You can get a SARS income tax reference number online, or recover one you already have, without paying a third party. The South African Revenue Service lists free digital channels for both jobs.
If you do not have a tax number yet, register on SARS eFiling with a valid South African ID, or submit a registration request on the SARS Online Query System (SOQS). If you already registered and forgot the number, request it on SOQS, USSD, WhatsApp, SMS, eFiling or the SARS MobiApp.
XTRAfrica also has a SARS eFiling login guide if you need to sign in first.
Official SARS tax-number links
Use these official pages and tools:
SARS eFiling - register for the first time and, with a valid South African ID, SARS can issue a tax number automatically
How do I register for tax - SARS list of the six registration options
Register as a taxpayer - extra detail on eFiling, SOQS, USSD, WhatsApp, your employer and branch visits
SARS Online Query System - choose Register for Income Tax, or What's My Tax Number?
Send us a query - same SOQS services in a list, including Request your Tax Reference Number
TAX AND REVENUE
How to Get Your SARS Tax Number Online
Get or recover your SARS tax number online via eFiling, SOQS, USSD *134*7277#, WhatsApp 0800 11 7277 or SMS 47277 using official SARS channels.
August 28, 2026 at 11:58:18 PM
August 28, 2026 at 11:58:18 PM
🕒 11 min read
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A SARS office in George, Western Cape. Photo: Bob Adams / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0.
You can get a SARS income tax reference number online, or recover one you already have, without paying a third party. The South African Revenue Service lists free digital channels for both jobs.
If you do not have a tax number yet, register on SARS eFiling with a valid South African ID, or submit a registration request on the SARS Online Query System (SOQS). If you already registered and forgot the number, request it on SOQS, USSD, WhatsApp, SMS, eFiling or the SARS MobiApp.
XTRAfrica also has a SARS eFiling login guide if you need to sign in first.
Official SARS tax-number links
Use these official pages and tools:
SARS eFiling - register for the first time and, with a valid South African ID, SARS can issue a tax number automatically
How do I register for tax - SARS list of the six registration options
Register as a taxpayer - extra detail on eFiling, SOQS, USSD, WhatsApp, your employer and branch visits
SARS Online Query System - choose Register for Income Tax, or What's My Tax Number?
Send us a query - same SOQS services in a list, including Request your Tax Reference Number
Guide to the SARS Online Query System - official steps for What's My Tax Number and other queries
Type the SARS address yourself. Do not follow a sponsored search advert, WhatsApp forward or SMS that asks you to pay for a tax number.
What you need
For online registration on eFiling, SARS says you must have a valid South African ID.
To recover a number you already have, have this ready:
Your South African ID number, or a passport or asylum-seeker number if that is what SARS has on record
Access to the cellphone number or email address already saved on your SARS profile
Your eFiling username and password, if you already have an eFiling profile
SARS will not give your tax number to another person unless that person is your tax practitioner or has power of attorney to deal with your tax affairs.
How to get a new SARS tax number on eFiling
SARS says that when you register for eFiling for the first time and you do not yet have a personal income tax number, it will automatically register you and issue a tax reference number.
Open the official SARS eFiling portal.
Select Register.
Follow the prompts and complete the identity details requested.
Create your username and password, then complete the OTP or other security step.
Sign in and look for your Notice of Registration once the profile is active.
You can follow the same registration path on the SARS MobiApp. SARS publishes a YouTube tutorial from the register for tax page if you get stuck.
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If you already have an eFiling profile but still need Personal Income Tax, SARS says you can register for that tax type on SOQS.
How to register on the SARS Online Query System
SARS added an online Register for Income Tax service on SOQS in February 2026. Use it when you need to request Personal Income Tax registration without going to a branch.
Open the SARS Online Query System or start from Send us a query and choose Register for Income Tax.
Complete the on-screen fields with your identity and contact details.
Submit the request and keep any confirmation SARS sends you.
The official SOQS guide explains how each query type works. Fill in the details that match SARS records.
Other official ways to register
USSD: Dial *134*7277# and use the menu. SARS lists Personal Income Tax registration as one of the options.
WhatsApp: Save 0800 11 7277, send Hi or Hello, then choose Personal Income Tax registration from the service menu.
Your employer: Ask payroll to register you on eFiling. SARS lets employers register employees for Income Tax.
