ITR14 — The Complete Guide to the Company Income Tax Return
The ITR14 is the annual return every South African company submits to declare its full Corporate Income Tax liability. This guide explains who must file, the 12-month deadline tied to your financial year-end, when financial statements are compulsory, and what happens if you're late.
⚠️ Important note
The ITR14 deadline is based on your company's own financial year-end — not the standard 1 March to 28 February tax year. A company with a June year-end, for example, must file by the following June.
What is the ITR14?
The ITR14 is the Income Tax Return for Companies — the instrument SARS uses to assess and collect Corporate Income Tax (CIT). Companies use it to declare their full income tax responsibility, including all financial transactions entered into during the relevant year of assessment.
Source: SARS — Guide to Complete the Income Tax Return (ITR14) for CompaniesWho must file:
- All companies that are tax resident in South Africa — incorporated under South African law, or effectively managed in South Africa — deriving income from within or outside the Republic
- Non-resident companies operating through a branch, or with a permanent establishment, in South Africa — taxed on income from a South African source
This includes Close Corporations, Co-operatives, and Body Corporates:
The ITR14 filing requirement applies to companies, Close Corporations, Co-operatives, and Body Corporates.
The ITR14 deadline
Your company must submit its ITR14 within 12 months from the date your financial year ends.
Source: SARS — Calendar pageThis is NOT the standard tax year:
Unlike individual taxpayers (whose tax year runs 1 March to 28/29 February), a company's ITR14 deadline depends entirely on its own financial year-end, which the company itself determines when it's established.
Example: A company with a financial year ending 30 June 2026 must submit its ITR14 by 30 June 2027.
See the complete tax deadline calendar →Your company's classification — why it matters
When you complete the "Information to create this income tax return" section, your answers determine which of six classifications your company falls into for ITR14 purposes. This classification determines what else you need to submit.
Source: SARS — Guide to Complete the Income Tax Return (ITR14) for Companies| Classification | What it generally means |
|---|---|
| Dormant | Not currently trading |
| Share Block Company | As defined in the Share Blocks Control Act, 1980 |
| Body Corporate | As defined in the Sectional Titles Act, 1986 |
| Micro business | Smallest classification, simplified requirements |
| Small business | Gross income below the relevant threshold |
| Medium to Large business | Gross income at or above the relevant threshold |
The small vs. medium-to-large gross income threshold:
- R14 million — if your financial year-end is before 30 April 2013
- R20 million — if your financial year-end is from 30 April 2013 onward
ℹ️ Important: this is a different concept from SBC status. Your ITR14 "small business" classification is not the same as qualifying as a Small Business Corporation (SBC) for tax rate purposes. The ITR14 classification determines your filing requirements; SBC status determines whether you qualify for progressive tax rates instead of the standard 27% rate. See our complete SBC qualification guide →
Financial statements — compulsory or optional?
Compulsory
Signed-off Annual Financial Statements (AFS) are compulsory on first-time submission of the ITR14 if your company is classified as:
- Small Business
- Medium to Large Business (including REIT companies)
Optional
AFS submission is optional if your company is classified as:
- Dormant
- Body Corporate
- Share Block Company
- Micro business
(The option to upload AFS remains available even where it's not compulsory.)
Minimum AFS contents:
- Income Statement
- Balance Sheet
- Notes to the AFS
Who must sign:
The Company Representative or Public Officer must sign the AFS.
⚠️ If your AFS are still in draft
If your AFS are in draft format when you're ready to submit, the decision is yours (as the signatory): submit now with the draft attached, or wait until the AFS are finalised. If SARS identifies no risk with the draft AFS attached, you can later submit a correction with the finalised version.
Source: SARS — Guide to Complete the Company Income Tax Return ITR14 via eFilingSupporting schedules — do you need to submit one?
