HOW-TO

How to Find or Get Your SARS Tax Number

Several free official ways to find your SARS tax reference number by SMS, USSD, WhatsApp, MobiApp or eFiling, and how to get one if you have never registered.

Step by step

1. Try the SMS channel firstFrom your own phone, SMS the letters TRN, a space, then your ID/passport/asylum-seeker number to 47277. SARS sends your tax number to your mobile and emails your Notice of Registration to the address on record.
2. Use USSD if you have low airtimeDial *134*7277# and select 'What's my tax number?'. This works on a basic phone without data.
3. Message SARS on WhatsAppSave the SARS WhatsApp number 0800 11 7277 to your contacts and send a message to access selected Personal Income Tax services, including your registration details.
4. Check the SARS MobiAppIf you are a registered eFiler, open the SARS MobiApp and request your Notice of Registration, which shows your tax reference number.
5. Request the IT150 on eFilingLog in at www.sarsefiling.co.za, go to SARS Registered Details and request the IT150 (Notice of Registration) to view and download your number.
6. Use the SARS Online Query SystemOn sars.gov.za, use the 'What's My Tax Number' query in the SARS Online Query System (SOQS) to retrieve it online.
7. If you have no number at allRegister for eFiling; if you have never had a tax reference number, SARS usually registers you for Income Tax and issues one during sign-up. A branch appointment is a backup.

What a tax number actually is

Your SARS tax number, formally your tax reference number, is a unique number issued to you once and used for the rest of your life to identify you to the South African Revenue Service. Employers ask for it, banks sometimes request it, and you need it to file a return. The reassuring part is that if you have ever been registered for tax, you already have one, and retrieving it is free. CluedUp is an independent guide and not SARS, so treat this as general information and confirm details on the official site.

The fastest channels

For most people the quickest route is the SMS channel. From your own phone, send the letters TRN, a space, then your ID number to 47277. SARS replies with your tax number and emails your Notice of Registration to the address it holds for you. If you are short on airtime or use a basic handset, dial *134*7277# and choose the ‘What’s my tax number?’ option instead.

• SMS: TRN [space] ID number to 47277.
• USSD: *134*7277# then select the tax number option.
• WhatsApp: save 0800 11 7277 and send a message.

These all send the result to the contact details SARS already has, which is exactly why you should keep those details current, and why a cold caller asking you to ‘confirm’ your number should be treated with suspicion.

Getting it through eFiling

If you prefer to see it on screen and keep a copy, log in to eFiling and open SARS Registered Details, then request the IT150 Notice of Registration. This document displays your tax number and can be downloaded or printed, which is handy when an employer or bank asks for proof. You can also use the ‘What’s My Tax Number’ tool in the SARS Online Query System on sars.gov.za without logging in to a full profile.

Whichever channel you use, retrieving your tax number is free. Anyone charging a fee to ‘find your tax number’ is a third party, not SARS.

If you have never had one

Some people, first-time workers, for example, genuinely have no tax number yet. The simplest fix is to register for eFiling: when you sign up and have no existing reference number, SARS usually registers you for Income Tax and issues one automatically. Our step-by-step on how to register for SARS eFiling covers that process, including the OTP verification. If online registration will not verify you, a booked branch appointment is the backup route.

Keeping your number safe

Your tax number, combined with your ID, is valuable to fraudsters, so guard it as you would a bank detail. SARS communicates through the channels above and sends information to your own registered contacts; it does not phone out of the blue demanding that you read back your ID or tax number, and it never asks for your eFiling password. If you receive such a call or message, hang up and reach SARS directly through an official channel. Treat your tax number like any other sensitive identifier: give it out only to employers, banks or institutions that have a legitimate reason to hold it, and never in reply to an unsolicited message.

With your tax number in hand you are ready for the tasks that actually need it, from starting a new job to opening certain accounts. If you cannot get into your profile to view the IT150, see our guide on how to log in to SARS eFiling, and when filing season opens, follow how to file your tax return on eFiling. As of 2026, always confirm the current channels and any WhatsApp or USSD codes on sars.gov.za, since SARS occasionally updates the numbers and menu options it uses.

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.