ITR14 company tax return: How South African small businesses file with SARS

Published Friday 2 October 2026

Table of contents

• What is the ITR14 company tax return?
• Which companies must file an ITR14 with SARS?
• When is the ITR14 due?
• What you need before you file
• How to file your ITR14 on SARS eFiling
• How much company income tax will you pay?
• Penalties for filing your ITR14 late
• Simplify company tax time with Xero
• FAQs on the ITR14 company tax return

Key takeaways

• The ITR14 is the annual income tax return every registered company and close corporation submits to SARS to declare its income and work out its tax.
• You file the ITR14 on SARS eFiling within 12 months of your company's financial year-end.
• Standard companies pay income tax at 27% of taxable income, while qualifying small business corporations pay lower, sliding-scale rates.
• Filing late or not at all can trigger administrative penalties, so gather your financial statements early and submit on time.

What is the ITR14 company tax return?

The ITR14 is the annual company income tax return you submit to SARS to declare your company's income and work out what it owes.

The ITR14 is a dynamic return, which means it's customised to your company. When you request it on eFiling, SARS asks a few questions and builds the right version based on your company type. That keeps the return relevant to your business instead of asking about things that don't apply.

It's also worth knowing what the ITR14 isn't. It's separate from your personal income tax return (the ITR12), and it's separate from provisional tax (the IRP6), which is a way of paying your company tax in advance during the year.

Which companies must file an ITR14 with SARS?

Every company registered for income tax in South Africa must file an ITR14, including private companies (Pty Ltd) and close corporations. Dormant companies and body corporates need to file too.

SARS also classifies companies so it can customise the return and apply the right rules. The main classifications are:

• dormant: a company that didn't trade at all during the full year of assessment
• body corporate: a body corporate as set out in the Sectional Titles Act
• micro business: gross income of up to R1 million and total assets of up to R5 million
• small business: gross income of up to R20 million and total assets of up to R10 million
• medium to large: a company with income or assets above the small business thresholds

These classifications matter because they change which sections of the return you complete. A dormant company answers far fewer questions than a trading company, and a small business fills in less detail than a medium to large one. You can read more about the classifications on the SARS guide to completing an ITR14.

When is the ITR14 due?

You must submit your ITR14 within 12 months of your company's financial year-end. Your due date follows your own year-end, so it isn't the same for every business.

For example,if your company's financial year ends on 28 February, you have until the end of the following February to file that year's ITR14. If your year-end is 30 June, you file by the end of the following June.

Company income tax isn't only settled once a year, though. Many companies also pay provisional tax using the IRP6 twice during the year, roughly six months apart. The ITR14 then reconciles your full-year position, and SARS works out whether you've paid enough.

What you need before you file

Gathering your paperwork before you start makes the ITR14 much quicker to complete. Have your figures ready so you can move through the return without stopping to hunt for details.

Before you file, get together:

• annual financial statements for the year of assessment
• company income tax reference number
• registration details, such as the company’s registration number and registered address
• banking details for any refund or payment
• industry schedules if your company works in mining, farming, or insurance
• controlled foreign company returns if your company holds interests in one

Keeping these records organised through the year, rather than pulling them together at the last minute, is the single biggest time-saver at tax time. Accurate, up-to-date books also make it easier to check your figures before you submit.

How to file your ITR14 on SARS eFiling

You file the ITR14 online through SARS eFiling, which is available 24 hours a day. The steps below take you from logging in to checking your assessment.

1. Log in to SARS eFiling

Sign in to your SARS eFiling profile using your username and password. Make sure your company is listed on the profile and that your income tax reference number is registered, so you can access the company's returns.

2. Request and customise your ITR14

Open the returns section, find income tax, and request the ITR14 for the year you're filing. SARS then asks a short set of questions about your company, and it uses your answers to build the version of the return that fits your business.

3. Complete the return

Work through each section, entering the figures from your annual financial statements. Take your income, expenses, assets, and liabilities straight from your statements so the return matches your books.

4. Upload supporting documents and submit

Attach the supporting documents SARS asks for, such as your financial statements and any industry schedules that apply. Check your entries once more, then submit the return through eFiling.

5. Check your assessment

After you submit, SARS reviews the return and issues an assessment called the ITA34C. Open it to see whether your company owes tax, is due a refund, or is square, and note any payment date so you don't miss it.

How much company income tax will you pay?

The standard company income tax rate is 27% of taxable income for years of assessment ending between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2027. Taxable income is your profit after the deductions SARS allows, not your total turnover.

Smaller companies may qualify as a small business corporation (SBC) and pay lower, sliding-scale rates. For the 2027 tax year, covering financial years ending between 1 April 2026 and 31 March 2027, the SBC rates are:

• 0% on taxable income up to R99 000 (the threshold for the 2026 tax year was R95 750)
• 7% of the amount above R99 000, up to R365 000
• R18 620 plus 21% of the amount above R365 000, up to R550 000
• R57 470 plus 27% of the amount above R550 000

There's also a simpler option for very small businesses. Turnover tax is an alternative regime for qualifying micro-businesses that replaces income tax, provisional tax, and capital gains tax with a single tax based on turnover, which cuts down the calculations at tax time.

Penalties for filing your ITR14 late

SARS can charge administrative non-compliance penalties when a company files its ITR14 late or doesn't file at all. These penalties are separate from your tax bill, so they add to what you owe.

On top of that, SARS charges interest on tax you pay late. The longer an amount stays outstanding, the more that interest builds up, which makes a missed deadline more expensive than it first looks.

The practical fix is to file early. Keep your records current through the year, prepare your financial statements as soon as your year-end passes, and submit them well before your 12-month deadline so a small delay doesn't turn into a penalty.

Simplify company tax time with Xero

Getting your ITR14 done is far easier when your records are already organised and accurate, and that's where cloud accounting helps. When your income, expenses, and bank transactions are reconciled through the year, the figures you need for the return are ready when you are.

Xero brings your finances together in one place, so your annual financial statements and supporting numbers are current rather than something you reconstruct at the last minute. With tidy books behind you, completing the ITR14 on eFiling becomes a matter of transferring figures you already trust.

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FAQs on the ITR14 company tax return

Here are answers to some common questions small business owners ask about the ITR14.

Is the ITR14 the same as the IT14?

The ITR14 is the current company income tax return, and it replaced the older IT14 form. If you still see references to the IT14, they're pointing to the same type of return under its previous name.

Do dormant companies need to file an ITR14?

Yes. A dormant company that didn't trade during the year still has to submit an ITR14, though it completes a much shorter version of the return.

Can you submit your ITR14 without eFiling?

The ITR14 is designed to be requested and submitted electronically through SARS eFiling. If you can't use eFiling yourself, you can visit a SARS branch by appointment or ask a registered tax practitioner to file on your behalf.

What happens after you submit your ITR14?

SARS reviews your return and issues an assessment called the ITA34C. It confirms whether your company owes tax, is due a refund, or has nothing further to pay.

Do you still pay provisional tax if you file an ITR14?

Yes. Many companies pay provisional tax through the IRP6 twice a year, and the ITR14 then reconciles your full-year income tax so SARS can finalise what you owe.