Every company that needs to file tax returns, pay PAYE, or manage VAT with SARS must have an active eFiling profile. Without one, you cannot submit returns, make payments, receive refunds, or respond to SARS correspondence online. Setting up your business profile on SARS eFiling is the single most important administrative task after incorporation — and it is not automatic, even though CIPC now shares company registration data with SARS.
Who Needs to Register?
Any company, close corporation, trust, or other legal entity that is registered for any tax type in South Africa must have a SARS eFiling profile. This includes: Private Companies (Pty Ltd) registered for Corporate Income Tax, any entity registered as an employer (PAYE), businesses registered or registering for VAT, and trusts with an obligation to submit IT3(t) returns. A director or public officer acts as the responsible representative on the account.
What You Need Before You Start
Before registering, gather the following: your South African ID document or passport (for the representative), the company's tax reference number (issued by SARS at incorporation — check your CIPC confirmation documents or any previous SARS correspondence), the company registration number (your CoR14.3 certificate from CIPC), a valid email address and South African mobile number for one-time PIN (OTP) verification, and the company's physical and postal address.
If you cannot locate a tax reference number, your company may not yet be registered for Income Tax. Companies incorporated after CIPC's integration with SARS are typically auto-registered, but this is not guaranteed. In that case, visit your nearest SARS branch with your CIPC documentation to complete the IT77C registration form.
Step 1: Register or Log In as the Responsible Representative
Navigate to efiling.sars.gov.za. If the director or public officer does not yet have a personal eFiling profile, click 'Register' and follow the prompts. You will enter your ID number, name, and date of birth, then verify your identity via OTP sent to your registered mobile number. If a personal profile already exists from prior individual tax returns, simply log in — you do not need to create a new profile.
Once logged in, go to the 'Home' tab and select 'Manage Tax Types'. This section is where you associate the company's tax reference number with your personal eFiling login.
Step 2: Add the Company to Your eFiling Profile
On the 'Manage Tax Types' screen, select 'Register New' or 'Add Tax Type'. Enter the company's Income Tax reference number and select 'Company Income Tax (CIT)' as the tax type. SARS will send an OTP to the company's registered contact details — you will need access to that number or email to complete the verification. Once confirmed, the company appears under your eFiling portfolio.
If the company has multiple tax types (PAYE, VAT), repeat this step for each — entering the relevant reference number and selecting the correct tax type. Each type may require a separate activation step.
Step 3: Activate the Correct Tax Types
Every tax type your company is registered for must be activated individually on eFiling: **Corporate Income Tax (CIT):** for submitting your annual ITR14 return. **PAYE (Employer taxes):** for monthly EMP201 submissions once you have employees. **VAT:** for bi-monthly or monthly VAT201 submissions once you are registered as a VAT vendor. **SDL and UIF:** activated alongside PAYE and declared on the same EMP201 return.
Only activate tax types you are actually registered for. Activating a type without a valid reference number will generate errors. If you need to register for a new tax type (such as VAT), complete the relevant registration application first — VAT101 on eFiling for VAT, EMP101e for employer taxes.
Step 4: Link a Bank Account for Refunds
Under 'My Profile' → 'Bank Account Details', capture the company's business bank account. This is where SARS will pay any tax refunds, including VAT refund payments. The account must be in the company's name — SARS will not pay refunds to a personal account. Linking the wrong account is a common cause of delayed refunds.
What Happens After Registration
Once your company's eFiling profile is active and tax types are linked, you can: view and download all returns due, submit returns and make payments via the payment portal or EFT, respond to SARS queries and audits online, request tax clearance certificates (which are now issued in real-time via the system), and track correspondence under 'SARS Correspondence'. Returns become available under the relevant tax type as soon as they are issued by SARS.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Using the wrong representative: The person registered as the representative must be a director or public officer of the company. Using an employee's personal profile creates complications when staff change. **Mismatching reference numbers
Sikatrix Business Accountants manages eFiling registration and setup for all our new clients as part of our onboarding process. If you are registering a new company or taking over a business with a dormant eFiling profile, contact us for a free consultation.