How to get a tax number, free, today

First time: register on eFiling

1. 1Go to efiling.sars.gov.zaOr install the SARS MobiApp, and click Register
2. 2Follow the promptsWith your South African ID number, personal details and contact details
3. 3If you have never had a tax numberSARS automatically registers you for personal income tax during this process and issues your number. There is no separate application anymore, and the old paper IT77 form is discontinued
4. 4Verify yourselfWhen prompted; SARS may ask for a selfie style identity check or supporting documents through the site

Prefer not to use eFiling? Since February 2026 you can also register for personal income tax through the SARS Online Query System at tools.sars.gov.za, by USSD on *134*7277#, or on WhatsApp at 0800 11 7277 by sending the word Hi. Your employer can also register you through their own eFiling profile.

Already have a number but lost it?

• SMS: send TRN plus your ID number to 47277
• WhatsApp: 0800 11 7277, and ask for your tax number
• USSD: dial *134*7277# and choose the tax number option
• Online: the What's my tax number service on the SARS Online Query System emails your IT150 notice of registration
• eFiling: once logged in, SARS Registered Details shows it, and you can download the IT150

If you truly need a branch

Book first through the SARS eBooking service; branches turn walk ins away. Take your ID (or driving licence, passport or asylum certificate), proof of address not older than three months, and proof of your bank details such as a bank letter or statement. Branch visits are mainly for people without an SA ID number or with identity verification problems; everyone else finishes online in minutes.

What you need before you start

• Your identity number, or passport and permit if you are not a South African citizen.
• A cellphone number and email address you can actually reach. SARS sends a one-time PIN to both, and a stale number is the most common reason people stall on the first screen.
• Proof of address, no older than three months. A municipal bill, a bank statement or a signed CRA01 declaration if the account is in someone else’s name.
• Your bank account details, in your own name. SARS verifies the account against the bank, so a joint account or an account in a spouse’s name will fail.
• A selfie and your ID document if you register through the SARS app or the online biometric route.

Registering for income tax is free and SARS will never charge for a tax number. If anyone is asking you for money to obtain one, that is the whole scam.

Where people actually get stuck

• Your employer already registered you. Most people who start a job have a tax number already and do not know it. Check before you apply, because a second registration creates a duplicate that then has to be merged, and that is a much slower conversation than the original registration.
• The name on the bank account does not match. SARS matches your account to your identity number at the bank. Any mismatch and verification silently fails.
• The address proof is in a landlord’s or parent’s name. That is what the CRA01 declaration exists for, and almost nobody knows about it.
• You need it for a company, not yourself. Companies get a tax number automatically when CIPC registers them. You do not apply separately; see the company registration guide.

Frequently asked questions

More questions people ask