Tax Clearance Certificate

“What is a Tax Clearance Certificate?”

A Tax Clearance Certificate is an official document from SARS that shows your business is up to date with its tax obligations.

It confirms that:

  • You’ve submitted all your returns
  • You don’t owe any outstanding taxes or penalties

It’s one of the most important compliance documents you can have as a business.

“Why do I need a Tax Clearance Certificate?”

You’ll often be asked to provide a valid Tax Clearance Certificate when:

  • Applying for government tenders or contracts
  • Working with large corporates
  • Applying for funding or loans
  • Registering as a vendor or supplier
  • Opening certain types of business bank accounts

Without it, many clients simply won’t work with you.

“How do I get a Tax Clearance Certificate?”

You apply through SARS eFiling, but before it can be issued, SARS checks that your business:

  • Is registered for all relevant taxes
  • Has submitted all outstanding returns
  • Has no tax debt (unless there’s an active payment plan in place)

Once approved, you’ll receive a Tax Compliance Status (TCS) PIN, which is a secure digital code that third parties can use to check your compliance.

If you need help getting your Tax Clearance Certificate, Govchain can assist.

“How long is a Tax Clearance Certificate valid for?”

A Tax Clearance Certificate doesn’t have an expiry date, but your compliance status is continuously monitored by SARS.

If you fall behind on returns or payments, your status can change to non-compliant, and your certificate will no longer be valid until you fix the issue.

“What happens if I don’t have a Tax Clearance Certificate?”

Without a valid Tax Clearance Certificate or TCS PIN:

  • You may be disqualified from tenders or funding
  • You’ll appear non-compliant to partners and clients
  • You may lose out on valuable contracts or opportunities

Govchain can help you get a Tax Clearance Certificate (Pin) from SARS that shows your company tax status.

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