Tax Registration in South Africa
Getting the company onto the right SARS registers. Income tax comes first — a company is registered for income tax on successful CIPC registration and issued a tax reference number. VAT registration is compulsory once taxable supplies exceed R2.3 million in any 12 months (raised from R1 million with effect from 1 April 2026), with voluntary registration available from R120,000 (raised from R50,000 on the same date); the standard VAT rate is 15%. Where the company employs staff it registers as an employer for PAYE, UIF and SDL and files the monthly EMP201 — UIF is 1% employee plus 1% employer up to the UIF remuneration ceiling, and SDL is 1% of payroll for employers whose total annual remuneration exceeds R500,000.
3–15 business days
ZAR
What we will need from you
Upload these once. They are stored encrypted and reused across every service you buy from us.
CIPC registration certificate (CoR14.3) and the company's enterprise number
Identity document or passport and proof of address for the person registering on the company's behalf
The exact SARS document list varies by registration channel and is confirmed at quote against sars.gov.za.
South African business bank account details
Expected taxable turnover for the next 12 months
Drives the VAT test — compulsory registration above R2.3m of taxable supplies in any 12 months, voluntary registration from R120,000.
Headcount and total annual remuneration
Needed for the PAYE/UIF registration and to test the R500,000 SDL exemption threshold. Only where the company employs staff.
Cost breakdown
Our fee and the government’s are always separate lines. Government fees are passed through at exactly what the authority charges — we add nothing to them.
| SARS registration fee (income tax / VAT / PAYE)SARS does not publish a fee for registering for income tax, VAT or PAYE, and our research did not confirm a zero fee from an official page — so this is carried as unpriced rather than as R0. | Confirmed before payment |
| Comriq professional fee | Fixed fee within 1 business day |
How it runs
You will see these exact stages update in your client portal as we progress.
Income Tax Registered
The company's SARS income-tax registration and tax reference number are confirmed — these follow from the CIPC registration.
VAT Registered
VAT registration filed where taxable supplies exceed R2.3 million in any 12 months (compulsory) or voluntarily above R120,000; the standard rate is 15%.
PAYE / UIF / SDL Registered
Employer registration for PAYE and UIF, and for SDL where total annual remuneration exceeds R500,000, so the monthly EMP201 can be filed.
Indicative guidance — confirmed before payment
Requirements and statutory fees are set by South African Revenue Service (SARS) and change without notice. This page is general information, not legal or tax advice. Your engagement letter and quote are the binding documents.