SARS automatically generates an income-tax reference number for a company registered with CIPC. You must then register or use a SARS eFiling profile and link the company so an authorised person can manage its tax affairs online.
A CIPC certificate is not proof that every tax registration is active. VAT, PAYE and other obligations depend on what the business does. Set up the company record alongside your accounting system so your invoices, payroll and tax returns use consistent details.
Check what already exists
Find the company's CIPC registration certificate and any SARS registration correspondence. Confirm the company's legal name, registration number and income-tax reference. If you cannot find the tax reference, resolve that with SARS rather than creating a duplicate company registration.
SARS's registering guidance explains the automatic income-tax registration after CIPC incorporation. The next task is electronic access and correct representation. Keep the company separate from your own personal tax profile, even if you are its only owner.
Appoint the authorised representative
A company acts through an authorised person. Check who is registered with SARS as its representative and whether that person's identity and contact details are current. The representative is not automatically the accountant who prepares the returns. Appointment and access must match the company's actual authority.
SARS allows representative registration or updates through eFiling or the SARS Online Query System. Its registered-representative guidance sets out the routes and supporting documents. Where the founding documents show a sole director who is also the representative, SARS describes an exception to the appointment-letter requirement. Do not apply that exception to a different person.
Documents and details to have ready
Prepare the company registration documents, the representative's identity information and proof of their authority. Have current contact, address and banking details ready. The precise supporting documents depend on the transaction and the request SARS makes, so use its current checklist rather than assuming an old application is still complete.
Make sure the registered name matches across CIPC, SARS and the business bank account. If the company has changed directors or address, check both institutions' records. Differences can delay verification even where the business itself is legitimate. Keep the submitted documents and confirmation references in the company's records.
Link the company on eFiling
Register for eFiling if you do not already have a profile, or log in to your existing authorised profile.
Use the organisation or taxpayer-management functions to add the company. Check the entity type and registration details carefully.
Complete the registered-representative verification or update where needed. Upload the supporting documents requested for that process.
Request or activate the company's income-tax type using its existing SARS tax reference. If another profile controls access, follow the transfer or approval process instead of making a duplicate taxpayer.
Confirm that the company appears under the correct organisation and that you can see its relevant tax obligations.
Save the confirmation and agree who will prepare, approve and submit returns.
Menu labels and verification steps can change. Follow the live instructions in your eFiling profile. Never share your password or verification codes with someone merely because they say they can speed up registration. An appointed practitioner should use an authorised access arrangement.
Decide which additional tax types apply
Company income tax, VAT and employer taxes are different obligations. VAT registration is compulsory once taxable supplies exceed R2.3 million in any 12 months. Voluntary registration is available when taxable supplies exceed R120,000 in the past 12 months. These verified thresholds apply from 1 April 2026.
If you employ staff, review PAYE, UIF, SDL and COIDA requirements before running payroll. The verified employer-registration period is within 21 business days of becoming an employer. SDL is 1% of payroll and is not required where total annual payroll is under R500,000. Do not activate a tax type simply because another company has it.
Use the VAT-registration service or PAYE-registration service for the relevant setup. Smartbook can also help with the SARS registered representative.
After access is working
Check outstanding returns, account balances and correspondence. A working login does not mean the company is tax compliant. Keep bookkeeping current so the annual ITR14 and provisional-tax estimates are based on usable records rather than guesses.
The verified ITR14 deadline is within 12 months after the company's financial year-end. Provisional-tax payments generally fall within six months after the start of the year of assessment and at its end. Your accountant should map the actual dates to the company's year-end.
If you disagree with an assessment, use the formal process described in our SARS notice-of-objection guide. Do not assume that a phone call or a change to the accounting records changes the assessment. Keep the correspondence so your accountant can identify what action is needed.
Common problems
If access is blocked, check the representative and contact details first. If a tax type is controlled elsewhere, arrange the appropriate transfer. If SARS requests supporting documents, respond to the specific request and retain proof of submission. Registration, representation and access are related tasks, but they are not interchangeable.
For ongoing help, monthly accounting keeps the records and filings coordinated. Once-off company tax returns are available where the company needs a particular filing rather than a complete monthly service.
Frequently asked questions
Does CIPC registration give my company an income-tax number? SARS says it automatically generates an income-tax reference number after CIPC registration. You still need authorised eFiling access to manage the company online.
Does that include VAT registration? No. Review the VAT requirements separately and apply for VAT where the business meets them.
Can I use my personal login for a company? An authorised person can manage an organisation through eFiling, but the company must be correctly added as its own taxpayer. Do not report company income as though it were your personal business income.
Who should be the registered representative? The person appointed with authority to represent the company. Check SARS's current requirements and keep the appointment documents.
Is an active eFiling profile proof of tax compliance? No. Compliance depends on the company's registrations, returns and payments, not simply on whether someone can log in.