To set up SARS eFiling for a company: create a personal eFiling profile, add the company as an organisation using its registration and income tax numbers, activate the tax types you need, and confirm the registered representative. The last step is the one that blocks everything — until SARS recognises a human being as authorised to act for the company, most functions stay locked.
Almost every "eFiling is not working" problem traces back to either the registered representative or a mismatch between what you entered and what SARS holds.
The order matters
1. Personal profile. eFiling is accessed through an individual's login, not the company's. You register as yourself first.
2. Add the company as an organisation. Under Organisations, add a new taxpayer using the company registration number and income tax reference number.
3. Confirm the registered representative. Through the RAV01 process under Maintain SARS Registered Details, or at a SARS branch by appointment.
4. Activate the tax types. Income tax, VAT, PAYE, UIF, SDL — whichever apply.
5. Set up users and rights if more than one person needs access.
Doing step 4 before step 3 is why most setups stall. Tax type activation frequently sits pending indefinitely where the representative is not confirmed.
What you need before you start
Company registration number and CoR14.3
Company income tax reference number
Certified ID of the registered representative
Proof of residential address for the representative, generally under three months old
Proof of business address
Bank confirmation letter in the company's name
A resolution appointing the representative
If you do not have the income tax number, request it through the SARS Online Query System first. See how to register your company for tax with SARS.
Blocker 1: the registered representative
The symptom: the company appears on eFiling but half the menu is greyed out. Tax types will not activate. Tax Status functions do not work. VAT registration applications reject without a clear reason.
The cause: SARS has no confirmed registered representative for the entity, or the person on record has left.
The fix: update it through RAV01 with the supporting documents, or book a virtual appointment through SARS eBooking. Allow up to 21 business days.
This is worth checking first, before you spend a week on anything else. Full detail in what is a SARS registered representative.
Blocker 2: details that do not match
SARS verifies what you enter against what it holds and against CIPC.
Common mismatches:
Trading name entered where the registered name is required. "Joe's Coffee" instead of "Joe's Coffee (Pty) Ltd".
Wrong registration number format. It should be the full CIPC number in the format shown on your CoR14.3.
Old company details where a name or address change was filed at CIPC but never updated with SARS. Filing at CIPC does not update SARS.
Proof of address in the wrong name. Where it is in a spouse's or landlord's name, an affidavit from that person plus their ID and proof of address is generally accepted.
Check your details on CIPC first, then enter them exactly.
Activating tax types
Under Organisations → Tax Types, activate each tax the company is registered for.
| Tax type | Activate if |
|---|---|
| Income tax (ITR14) | Always |
| Provisional tax (IRP6) | Always — every company is a provisional taxpayer |
| VAT (VAT201) | Registered for VAT |
| PAYE, UIF, SDL (EMP201) | Registered as an employer |
| Dividends tax (DTR01/02) | Declaring dividends |
Activation is not instant. It can take days, and it will not complete at all if the representative is unconfirmed.
If a tax type stays pending for more than a week, that is the signal to check the representative rather than to keep waiting.
Adding your accountant
Two ways, and the difference matters.
Shared access. You add your accountant as a user on your own eFiling profile with defined rights. You retain ownership and can revoke access at any time. This is generally the better arrangement.
Practitioner profile transfer. The company is moved onto the accountant's practitioner profile. Common, and workable — but make sure you retain your own access as well, and understand how the profile returns to you if you change accountants.
Whichever you choose, keep your own login. You should always be able to see your own compliance status, correspondence and statement of account without asking anyone. Losing access to your own eFiling profile when a relationship ends is a genuinely difficult position.
Set up correspondence properly
This is the step nobody does, and it is the one that prevents enforcement surprises.
Check the email address and mobile number on the SARS profile. Every assessment, verification request, final demand and penalty notice goes there.
Use an address more than one person monitors — not a departed director's personal email.
Check the eFiling correspondence inbox monthly. Two minutes. It is where every warning arrives, and where the letters that precede a third-party appointment sit unread in most enforcement cases. See can SARS take money from your bank account.
Frequently asked questions
How do I register my company on SARS eFiling? Register a personal eFiling profile first, then add the company as an organisation using its registration number and income tax reference number, confirm the registered representative through the RAV01 process, and activate the tax types you need.
Why can't I activate my tax types on eFiling? Almost always because the registered representative is not confirmed with SARS, or because the company details entered do not match what SARS and CIPC hold. Tax type activation frequently sits pending indefinitely until the representative is verified.
What documents do I need to set up company eFiling? The company registration number and CoR14.3, the income tax reference number, a certified ID and recent proof of residential address for the registered representative, proof of business address, a bank confirmation letter and a resolution appointing the representative.
How long does it take to set up eFiling for a company? The profile setup takes minutes. Confirming the registered representative can take up to 21 business days, and tax type activation takes days after that, so plan for three to four weeks if starting from scratch.
Should my accountant have access to my eFiling? Yes, but keep your own login. Adding your accountant as a user on your profile with defined rights is generally better than transferring the company onto their practitioner profile, because you retain ownership and can revoke access.
Why am I not receiving SARS correspondence? Because the email address and mobile number on the SARS profile are out of date, or correspondence is going to a registered representative who has left the business. Every assessment, verification and final demand goes to those details, and the deadlines run whether or not you saw them.
Set up once, correctly
Most eFiling problems are not eFiling problems. They are registered representative problems, discovered weeks later when a tender needs a tax clearance PIN.
Smartbook sets up company eFiling as part of onboarding — representative confirmed, tax types activated, correspondence details current, and your own access retained.
Last reviewed: 26 July 2026. Written by the Smartbook team — SAIPA and SAICA accredited, SARS registered tax practitioners. SARS eFiling processes and screen names change — confirm current steps on sarsefiling.co.za. General guidance, not advice on your circumstances.
Primary sources: SARS eFiling · SARS eBooking · SARS — Businesses and Employers · SARS — Tax Compliance Status