South Africa
South Africa: 4 company types, its taxes, banking and business environment, and what it is known for.
Forming a company
Company types in South Africa
The 4 forms a founder can choose here, each with its own figures. Open one for its sources.
What it is known for
Where South Africa is in the world’s top 10 on a measure anyone can check, the best rank first. Only the top is shown; a low rank is never stated.
- World’s1stWorld-leading exports Platinum (unwrought or semi-finished)Platinum, unwrought or in semi-manufactured forms, or in powder formUS$15.2 bn · 32.4% of world exports of 98 exporters · 2024 CEPII BACI, January 2026 release See the top 10
- World’s1stWorld-leading exports Chromium ores and concentratesUS$7.2 bn · 85.4% of world exports of 66 exporters · 2024 CEPII BACI, January 2026 release See the top 10
- World’s2ndWorld-leading exports Ferro-alloysUS$4.9 bn · 11.0% of world exports of 125 exporters · 2024 CEPII BACI, January 2026 release See the top 10
A rank is among everything the source reports for that year, so it moves when the source adds or drops economies. Exports include goods passing through for re-export. Nothing here is a recommendation.
Doing business here
Business accounts
Providers whose own published list of countries names South Africa. A listing means a company formed here may apply, not that it will be accepted.
Not in our records No provider's country list has been read for South Africa.
EU listings
Two lists a bank checks when it opens an account for a company or its owner.
- EU high-risk third countries (AML)
- Not listed
- EU non-cooperative jurisdictions for tax purposes
- Not listedOfficial EUR-Lex, 52026XG01465, Annex I as of 2026-02-17
Official sites
The authorities’ own sites for South Africa: where to register, file and check.
Blocs and agreements
The trade arrangements South Africa belongs to, as each arrangement’s own texts state them: since when, and what each covers. What a membership means for a business is for you to judge.
- African Continental Free Trade Area
- Free trade area · since 30 May 2019
Covers goods, services.
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means a Member State that has ratified or acceded to this Agreement and for which the Agreement is in force
- Southern African Customs Union
- Customs union · since 15 July 2004
Covers goods, a common external tariff.
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This Agreement shall, subject to Article 6, remain open for accession by any other State.
- SADC Free Trade Area
- Free trade area
Covers goods.
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13 SADC Member States are participating in the Free Trade Area (FTA) while three are not yet participating, namely Angola, DRC and the Comoros.
Regional and customs arrangements only, 36 of them; bilateral trade agreements are not yet in our records.
Tax
Company tax
Tax, and what the company owes the registry each year.
- Corporate income tax
- 27%
- Distributions
- Not in our records
- Audit
- Not in our records
- Small-company relief
- Not in our records
- Annual obligations
- Not in our records
- Annual registry fee
- ZAR 100Official The registry or ministry page as of 2026-10-10
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Less than R1 million R100 R150 R1 million but less than R10 million R450 R600 R10 million but less than R25 million R2000 R2500 R25 million or more R3000 R4000
VAT
The tax on what the company sells in South Africa, and when it must register, as the tax authority states it.
- Standard rate
- Not in our recordsThe tax authority’s pages have not been read for South Africa.
Tax calendar
When the main returns and payments fall due in South Africa, tax year 2026, as the tax authority states it.
- Corporate tax return
- 12 months after the end of the accounting period · each year
SARS Tax Calendar: companies are required to submit the ITR14 within 12 months from the date on which their financial year ends.
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Companies, including CC’s, Co‐operatives and Body Corporates, are required to submit a Return of Income: Companies and Close Corporations (ITR14) within 12 months from the date on which their financial year ends.
- Corporate tax, final payment
- 7 months after the end of the accounting period · each year
SARS Provisional Tax: the third payment may be made for companies with a year end of the last day of February the last business day of September — seven months after the year end; in any other case it is made within six months of the end of the year of assessment. The rule records the standard February year end. The payment is optional; any balance remaining is settled on assessment.
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The third payment is voluntary and may be made: for companies with a year end of the last day of February, and any other person (other than a company), the last business day of September; in any other case, within six months of the end of the year of assessment.
- Corporate tax, instalments
- 31 August · twice a year
SARS Provisional Tax: the first provisional tax payment must be made within six months of the start of the year of assessment — for a year of assessment starting in March this is 31 August; the second payment must be made no later than the last working day of the year of assessment, the last business day of February. The rule records the first payment; frequency is semiannual.
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The first provisional tax payment must be made within six months of the start of the year of assessment. For years of assessment starting March, this will be 31 August, if it is a business day, or the last business day before that date if it falls on a Saturday, Sunday or public holiday.
