In short: To see whether SARS shows a refund due, use official SARS channels only: eFiling (Income Tax Statement of Account / ITSA), the SARS MobiApp Refund Status path, SARS WhatsApp on 0800 11 7277 (Refund Status), or SARS USSD *134*7277# (Option 3). SARS’s Service Charter aims to pay nine out of ten taxpayer refunds due within 72 hours when the refund is more than R100, subject to correct banking details, no outstanding returns, and not being audited. This is not tax advice.
Sources: SARS: How to check your tax refund status; SARS FAQ: refund amount and payment date on eFiling; SARS FAQ: Statement of Account (ITSA); SARS guide: submit individual return via eFiling (Request Historic Documents / Statement of Account).
Fast digital checks SARS publishes
SARS’s July 2025 refund-status note lists these digital channels:
- WhatsApp: 0800 11 7277. Say Hi or Hello, select Refund Status, enter your ID/passport/Asylum Seeker number and Tax Reference number, then Send.
- SARS MobiApp: on the Home Screen tap Refund Status and follow the prompts.
- USSD: dial *134*7277#, choose Option 3, enter ID/passport/Asylum Seeker number, then Send.
Use only channels published on sars.gov.za. Ignore “SARS refund” links in random SMS or social posts.
eFiling: Statement of Account (ITSA)
SARS’s FAQ: if SARS owes you money, the refund amount and payment date show on your Income Tax Statement of Account (ITSA). Once logged in to eFiling, click the Statement of Account icon at the top right. SARS also explains that the refund date next to Electronic refund and the amount in the Transaction value column on the ITSA is the date the amount will be paid into your bank account.
If you owe SARS instead, the payment due date for the amount you owe appears on the Notice of Assessment (ITA34) under Details, per the same FAQ. Do not confuse “refund due” with “you must pay SARS.”
Requesting an ITSA if you need a period view
SARS’s eFiling guide for individual returns describes requesting a Statement of Account via Request Historic Documents on the Income Tax Work Page or home navigation. Choose that you want a Statement of Account, then select six months to date or a user-defined date range and Request. SARS also notes the Statement of Account navigation tab and SARS Correspondence / Request Historic IT Notices as related paths. Exact button labels can change; follow the live eFiling screens and the current SARS guide.
What “72 hours” means on SARS’s own wording
SARS says that, as stated in the SARS Service Charter, SARS aims to pay nine out of every ten taxpayer refunds due within 72 hours if the refund is more than R100. SARS also says processing time depends on whether your banking details are correct, and/or there are no outstanding returns, and/or you are not being audited. That is an aim, not a promise for every case.
Banking details and common blockers
- Confirm the bank account registered with SARS on eFiling before you expect a payout.
- Outstanding returns or an audit can slow or stop a refund even when an assessment shows a credit.
- Auto-assessment or filing season dates change by year. Use the season dates SARS publishes for the current year on sars.gov.za, not a blog calendar.
Safety
SARS will not ask you to pay a fee to “unlock” a refund via a private number. Prefer eFiling, the official MobiApp, the published WhatsApp and USSD above, or SARS contact centres listed on sars.gov.za. This page explains how to check status. It is not tax advice and it does not calculate what you are owed.
Last checked: September 2026 against SARS refund-status channels (WhatsApp, MobiApp, USSD), SARS ITSA / refund FAQs and the SARS eFiling individual-return guide. Confirm live labels on eFiling and sars.gov.za. Not tax advice.