2026 tax season: SARS reveals dates and details

SARS has released dates and details for the 2026 tax season, clarifying which taxpayers are required to file tax returns …

May 6, 2026 - 03:00
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2026 tax season: SARS reveals dates and details

It’s time to get your ducks in a row for the 2026 tax season. The South African Revenue Service (SARS) has published initial details, including key filing deadlines and clarification on which taxpayers are required to file a return and who will be eligible to be auto-assessed.

That’s right, SARS has confirmed that the 2026 tax season filing dates will be Friday 23 October 2026 for individual taxpayers and Friday 22 January 2027 for provisional taxpayers. The tax season typically opens in mid-July, with the typical two-week auto-assessment window running just before that.

2026 TAX SEASON IS UPON US

As ever, the 2026 tax season under assessment covers a 12-month period that ended on Saturday 28 February 2026. Generally, any company or juristic person resident in South Africa that earns income, trades, has assets or realised a capital gain or loss must file a tax return. But who doesn’t need to file a return for the 2026 tax season? Any natural person or deceased estate is exempt from filing if their gross income consists solely of one or more of the following:

  • Employment income from a single employer not exceeding R500 000, with employees’ tax already deducted.
  • Income through interest (excluding tax-free investments) from a South African source, not exceeding:
  • R23 800 for those under 65
  • R34 500 for those aged 65 and older
  • R23 800 for a deceased estate

A single retirement lump sum from a pension, provident, preservation, or retirement annuity fund, with tax already deducted via a SARS directive.

WHAT ABOUT SARS AUTO-ASSESSMENTS?

2026 tax season
R500 000 per annum is the threshold figure for single income employees in 2026. Image: File

For the 2026 tax season, any taxpayer who receives and accepts an auto-assessment from SARS is not required to file a return. Introduced in 2021, the auto-assessment system has grown steadily, with SARS reaching record numbers in 2025. And it has even decided to pilot the process with the goal of rolling it out to provisional taxpayers.

As always, SARS insists that auto-assessed taxpayers are still responsible for ensuring that their income, exemptions, deductions and rebates are accurate and complete. If the auto-assessment is not accepted, a full tax return must be filed in the usual way via SARS eFiling or the SARS MobiApp.

But what so you think? Can you believe it is 2026 tax season already? How have you found dealing with SARS in the last year? Be sure to share your thoughts in the comments section below …

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