HOW-TO

How to File Your Tax Return (ITR12) on eFiling

A calm walkthrough of submitting your individual ITR12 return on SARS eFiling, including what auto-assessment means and how to check before you file.

Step by step

1. Check for an auto-assessmentEarly in filing season SARS notifies many taxpayers by SMS or email that they have been auto-assessed. Read this first, as it changes what you need to do.
2. Log in to eFiling or the MobiAppSign in at www.sarsefiling.co.za or open the SARS MobiApp. Recover your login first if needed before the deadline approaches.
3. Open your ITR12 returnRequest or open the ITR12 for the relevant tax year. SARS pre-populates it with third-party data such as your IRP5, interest and medical certificates.
4. Verify every figureCompare the pre-filled amounts against your own documents. Check that all income sources, medical contributions, retirement annuity and other deductions are correct and complete.
5. Add anything missingCapture income or deductions that SARS did not pre-fill, and keep supporting documents in case SARS asks for them. Do not overstate deductions.
6. Submit and note the outcomeSubmit the return. SARS issues an assessment (ITA34) showing whether you owe, are due a refund, or are square. A declaration questionnaire may appear if the return is flagged.
7. Act on the assessmentIf you owe, pay by the due date via eFiling. If a refund is due, track it on your Statement of Account. Keep records for at least five years.

Start by understanding auto-assessment

Filing your annual return sounds daunting, but for many South Africans the process now begins with SARS doing most of the work. Early in filing season SARS sends an SMS or email to a large group of taxpayers to say they have been auto-assessed. This means SARS has pre-filled your ITR12 return using third-party data, your IRP5 from your employer, interest certificates from your bank, medical aid contributions, and so on, and produced an estimated assessment. CluedUp is an independent guide, not SARS or a tax practitioner, so treat this as general information and confirm the current process on the official site.

If you receive an auto-assessment and agree with it, you may not need to do anything further. If you disagree, or income or deductions are missing, you must edit and file the ITR12 by the season due date. That single decision, accept or edit, shapes the rest of your filing.

Opening and checking your ITR12

Whether or not you were auto-assessed, the safest habit is to open the return and check it yourself. Log in to eFiling or the SARS MobiApp and open the ITR12 for the relevant tax year. If you cannot get in, sort that out first using how to log in to SARS eFiling, and if you have never set up a profile, see how to register for SARS eFiling.

Now compare the pre-filled figures line by line against your own documents:

• All IRP5/IT3 certificates for every job or income source.
• Medical aid and additional medical expense records.
• Retirement annuity and pension contribution certificates.
• Any income SARS could not see, such as rental or freelance earnings.

Filing accurately, not optimistically

Accuracy is the whole point. Add anything the pre-fill missed, and correct anything that is wrong, but never inflate deductions to chase a bigger refund. SARS cross-checks against third-party data, and overstated claims invite a verification or audit. Keep your supporting documents for at least five years, because SARS can ask for them long after you have filed. If you are unsure whether an expense qualifies as a deduction, it is safer to leave it out or check the official guidance than to claim it and hope. Accuracy protects you from penalties and from the stress of a drawn-out verification.

If your return is flagged, SARS may present a declaration questionnaire after you submit. Answer it honestly; if your answers address the query, the return continues to be processed.

Submitting and reading your assessment

Once you are satisfied, submit the return. SARS issues an assessment, the ITA34, telling you whether you owe money, are due a refund, or are settled. If you owe, pay by the due date through eFiling to avoid interest and penalties. If a refund is due, you can track it, our guide on how to check your SARS refund status shows exactly where to look.

Dates, safety and getting help

Filing-season dates change every year and differ by taxpayer type, so we deliberately do not quote a fixed deadline. As of 2026, confirm the current opening and closing dates on sars.gov.za before you rely on them. Finally, stay alert to scams: filing is free, SARS never asks for your password or full OTP, and it will never tell you to file or ‘verify’ your return through a link in a message. If anything pressures you to click or pay to submit, close it and go straight to the official site by typing the address yourself. Filing early in the season, once you have all your certificates, also gives you time to fix any query calmly rather than in a last-minute rush before the deadline. And if your circumstances are complicated, there is no shame in consulting a registered tax practitioner for your specific situation.

CluedUp is an independent guide and is not affiliated with any government agency. Fees, links and steps can change — always confirm on the official portal before you act. This is general information, not legal or financial advice.