The SARS auto assessment 2026 window ran from 1 July to 12 July 2026, with millions of South Africans notified by SMS or email whether they are owed a refund or must pay in.
The auto assessment is the first phase of the 2026 tax filing season, according to the South African Revenue Service.
It is aimed at taxpayers with simpler tax affairs whose income has already been reported to SARS by employers and other third parties.
How the SARS auto assessment 2026 works
SARS builds your assessment from data supplied by employers, banks, medical schemes and retirement funds.
If the figures are complete and correct, the system calculates your outcome and you do not need to file a return. The revenue service expects to issue about six million auto assessments this year.
Taxpayers selected for the process received a notification between 1 and 12 July 2026. SARS has warned people not to log into eFiling or the MobiApp to check until they have received that SMS or email, and not to visit branches during this period to avoid unnecessary congestion.
What to do if you agree or disagree
If you agree with the SARS auto assessment 2026 outcome, there is nothing further to do.
Where a refund is due and your banking details are in order, SARS says it will pay it within 72 hours. Amounts under R100, whether owed to you or by you, roll over to the next tax year.
If you disagree, you can correct and submit your own return. Taxpayers who received their auto assessment on or before 27 August 2026 have until 23 October 2026 to file a correction or a full return.
That deadline aligns the query window with the broader filing season.
Key dates for the rest of tax season
Taxpayers who are not auto assessed can file from 13 July to 23 October 2026. Provisional taxpayers and trusts have until 22 January 2027 to submit. SARS commissioner Johnstone Makhubu said the phased approach is designed to manage taxpayer flows and reduce pressure on service channels.
There are changes this year worth noting. More information is prefilled on returns, the form has been simplified, and taxpayers can now receive their assessment notice by WhatsApp.
SARS has also warned taxpayers to watch for scams, stressing that it never asks for passwords or banking PINs by SMS or email.
What happens next
The auto assessment window closed on 12 July 2026, after which anyone who has not been notified must file manually once the general season opens.
With refunds flowing within days for those whose details are in order, the pressure now sits with taxpayers to check that their banking and contact information is up to date before acting.
