Tax season is well underway. SARS opened the 2026 Filing Season on 1 July with its auto-assessment run, and manual filing has been open to everyone else since 13 July. If you run a business, the next six weeks carry a few dates and decisions worth getting right, including one in August that catches business owners out every single year.
Here is where things stand in mid-July, and what to line up next.
Where filing season is right now
SARS opened the season by auto-assessing millions of taxpayers with simpler tax affairs, and the early numbers were striking. More than 1.9 million people were auto-assessed in the first days, with around R8 billion in refunds paid within 72 hours. In total, SARS expects to issue roughly 6 million auto assessments this year.
A quick reminder of the key dates:
- Auto assessments: 1 to 12 July 2026 (now closed)
- Non-provisional individuals: 13 July to 23 October 2026
- Provisional taxpayers: 13 July 2026 to 22 January 2027
- Trusts: 19 September 2026 to 22 January 2027
If you were auto-assessed and everything looks correct, there is nothing more to do. If something is missing, and for business owners it often is, you can review and submit a corrected return rather than letting an inaccurate assessment stand.
If you did not receive an auto-assessment notification by 12 July, you are not auto-assessed and should file manually. That window is open now.
The R500,000 exemption: our advice is to file anyway
One change this year is that taxpayers who earn under R500,000 a year from a single employer, with no other income and no deductions to claim, are not required to file a return unless SARS specifically requests it. That last part is the catch, and it is where people get caught out.
Here is how it goes wrong. You decide you meet the criteria and do not file. SARS, working from its own records, decides you should have. Penalties follow, even though you technically qualified for the exemption. You can usually get those penalties reversed, but it means queries, submissions and back-and-forth that eat up time you do not have.
So our advice is simple: file a return regardless. Even a NIL return, or one that shows no income or income below the threshold, is worth submitting. A filed return is never a problem. An unfiled return can quietly become one down the line.
Filing costs you a few minutes now. Not filing can cost you an afternoon of admin later, and a fright when the penalty notice lands.
And if you earn anything on the side, from a business, rental, freelance work or investments, the exemption does not apply at all. You do need to file.
Stay alert: scam season runs alongside tax season
Filing season is also peak season for fraudsters. SARS has repeated a clear warning: it will never ask for your passwords, one-time PINs, banking PINs or eFiling login details by email, SMS, social media or phone.
Be wary of any message promising a surprise refund, and only ever act through official SARS channels. If a tax practitioner cannot verify their credentials, do not hand over your information. A moment of caution here protects both you and your business.
The August date business owners cannot ignore
Here is the one to circle. If you are a provisional taxpayer with a February year-end, which covers most people in business and most companies, your first provisional tax payment for the 2027 tax year is due on 31 August 2026.
Provisional tax is not a separate tax. It is simply a way of paying your income tax in advance, in two main installments during the year, so you are not hit with one large bill at assessment. The first payment asks you to estimate your taxable income for the full year and pay tax on half of it by 31 August.
Two things trip business owners up:
- Underestimating income. If your estimate is too low, SARS can charge penalties and interest. A realistic estimate based on your actual trading is far cheaper than a hopeful one.
- Leaving it to the last week. Pulling together an income estimate takes time, especially if your books are behind. Starting in early August, not late August, makes all the difference.
If you are unsure whether you are a provisional taxpayer, the simple test is this: if you earn income that is not fully taxed through PAYE, you almost certainly are.
Looking a little further ahead
A few more dates worth having on your radar as the season rolls on:
- 19 September 2026: the trust filing window opens. If you are a trustee, note that SARS has formally activated penalties for non-compliant trusts, so this is no longer optional.
- Keep your monthly obligations current: EMP201 (PAYE, UIF and SDL) by the 7th of each month, and VAT201 by the 25th of the month following your VAT period.
- 22 January 2027: the deadline for provisional taxpayers and trusts. It feels far away, but it arrives quickly once year-end admin begins.
Late submissions are expensive. SARS administrative penalties run from R250 to R16,000 per month, per outstanding return, so staying ahead is always cheaper than catching up.
Turn filing season into a habit, not a scramble
The businesses that sail through filing season are rarely the ones with the simplest finances. They are the ones with a system: clean records, separated personal and business accounts, and a clear view of what is due and when.
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That is exactly what Nicole Holborow-Browne is helping business owners build at The Business Owner Blueprint, a practical four-hour online workshop on 31 July 2026. It covers business setup, financial management, tax, compliance, cash flow and growth, in plain language, with a virtual toolkit and full recording included for everyone who registers. Tickets are R200 and seats are limited. Register on Quicket to join. |
Filing season does not have to be stressful. With a little structure now, and the right support in your corner, it becomes just another well-run part of your business.
This article is general information and not tax advice. For guidance specific to your business, speak to nhb.business.