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 actually submit your return to SARS — 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 (most employees): the eFiling and MobiApp season for individuals filing their own return closes on 20 October 2026.
- Provisional taxpayers: if you earn income outside a normal salary (freelance work, rental income, a second job), your deadline extends to the end of January 2027 for the second provisional payment, giving you extra time because you're also settling estimated tax along the way.
- Branch filing: SARS branch appointments for taxpayers who can't file electronically usually close earlier than the eFiling deadline — book well ahead if this applies to you.
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.