when does sars tax season open 2026

SARS tax season for 2026 opens on 13 July 2026 for the main filing period, while the auto-assessment window runs from 1 to 12 July 2026.

Key dates

• 1–12 July 2026: Auto-assessment period.

• 13 July 2026: Filing opens for non-provisional and provisional taxpayers who need to submit returns.

• 23 October 2026: Deadline for non-provisional taxpayers.

• 22 January 2027: Deadline for provisional taxpayers and trusts.

What this means

If you are auto-assessed, SARS says you’ll be notified during the first part of July and you should review the assessment carefully before accepting it. If you are not auto-assessed, you file once the season opens on 13 July 2026.

TL;DR: SARS tax season effectively starts with auto-assessments on 1 July 2026, but the main filing opening date is 13 July 2026.