Missed the 23 October 2026 deadline? Here is what to do today

The deadline for non-provisional taxpayers to submit their income tax return (ITR12) for the period 1 March 2025 to 28 February 2026 closed on Friday, 23 October 2026. If you did not submit your tax return on time, you are not alone, and it is fixable. There is really only one thing to remember: Every month you wait adds an admin penalty. So the move today is simple. File your return as soon as possible.

Late is better than never

Missing the date does not lock you out. You can still file with TaxTim, and the tax return you were going to submit is the same return it was last week. The only thing that has changed is that the admin penalty clock has started. The sooner you file, the less it costs you.

What a late tax return actually costs

SARS charges an admin penalty for filing late.

It runs from R250 to R16,000 a month depending on your taxable income, and it is charged for every month the return stays outstanding.

That is the part most people miss. It is not a once-off fine. For example, if your admin penalty is R500 per month, filing now means paying just R500. If you wait until February, four months of admin penalties could add up to R2,000 for the exact same tax return. Filing now could save you R1,500 in admin penalties.

Filing today stops the meter for admin penalties. If you have tax due, SARS may raise penalties and interest if the payment was made late.

What to do if you cannot pay right now

If you cannot pay right now, still file

The most common mistake is not filing because you are worried about a bill you cannot settle. Filing and paying are two separate things. Submit the tax return first to stop the admin penalties growing. However, filing does not stop interest or any applicable late payment penalties from accruing if your tax remains unpaid past deadline. If money is tight, SARS allows payment arrangements. The one option that costs you the most is doing nothing.

What to do today

• Open TaxTim and start your tax return with Tim.
• Check your documents are in: your IRP5, medical certificate, retirement annuity certificate and any others.
• Submit the outstanding tax return.
• If there is an amount due, you can pay via EFT or directly through eFiling, or set up an arrangement with SARS.

The one line to remember

Every month you wait is another admin penalty. Late is better than never, and filing today is cheaper than filing next month.

TaxTim takes you through your return step by step and files it with SARS for you, late ones included. Register your account or login to start now and get it done today