IT3(c) — The Complete Guide to Your Capital Gains Certificate
The IT3(c) is a certificate your investment platform or asset manager issues, showing capital gains or losses from disposing of unit trusts, shares, or other financial instruments. This guide explains what it covers, how to use it, and why crypto exchanges usually don't issue one.
Important note: If you trade or hold crypto assets, you generally won't receive an IT3(c) for that activity — South African crypto exchanges typically don't issue these certificates, even though SARS still expects you to declare crypto gains and losses.
What is the IT3(c)?
The IT3(c) — Certificate of Income re Disposal of Unit Trusts or Other Financial Instruments — shows capital gains or losses arising from the disposal of investments such as unit trusts, shares, and other financial instruments during the tax year.
Source: SARS — IT3 Data Submission page
You don't complete this form: Your investment platform or asset manager issues it to you, and reports the same data directly to SARS — you don't fill in or submit anything yourself.
Source: SARS — Third-Party Data page
Reporting institutions are required to submit this data under Section 26 of the Tax Administration Act.
Source: SARS — Third-Party Data page
How it's used on your ITR12
SARS lists the IT3(c) as one of the supporting documents for capital gain transactions on your ITR12 — alongside your sale agreement, invoices, and your own calculation of the base cost for each asset you disposed of.
Source: SARS — Comprehensive Guide to the ITR12
You still calculate your own base cost: Having an IT3(c) doesn't remove your responsibility to work out the base cost of each asset yourself — the certificate supports your declared figures, it doesn't calculate the gain for you.
Source: SARS — Comprehensive Guide to the ITR12
Retain your IT3(c) and all related capital gain supporting documents for 5 years from the date you submit your return.
Source: SARS — Comprehensive Guide to the ITR12
Capital gains tax calculator — work out your actual liability →The crypto-asset gap
If you trade or hold crypto assets, you'll generally not receive an IT3(c) for that activity. South African crypto exchanges typically don't issue these certificates — even though SARS still expects crypto gains and losses to be declared on your ITR12.
Why crypto platforms usually don't issue one:
- Crypto holdings don't generate "interest" or "dividends" in the traditional sense, so an IT3(b) doesn't apply either.
- Unlike a bank or conventional share platform tracking a single purchase and sale, crypto activity often spans multiple exchanges, private wallets, staking, swaps, and cross-border transfers — no single exchange typically holds the complete picture needed to calculate an accurate gain.
- SARS itself acknowledges this complexity, having published a dedicated clarification document on IT3(c) reporting of base cost for crypto assets.
What this means for you, practically: You're responsible for manually tracking and declaring your own crypto gains and losses — this activity won't appear in SARS's pre-populated data the way conventional investment income does. Keep detailed transaction histories, wallet records, and exchange statements.
How crypto gains are actually classified:
- Frequent or business-like trading → taxed as ordinary income, at your marginal rate, under source code 4522.
- Long-term investment holding → subject to Capital Gains Tax instead (maximum effective rate 18% for individuals).
Source: SARS Budget 2026 FAQ
Losses still count — and must still be declared: Whichever category applies, all transactions — gains and losses — must be reported. Losses can be offset against other income (if trading) or carried forward (if under CGT).
Source: SARS Budget 2026 FAQ
Increased visibility is coming via CARF: From 2 March 2026, crypto assets and foreign financial accounts are integrated into the Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework (CARF) — an international, coordinated reporting system. Even where a domestic IT3(c) isn't issued today, this increases the likelihood that your crypto activity becomes visible to SARS through other international channels.
Source: SARS Budget 2026 FAQ
Other IT3 certificates — for context
| Certificate | Covers |
|---|---|
| IT3(a) | Employment income or lump sums where no PAYE was withheld |
| IT3(b) | Interest, investment income, property rights, and royalties |
| IT3(c) | Capital gains/losses from disposing of unit trusts or financial instruments (this guide) |
| IT3(s) | Tax-free investment account activity |
| IT3(t) | Amounts vested to you as a trust beneficiary |
Source: SARS — Third-Party Data page; SARS — IT3 Data Submission page
IT3(b) guide — interest and investment income →Frequently Asked Questions
A certificate showing capital gains or losses from disposing of unit trusts, shares, or other financial instruments, issued by your investment platform or asset manager and also reported directly to SARS.
No. Your investment platform issues it to you and reports the data to SARS directly — you use it as supporting evidence for your ITR12, alongside your own base cost calculation.
South African crypto exchanges generally don't issue IT3(c) certificates, since crypto activity often spans multiple platforms. You're responsible for tracking and declaring your own crypto gains and losses manually.
Yes. SARS expects all crypto-related gains and losses to be declared, regardless of whether a certificate was issued. Frequent trading is taxed as ordinary income; long-term holding is subject to Capital Gains Tax.
No. It supports your declared figures as evidence, but you remain responsible for calculating the base cost of each disposed asset yourself.
An IT3(b) covers interest, investment income, property rights, and royalties. An IT3(c) covers capital gains and losses from disposing of unit trusts or other financial instruments.
Related guides
Specific scenarios & assets
Essential forms
Calculators & basics
Sources and references
All IT3(c) and capital gains tax information on this page is sourced from, or verified against, the following official references:
- SARS — Third-Party Data — sars.gov.za/businesses-and-employers/third-party-data/
- SARS — IT3 Data Submission — sars.gov.za/businesses-and-employers/third-party-data/it3-data-submission/
- SARS — Comprehensive Guide to the ITR12 (IT-AE-36-G05) — sars.gov.za
- SARS — Clarification document for IT3(c) Third Party Data: Reporting of Base Cost for Crypto Assets — sars.gov.za
- Tax Administration Act 28 of 2011 — Section 26
Last reviewed: June 2026. Next review: upon any update to SARS's crypto IT3(c) base-cost clarification, or the CARF reporting framework.