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Tax Season 2026: Every Key Date You Need to Know

Lerato Dlamini · Tax Chommie Editorial · 2 Mar 2026

Every year the same question comes up: "when exactly do I need to file?" The tax year itself runs from 1 March 2025 to 28 February 2026, but the filing season (when you submit your return on SARS eFiling) happens afterwards, once your employer and financial institutions have submitted their own certificates.

The dates that matter

  • Auto-assessment notices: SARS begins issuing these from early July, based on the IRP5, medical aid and RA data submitted by third parties. If you get one, don't assume it's final. See our guide on auto-assessments below.
  • Non-provisional taxpayers who weren't auto-assessed: the SARS deadline for non-provisional taxpayers who weren't auto-assessed is 23 October 2026. You file on SARS eFiling or the SARS MobiApp.
  • Provisional taxpayers: 22 January 2027 (trusts share this date).
  • Filing at a SARS branch: if you can't file online, book an appointment on SARS eBooking well before the deadline. The deadline is the same as for eFiling.

Why the deadline matters more than people think

Missing the deadline isn't just an inconvenience. SARS can levy an administrative penalty for late submission, and it recurs monthly for as long as the return stays outstanding — it doesn't stop at one fine. If you're due a refund, a late submission simply delays the refund arriving in your account; if you owe SARS money, interest keeps accruing regardless of when you eventually file.

What to do now

The best way to avoid a last-week scramble is to get your documents together as soon as your employer issues your IRP5 (usually by the end of May). Upload your IRP5, medical aid certificate, and RA certificate as soon as you have them — Tax Chommie checks each one on upload and tells you immediately if something's missing, blurry, or for the wrong tax year, so there are no surprises in October.

If you're not sure whether you're a provisional taxpayer, check whether you earn any income that doesn't already have PAYE deducted at source (rental income, freelance income, interest above the exemption threshold) — that's usually the deciding factor.

This article is general information, not personalised tax advice. For your own situation, use the free tax calculator or start a return with Tax Chommie.