A SARS branch: Book an appointment first. SARS discontinued the IT77 registration form for individuals. Bring original identification and a copy. SARS also lists proof of address and, where needed, proof of bank details for a branch visit. See Register as a taxpayer for the supporting-document list.
Since July 2022, SARS also automatically registers some people using information from third parties. Those people get an SMS and a letter with the tax number and how to use SARS services.
How to recover a forgotten SARS tax number
If you think you are already registered, check before you create a second profile.
Request it on SOQS
Open SOQS and choose What's My Tax Number? SARS says no supporting documents and no tax number are required for this query.
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Go to the SARS Online Query System or use Request your Tax Reference Number.
Choose whether SARS should send the number by email or SMS.
Enter your name, surname and ID type (South African ID, passport, company registration or trust number).
Complete the CAPTCHA and submit.
If SARS matches your details, the on-screen message is that your tax reference number will be issued shortly. If there is no match, SARS says a tax reference number could not be found for the details supplied.
The number is sent to the email or cellphone already on SARS records. If those contacts are old, update them on eFiling first, or book a branch appointment, then try again.
Request it by USSD, WhatsApp or SMS
USSD: Dial *134*7277# and select What's my Tax number? SARS says it will send the tax number to your phone and email the Notice of Registration to the email on record.
WhatsApp: Message Hi or Hello to 0800 11 7277, then request your tax reference number from the menu.
SMS: Text 47277. Type TRN, a space, then your ID number, passport number or asylum-seeker number.
Call the SARS Contact Centre on 0800 00 7277.
Request a Notice of Registration (IT150)
The Notice of Registration (IT150) shows your tax reference number. SARS lists these options:
SOQS / Send us a query
WhatsApp 0800 11 7277
SMS 47277 as above
USSD *134*7277#
SARS MobiApp, if you are already an eFiler
eFiling: SARS Registered Details
Lwazi chatbot on eFiling or the MobiApp: type Hello, then Menu, then Request Tax Reference Number
A booked SARS branch visit
On Lwazi, SARS asks for your ID or passport number and a cellphone number or email. After it verifies you, it confirms that the IT150 has been generated and will be emailed to you.
Common problems
SOQS says no tax number was found.
Check the spelling of your name and the ID type. If you have never registered, use eFiling or Register for Income Tax on SOQS instead of What's My Tax Number.
The SMS or email never arrives.
SARS sends the number to the contacts already on its system. Update those details on eFiling, then request the number again. If you cannot sign in, use the official eFiling login troubleshooting steps.
You do not have a South African ID.
Automatic eFiling registration needs a valid South African ID. Non-residents can still register at a branch with a passport, permit or asylum-seeker certificate (original plus a copy).
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Someone else asks for your tax number.
SARS will not give it to them unless they are your tax practitioner or hold power of attorney.
Scam warning
Getting a tax number through SARS is free. SARS says it will not ask for your eFiling password, OTP or banking PIN by SMS, email, social media or phone.
Do not pay a Facebook page, WhatsApp number or agent to issue a tax number
Do not send your ID book photo or OTP to someone who contacted you first
Open eFiling and SOQS by typing the official address, not by tapping a short link in a refund message
Report suspicious messages to phishing@sars.gov.za. Read SARS scams and phishing guidance.
Frequently asked questions
Is a SARS tax number the same as my eFiling username? Not usually. Your tax reference number is issued when you are registered for income tax. Your eFiling username is the login you created. See the eFiling login guide if you are mixing the two up.
Do I have to visit a SARS branch? No. SARS lists eFiling, SOQS, USSD, WhatsApp and your employer as ways to register without walking in. Book a branch visit only if those channels cannot complete the job.
Does it cost money? SARS eFiling is a free electronic service, and the digital channels above are official SARS services. You should not pay a middleman.
I already file through my employer. Do I still need a tax number? PAYE does not replace an income tax reference number. If SARS or your employer asks for your tax number, recover it with What's My Tax Number or register if you do not have one.
What do I do after I have the number? Keep the IT150. Use eFiling or the MobiApp for returns and refunds. XTRAfrica explains how to check a SARS tax refund and how to check a SARS Auto Assessment.
Official sources
How do I register for tax (updated 19 August 2026)
Register as a taxpayer (updated 19 August 2026)
Checked against official SARS pages on 29 August 2026. Follow the instruction on your own SARS screen if it differs. This is general guidance, not personal tax advice.
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