Supplier file already in order
A current TCS request and correct handover may be sufficient.
- Send the buyer’s exact wording and the legal entity name.
- If you only need the electronic PIN, the dedicated PIN service may fit the narrower task.
TAX & SARS · SOUTH AFRICA
Asked for a tax clearance certificate? Start here.
A tender, supplier or funding application may still ask for a tax clearance certificate. Vatco helps you understand the evidence being requested, review your SARS position and work towards the appropriate Tax Compliance Status outcome without relying on outdated certificate terminology.
Your requirements · A clear scope · Your next step
YOUR SERVICE GUIDE
Tax clearance assistance
Tax clearance assistance
01
ReviewConfirm the facts and scope of your request.
02
PrepareOrganise the records and authorised next action.
03
Follow throughRecord the outcome and continuing responsibilities.
Start with the details that matter.
A clear place to start.Tell us what your business needs.
CLEAR UP THE TERMINOLOGY
Translate the request into the evidence you actually need.
“Tax clearance certificate” remains a familiar phrase in procurement checklists and business conversations. The current SARS process uses Tax Compliance Status, including a PIN that an authorised third party can use to verify your position. The first practical step is therefore to understand what the receiving organisation expects, rather than order a document because of its old name.
This service helps you prepare for a clearance request, including identifying what needs attention when your profile shows a problem. If your tax affairs are already in order and you mainly need help requesting or sharing the electronic PIN, the dedicated TCS PIN service is the more direct starting point.
- Send the wording of the requirement, the applicant’s legal name and the date by which it is needed.
- A request for a supplier’s good standing is different from a specialised approval connected to an international transfer. A registration notice, company certificate or screenshot of a tax number also answers a different question from proof of tax compliance.
YOUR SITUATION
Do you need verification evidence or help resolving a tax problem?
Outstanding returns or a balance
Begin with a status review and a list of the specific periods or tax types affected.
- Provide the latest account information and acknowledgements for work already submitted.
- A clearance enquiry does not settle debt or complete historical returns.
Incorrect status or specialised purpose
Keep the exact message and identify the purpose before choosing a correction route.
- Payment and submission evidence may change the next action.
- An international-transfer request has different requirements from ordinary supplier good standing.
COST & SCOPE
See what the quote covers and what is separate.
Swipe across to compare all columns.
| Cost item | Price or basis | What to allow for |
|---|---|---|
| Vatco clearance review | Quoted by tax types, periods and visible issues | The quote identifies status review, correspondence and the agreed verification handover. |
| SARS eFiling platform | R0 platform access | Professional preparation, tax payable and corrective work remain separate. |
| Return catch-up or debt assistance | Separate scope after review | Missing accounts, return preparation, disputed balances and payment arrangements are not one fixed clearance charge. |
| Tax balances and tender compliance | Payable or quoted separately where applicable | Tax owed remains a SARS liability; CSD and industry evidence remain separate from the tax review. |
The service fee, any amount payable to the authority and additional work are separate. The table identifies the scope to confirm before you proceed.
READY TO SHARE
Keep tax evidence aligned with your application.
Check the rest of the application independently. Tax compliance does not establish that a company holds a required industry registration, qualifies for a tender or meets a buyer’s financial criteria.
- Supplier or tender applicantBuyer requirement and dated verification record
A useful procurement file identifies the legal entity, the requirement received, the current verification details and the date on which they were checked. Keep these together with the relevant correspondence.
- Buyer still asks for a certificateRequest for the accepted SARS evidence
If a receiving organisation continues to request an older style of certificate, ask which current SARS verification evidence it accepts before sending unrelated documents.
- Relevant legal entityCompany registration and tax-reference notices
Prepare the company registration details and tax references, but only share information necessary for the purpose.
- Authorised reviewerVerification details and handover record
A prospective customer does not need your eFiling password to confirm your compliance. Arrange access for the actual reviewer through the appropriate verification information, and retain a record of what was supplied.
- Separate application requirementsCSD or industry compliance records
Your clearance work may sit alongside CSD, company-record or industry-compliance tasks, but each has its own evidence. Separating these items helps prevent a complete tax file from being mistaken for a complete tender submission.
- A compliance issue is shownSARS status messages, returns and payment proofs
Provide the exact notice and evidence for the affected period so the review can distinguish missing work from an incorrect record.
DIAGNOSE BEFORE APPLYING
Find the issue before promising a clearance date.
Correct taxpayer
Begin with the exact entity named in the tender or application.
- Where a group has several companies, an owner’s personal tax position should not be substituted for the company being assessed.
- Compare the business name and references used in the procurement paperwork with the SARS records so the review concerns the correct taxpayer.
Outstanding compliance work
Next, gather existing compliance messages, outstanding-return lists and account correspondence.