Depending on your company's activities, you may be required to complete and submit one or more of the following schedules alongside your ITR14:
| Schedule | Required if your company... |
|---|---|
| IT48 (Farming schedule) | Conducted farming activities |
| ICS01 (Short-term insurance schedule) | Conducted short-term insurance activities |
| GEN-001 (Mining schedule) | Conducted mining activities |
| RCH01 (Headquarter Company election schedule) | Elects to be a Headquarter Company |
| IT10A/B (Controlled Foreign Company return) | Holds a Controlled Foreign Company (CFC) |
| IT180 (Learnership agreement declaration) | Claimed a Section 12H learnership allowance (submitted on request from SARS) |
How to submit your ITR14
Before you start:
Make sure your business details are up to date. If anything needs to change, update your legal entity information via the RAV01 form on your eFiling profile first.
Demographic verification comes first:
Before you can capture your ITR14, you'll need to verify your demographic details — contact details, physical/postal address, and bank account details.
Submission channels:
- SARS eFiling — the recommended channel, available 24 hours a day
- A SARS office — by appointment
⚠️ Important: SARS staff cannot interpret your financials for you
If you submit at a SARS office, the Service Consultant will not assist with interpreting your financial statements or other information — they will only capture what you provide. If your financial information isn't ready, or required documents aren't available, the consultant cannot assist you.
Source: SARS — Guide to Complete the Income Tax Return (ITR14) for CompaniesIf you need help: SARS recommends consulting a registered tax practitioner if you need assistance interpreting your financial statements or completing the return.
Source: SARS — Guide to Complete the Income Tax Return (ITR14) for CompaniesAfter submission:
Once successfully submitted, a Notice of Assessment (ITA34C) is issued. If your return is selected for verification, the process can take up to 12 months, depending on the volume of audit cases at the time.
What if you're late?
If your company's Representative Taxpayer or Public Officer doesn't submit the ITR14 by the relevant deadline, the company faces an administrative penalty for non-compliance.
Keep your records:
Retain all supporting documents (relevant material) for 5 years from the relevant date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The ITR14 is the annual Income Tax Return for Companies, used by SARS to assess and collect Corporate Income Tax. All financial transactions during the relevant year of assessment must be declared.
Source: SARS — Guide to Complete the Income Tax Return (ITR14) for CompaniesWithin 12 months from the date your company's financial year ends — not the standard 1 March to 28 February tax year used by individuals.
Source: SARS — Calendar pageIt depends on your company's classification. Signed-off Annual Financial Statements are compulsory on first submission if your company is classified as a Small Business or a Medium to Large Business (including REIT companies). For Dormant, Body Corporate, Share Block, and Micro business classifications, submission is optional.
Source: SARS — Guide to Complete the Company Income Tax Return ITR14 via eFilingR14 million in gross income if your financial year-end is before 30 April 2013, or R20 million if your financial year-end is from 30 April 2013 onward.
Source: SARS — How to complete the Income Tax Return ITR14 for CompaniesSARS staff can only capture the information you provide — they will not interpret your financial statements or calculate figures for you. If you need help, SARS recommends consulting a registered tax practitioner.
Source: SARS — Guide to Complete the Income Tax Return (ITR14) for CompaniesThe company faces an administrative penalty for non-compliance if the Representative Taxpayer or Public Officer doesn't submit by the relevant deadline.
Source: SARS — Guide to Complete the Company Income Tax Return ITR14 via eFilingRelated guides and tools
Business tax guides
Related forms
Sources and references
All ITR14 information on this page is sourced from, or verified against, the following official and authoritative references:
- SARS — How to complete the Income Tax Return ITR14 for Companies (IT-GEN-04-G01)
- SARS — Guide to complete the company Income Tax return ITR14 eFiling (IT-ELEC-03-G01)
- SARS — Corporate Income Tax Hub
- SARS — Businesses and Employers Guide
Last reviewed: June 2026. Next review: after the next SARS Corporate Income Tax system update or Budget Speech.