign income, a tax-residency issue or a SARS verification case, the practical challenge is getting the underlying facts and records right.

Step-by-step

1. Install the official app and access your SARS profile.

Use the official SARS MobiApp, not an app promoted through an unsolicited message. You will need to sign in or complete the relevant registration and authentication steps before you can work with your tax affairs.

1. Check that you are dealing with the correct year and filing route.

SARS has different processes and dates for auto-assessed taxpayers, non-provisional taxpayers and provisional taxpayers. For a taxpayer who was not auto-assessed in Filing Season 2026, SARS says ITR12 filing through eFiling or MobiApp opened on 13 July 2026. Confirm the year of assessment shown in the app before doing anything else.

1. Activate or open the ITR12.

SARS lists ITR12 activation, completion, saving and submission among the MobiApp functions. Read any message shown when the return opens. A generated return can contain the latest third-party information SARS has on record, but it may not include every item you need to disclose.

1. Review the return against your own records.

Compare income and tax certificates, medical-tax certificates, retirement records and other relevant documents with the information displayed. Check personal, contact and banking details too. If an employer or another provider has supplied wrong certificate data, deal with the provider rather than guessing how to amend the entry.

1. Save first if you need time to check information.

SARS says the app can save an ITR12. Use that option if records are missing or you need to confirm a figure. Saving a return is not the same as filing it. Do not treat an unfinished or saved return as submitted.

1. Submit only once the declaration is accurate.

Complete the declaration and submit through the official app. Keep the submission confirmation. SARS may later issue an assessment, ask for more information, or request supporting documents depending on the return and its checks.

1. Follow up in the app.

SARS says the MobiApp can display an ITA34 notice of assessment, a statement of account and return status. It can also be used to upload requested supporting documents and make a payment. Check the assessment and any due date shown in your own SARS record.

Documents and records to keep

Prepare and retain the documents that support what appears on the ITR12. Depending on your circumstances, these can include IRP5 or other tax certificates, medical and retirement certificates, banking details, investment records, travel logbooks and records for other income or deductions.

Keep the app submission confirmation, the assessment notice, SARS correspondence and copies of any documents uploaded to SARS. These records help you track the return and respond if SARS asks for further information.

You also need access to the mobile number or email address used for SARS authentication. Keep your password and any one-time PIN private. Do not send either to a helper or include them in a document-upload request.

Important limits and exceptions

The MobiApp is not a promise that every ITR12 can be completed quickly or without supporting records. A return can be selected for verification, and a refund may be affected by a verification or audit process. The relevant SARS correspondence, not a generic app status, tells you what SARS needs next.

Filing dates change by season and taxpayer type. The 13 July 2026 opening date in this guide is for taxpayers who were not auto-assessed in Filing Season 2026. Check the current SARS filing-season page and the date applicable to your own category before relying on a deadline.

Do not use this article as a substitute for advice on the tax treatment of a transaction. The app lets you submit information. It does not validate whether a particular deduction, allowance, capital gain or foreign-income position is legally correct.

When to get tailored advice

Get tailored help before filing where you cannot reconcile the return with your certificates, have business or rental income, have sold an asset, have foreign income or residency questions, or have received a verification, audit or correction notice. Those facts can change what should be reported and which records are needed.

TaxProof can help you organise the information and records for an individual return and identify questions to raise with SARS or a registered tax practitioner. SARS remains responsible for processing the return, issuing an assessment and deciding any verification outcome.

Related TaxProof guides

• Do I need to submit a tax return in South Africa?
• How do I check my SARS assessment and amount payable? (B01-IND-007)

Sources

• SARS, SARS MobiApp
• SARS, Filing Season