How to get your SARS tax compliance PIN

SARS no longer issues paper tax clearance certificates. Instead you request a Tax Compliance Status (TCS) PIN on eFiling and give it to whoever needs proof, such as CSD or a tender. They use the PIN to see your live status.

No SARS feeto request the PIN

Instantif your tax affairs are in order

Live statusbuyers see it on the day they check

Last checked against official sources on 2 November 2026. Rules change: confirm on the official portal before you submit.

Who needs it

Businesses registering on the CSD or bidding for tenders
Anyone a client, funder or bank asks to prove tax good standing
Sending money abroad uses a different PIN type, Approval International Transfer (AIT)

Before you start

Tick these off as you gather them.

A SARS eFiling login for the business
The Tax Compliance Status service activated on your eFiling profile (a one-time step)
Registered for every tax type you owe: income tax, VAT if you are over the threshold, PAYE if you pay salaries
All returns submitted (for example ITR14, IRP6, VAT201, EMP201, EMP501)
All tax debt paid, or a payment arrangement in place
For companies: a registered representative linked on eFiling

Step by step

Log in to SARS eFiling.
Screenshot of this step coming soon: eFiling login
Activate the Tax Compliance Status service if you have not before. You only do this once.
Screenshot of this step coming soon: service activation
Open My Compliance Profile to see whether each area shows as compliant.
Choose Tax Compliance Status Request.
Select the type Good Standing. This is the one CSD and tenders need. The old "Tender" option was removed in 2023.
Screenshot of this step coming soon: type selection
Submit. If you are compliant, SARS sends the PIN by SMS and email straight away, and it also shows on your request results.
Give the PIN to the buyer or enter it on your CSD profile.

Open the official portal: SARS eFiling

Fix a problem

The issues people hit most, and what to do.

My status shows as non-compliant (red)

SARS checks four things: registration, submitted returns, debt and supporting documents. Hover over the red indicator on My Compliance Profile to see which one, then fix that item and request again.

It says I have outstanding returns

File every missing return on eFiling, starting with the oldest. Late returns can attract administrative penalties, so file as soon as you can.

It says I owe SARS money

Pay the debt, or apply for a payment arrangement or suspension on eFiling. A compliant arrangement counts.

I disagree with my status

Use the Challenge Status option on My Compliance Profile and give the reason with supporting documents.

The tender or CSD will not accept my PIN

Check that it is a Good Standing PIN, that the tax number and name match your CSD profile, and that the tender has no rule about how recently the PIN must be issued. Some still ask for a "tax clearance certificate": a TCS PIN is what replaced it.

What it costs

Route	What you pay
Request it yourself on eFiling	No SARS fee
Use a tax practitioner	Their service fee. Only SARS-registered tax practitioners may do tax work for a fee.

Any tax, penalties or interest you owe are separate and must be settled before you show as compliant.

How long it takes

If everything is in order, the PIN is issued immediately. If you are non-compliant, the time depends on how long it takes to file missing returns or settle debt, which can be days to weeks.

When it expires

SARS does not publish a single fixed validity period. Buyers use the PIN to view your live status on the day they check
If you fall behind on returns or payments later, the PIN will show you as non-compliant
Request a new PIN whenever a buyer asks for a recent one