- We organise the concerns into practical work items: missing information, records that need checking, submissions that may be outstanding or a balance that needs investigation.
- This avoids treating every red indicator as the same problem or assuming that one payment will resolve an entire profile.
Incorrect or disputed information
The review should distinguish between an actual compliance gap and information you believe is incorrect.
- A payment proof, earlier submission acknowledgement or case reference can materially change the next step. Keep the underlying evidence instead of relying on a verbal statement that an accountant handled everything previously.
- The objective is a documented issue list with a responsible person and a suitable route for each item.
THE WORK BEHIND CLEARANCE
Turn the issue list into an achievable work plan.
- 01
Define the work and periods
We first agree which part of the clearance request needs help.
- That may be a focused status review, obtaining current correspondence, preparing a PIN request or coordinating separate tax-return work. The scope should say which years and tax types are involved.
- A broad promise to “make everything compliant” is not a useful substitute for identifying the actual tasks.
- 02
Collect the missing records
Where records are incomplete, start by collecting the material required for the missing work.
- For example, a company income tax return may require accounting records, while payroll discrepancies need employee and payment information.
- Historic returns should not be filled with zeros simply because the source documents are inconvenient to obtain.
- 03
Investigate the account balance
When an account balance is involved, confirm how it arose and whether payments have been allocated correctly.
- If you cannot pay an established liability, discuss the appropriate debt-support route instead of assuming that submitting a clearance request removes it.
- 04
Recheck and retain the response
Once agreed actions have been completed, revisit the status and retain the response. The sequence creates a clearer record for both you and the next person reviewing your application.
A CLEAR SCOPE
Be realistic about the deadline and the remaining work.
Tell us about the tender closing date or onboarding deadline at the beginning. We can assess document readiness and outline the preparation steps, but an urgent commercial request does not remove SARS requirements. Historic records, unresolved account matters or further authority correspondence can affect the path to a usable outcome.
The service is complete when the agreed work and its outcome have been explained and handed over, not merely when somebody forwards a number. If a blocking issue remains, it should be identified clearly. After obtaining suitable evidence, assign responsibility for the next returns and payments so the same obstacle is less likely to reappear when another customer asks for clearance.
- Your quote should separate the clearance review from any bookkeeping reconstruction, return submission or tax-debt assistance identified during that review.
- This gives you an informed choice about the work being authorised. Confirm what follow-up is included and which matters may require a separate engagement.
CONNECT THE NEXT PIECE.
Related support
for your business.
YOUR QUESTIONS. A CLEARER NEXT STEP.
Tax clearance assistance:
frequently asked questions.
01Will I receive an old-style paper tax clearance certificate?
The request should be handled using the applicable current SARS process. Many organisations still use the old phrase while expecting TCS verification. Share the exact wording of the request so we can identify the appropriate evidence rather than promise a historic document format.
02What is different about your TCS PIN service?
Tax clearance assistance focuses on understanding the requirement and addressing readiness issues. The PIN service focuses on the electronic request, verification and sharing process. If a review discovers outstanding work, its nature and cost should be agreed separately rather than assumed to be included.
03Does having a tax number mean I am tax compliant?
No. A reference identifies a taxpayer; it does not answer whether the current compliance requirements have been met. Keep registration evidence and compliance evidence separate in your records. A buyer requesting clearance generally needs more than a letter displaying your tax number.
04Can you help if a previous return or payment is missing?
We can assess the information available and identify the relevant work. Bring the submission acknowledgement or payment proof if you believe the item was already dealt with. Correcting an allocation is different from preparing a return that has never been filed.
05Does tax clearance guarantee that I will win a tender?
No. It addresses one part of the supporting evidence requested by the buyer. Tender evaluation, industry requirements, commercial pricing and other qualification rules remain separate. We can help you keep the tax component organised without claiming control over the procurement decision.
06How do I begin when I do not know what is wrong?
Start with the legal entity, the reason clearance is required and any SARS message or status description you already have. We can establish the review scope from that information. Do not send passwords or upload a complete private tax archive with an initial public enquiry.
Have a question about your situation?
USEFUL INFORMATION, CLOSE TO HAND.
Resources for
your next step.
Go deeper with guidance from the relevant authorities.
OFFICIAL RESOURCE
SARS: TCS functionality guide
The modern system that replaced the earlier clearance application process.
Open the resource OFFICIAL RESOURCESARS: How to request Tax Compliance Status
Good Standing and the appropriate request process.
Open the resource OFFICIAL RESOURCESARS eFiling: Free online service
Official confirmation that eFiling platform use is free.
Open the resourceLET’S FIND YOUR NEXT STEP.
Ready to discuss
tax clearance assistance?
Share your requirements with Vatco.
Confirm the scope, documents and fees before proceeding.