- Personal income-tax return
- Set each year by decree · each year
SARS Filing Season 2026: the Income Tax (Individual) Filing Season runs from 13 July 2026 to 23 October 2026; provisional taxpayers have more time until 22 January 2027. SARS announces the season each year, so the dates are recorded as published. The rule lists the closing date for non-provisional taxpayers and the later date for provisional taxpayers.
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Income Tax (Individual) Filing Season which runs from 13 July 2026 to 23 October 2026 (Provisional taxpayers have more time until 22 January 2027)
- Personal income tax, final payment
- 30 September · each year
SARS Tax Calendar: the filing and payment by individuals of provisional tax (IRP6) is 31 August (1st period), 28 February (2nd period) and 30 September (3rd period). The rule records the third, balancing period. A taxpayer who is not a provisional taxpayer pays any amount due on assessment.
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Provisional Tax – The filing and payment by individuals of provisional tax (IRP6’s) is 31 August (1st period), 28 February (2nd period) and 30 September (3rd period)
- Personal income tax, instalments
- 31 August · twice a year
SARS Tax Calendar: the filing and payment by individuals of provisional tax is 31 August (1st period) and 28 February (2nd period). The rule records the first period; the second falls on the last day of February, the last day of the year of assessment.
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Provisional Tax – The filing and payment by individuals of provisional tax (IRP6’s) is 31 August (1st period), 28 February (2nd period) and 30 September (3rd period)
- VAT return
- Day 25 of the following month · every two months
SARS VAT obligations: a vendor must submit VAT returns and make payment on or before the 25th day (or the last business day of the month for eFiling users) following the month in which the tax period ends. The standard tax period is two calendar months — Category A ending the last day of January, March, May, July, September and November, or Category B ending February, April, June, August, October and December; a vendor whose taxable supplies exceed R30 million falls into Category C, a one-month period. The rule records the 25th of the month after the standard two-month period.
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A vendor must submit VAT returns and make payment (or claim a refund) of VAT on or before the 25th day or the last business day of the month (if registered for eFiling) following the month in which the vendor’s tax period ends.
- Payroll withholding
- Day 7 of the following month · each month
SARS Tax Calendar: the EMP201 must be submitted monthly by the 7th of the following month, or the Friday before that day if the 7th falls on a weekend or public holiday. The PAYE page states that the tax withheld must be paid within seven days after the end of the month during which it was deducted.
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Monthly – the EMP201 must be submitted monthly – by the 7th of the following month or the Friday* before that day if the 7th falls on a weekend or public holiday.
Running the company
Running a company here
Not in our records The authorities’ pages on running a company have not been read for South Africa yet.
Economy and trade
What it exports
Goods South Africa exported, by product, as a share of its goods exports each year. Exports include goods passing through for re-export. A share describes South Africa’s own trade; it does not compare places.
| Product (HS heading) | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | Value, 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gold (including gold plated with platinum), unwrought or in semi-manufactured forms, or in powder form HS 7108 | 14.4% | 17.2% | 19.1% | US$29 bn |
| Platinum, unwrought or in semi-manufactured forms, or in powder form HS 7110 | 12.5% | 9.6% | 10.0% | US$15.2 bn |
| Motor cars and other motor vehicles principally designed for the transport of persons (other than those of heading 8702), including station wagons and racing cars HS 8703 | 5.6% | 5.7% | 5.9% | US$9 bn |
| Chromium ores and concentrates HS 2610 | 1.6% | 4.1% | 4.7% | US$7.2 bn |
| Coal; briquettes, ovoids and similar solid fuels manufactured from coal HS 2701 | 9.3% | 6.2% | 4.5% | US$6.9 bn |
| Iron ores and concentrates, including roasted iron pyrites HS 2601 | 5.6% | 4.9% | 4.4% | US$6.6 bn |
| Motor vehicles for the transport of goods HS 8704 | 2.6% | 4.5% | 3.9% | US$5.9 bn |
| Ferro-alloys HS 7202 | 3.6% | 3.6% | 3.2% | US$4.9 bn |
| Diamonds, whether or not worked, but not mounted or set HS 7102 | 4.2% | 3.2% | 2.4% | US$3.7 bn |
| Manganese ores and concentrates, including ferruginous manganese ores and concentrates with a manganese content of 20 % or more, calculated on the dry weight HS 2602 | 1.9% | 1.8% | 2.1% | US$3.1 bn |
Total goods exports, 2024: US$152.2 bn. The ten largest headings are shown.