How to Get Your SARS Tax Number on WhatsApp: 6 Steps
To get your SARS tax number on WhatsApp, save 0800 11 7277, send a greeting, select Tax Reference Number, and complete SARS’s identity checks using your own details. Use the cellphone number registered with SARS. Once your details are verified, you can obtain your tax reference number and your Notice of Registration, known as an IT150. If you have never registered for personal income tax, SARS also offers a separate registration option.
You might need this information because you are starting a job, completing employment paperwork or trying to organise your tax records. The important first step is knowing whether you need to retrieve an existing number or register for the first time.
This guide covers both situations, explains how to open and save your registration notice, and helps you work through problems such as outdated contact details or unsuccessful verification.
Last checked: 24 September 2026. This article provides general administrative guidance based on official SARS information. It is not individual tax advice.
Table of Contents
Before You Start: Do You Need an Existing Number or a New Registration?
People use “get a tax number” to mean two different things.
You might already be registered with SARS but have forgotten your number or lost the document containing it. Alternatively, you might never have registered for personal income tax.
Start by deciding which situation describes you. If you have worked before or previously dealt with SARS, check your existing registration before attempting a new one. Not remembering a number does not necessarily mean you have never received one.
SARS recommends checking whether you are already registered. Its Client Information System guidance explains that existing eFilers can check their number and request their registration notice under SARS Registered Details.
For example, imagine you are starting a retail job and the payroll administrator requests your tax number. You remember providing tax information to a previous employer but cannot find the paperwork.
Your first task is to retrieve the existing record. Starting another job is not, by itself, a reason to begin a new registration.
If you are unsure, explain that when asking SARS for help. Asking whether a registration exists is more useful than repeatedly submitting a registration request without knowing what happened previously.
What You Need Before Contacting SARS on WhatsApp
Before opening the chat, put your identity document within reach and make sure you can access your email.
You do not need to send everything immediately. Prepare your information, then provide only what the official service requests for the task you selected.
According to the SARS Mobile Tax Services page, the WhatsApp number used for existing personal tax services must match the contact number registered with SARS. You also need mobile data or another internet connection. The channel is not available for tax practitioners to use as a practitioner service.
Before starting, check the following:
- Your WhatsApp number: Confirm which cellphone number your account uses.
- Your SARS contact information: Consider whether SARS has your current number.
- Your identification: Keep your ID or passport available for the relevant verification request.
- Your email access: Make sure you can open the email account associated with your tax records.
- Your phone storage: Leave enough space to download a document.
- Your privacy: Find somewhere other people cannot easily read your screen.
If you use two SIM cards, do not assume the SIM providing mobile data determines your WhatsApp identity. Check the number associated with your WhatsApp account and compare it with the number you have on record.
This preparation is particularly helpful when you are completing employment paperwork under time pressure. It allows you to identify an access problem before reaching the verification stage.
How to Get Your SARS Tax Number on WhatsApp
SARS publishes the retrieval process on its official tax-number help page.
Follow the live service prompts if their wording changes. Choose the relevant menu label rather than relying on a numbered option shown in an old screenshot.
Step 1: Save the Official SARS WhatsApp Number
Add 0800 11 7277 to your phone’s contacts.
Give the contact a recognisable name, such as SARS WhatsApp, and check every digit before continuing.
Saving a contact under that name does not independently verify the account. Compare the actual number with the one published by SARS.
A familiar profile picture or a name typed into your own address book does not prove that you are contacting the correct organisation.
Step 2: Open WhatsApp and Send a Greeting
Start a conversation with the saved number and send a short greeting, such as:
Hi
Keep the opening message simple. You do not need to explain your employment history, attach an identity document or describe your entire tax situation before the service presents its options.
Read any service terms presented before accepting them and continuing.
Step 3: Select “Tax Reference Number”
Open the available services and select Tax Reference Number.
Check that you have chosen retrieval rather than a different document request or the first-time registration service.
If your immediate goal is to give an employer proof of your number, selecting an unrelated enquiry will add unnecessary steps.
Step 4: Complete the Identity Verification
Provide the identity information requested by the official process. SARS’s retrieval instructions refer to an ID or passport number.
Read your entry back before sending it.
If you are copying from another document, check that you have not included surrounding words or accidentally copied somebody else’s information. Use your own identity details throughout the request.
A small typing error can prevent the information you enter from matching the correct record.
Step 5: Obtain Your Registration Notice
SARS’s tax-number help page directs users to obtain their number from the Notice of Registration, also called an IT150, sent to their email address.
Check the email account associated with your SARS record. Do not assume the message will arrive in whichever inbox happens to be open on your phone.
SARS’s mobile-services guide also describes the number appearing in the WhatsApp chat and the IT150 being supplied as an attachment.
Download the document and confirm that it belongs to you before using it.
Step 6: Save and Check the Document
Open the notice and check the name and reference information.
Give the saved file a clear name, such as:
SARS-IT150-Registration-Notice.pdf
Avoid adding your ID number to the filename. You can organise your files without exposing personal information in their names.
Keep the original document. If someone has requested proof of registration, ask whether they require the PDF rather than a screenshot of a number typed into a message.
What If Your IT150 Document Is Password-Protected?
The SARS mobile-services guide explains that the IT150 supplied through WhatsApp is encrypted.
For retrieval, use your ID or passport number to open the file. If you use a passport number, enter its letters in uppercase.
A password prompt does not automatically mean that the download failed.
First, check that you are opening the correct document and entering the identity information associated with your request.
For practical troubleshooting, type the password manually once instead of repeatedly pasting it. This helps you rule out an accidental space at the beginning or end.
If the document still does not open, record the error message and seek assistance through an official channel.
Avoid uploading the notice to an unfamiliar “PDF unlock” website. Doing so would give an outside service access to a document containing personal information simply to solve an access problem.
Use the original service or a PDF reader you already trust.
Can You Register for a New SARS Tax Number Through WhatsApp?
Yes. SARS includes WhatsApp among its personal income tax registration channels.
The official SARS tax registration page confirms this option. Older instructions that describe WhatsApp only as a way to retrieve existing information may not cover the expanded service.
For first-time registration, the mobile-services guide instructs users to select Register for Tax and supply the requested information, including:
- A valid South African ID number.
- Their name and surname.
- Email information where applicable.
- Their residential address.
After successful verification, the guide describes the tax reference number appearing in the chat and an encrypted IT150 being attached. Use your ID number to open that registration document.
Prepare your address before starting. Write down your street number, street name, suburb, city and postal code so you can enter them consistently.
If you live somewhere without a conventional street address, ask SARS how to capture your circumstances rather than inventing details to fill the fields.
The South African ID requirement applies to this particular registration route. Being able to retrieve an existing number with a passport does not mean that the same passport can be used for first-time WhatsApp registration.
If this route does not accommodate your documents, consult SARS’s registration guidance for appropriate assistance.
Why Your SARS WhatsApp Request Might Fail
An unsuccessful request does not tell you, on its own, whether you are registered.
Separate a connection problem from an identity-verification problem before deciding what to do next.
The following table is a practical troubleshooting checklist. It does not represent official SARS error codes or guarantee the cause of a particular problem.
| What happens | What to check | What to do next |
|---|---|---|
| Your message will not send | Your internet connection and the saved number | Restore connectivity and compare the number with the official SARS page |
| The service responds, but verification fails | Your entered details and registered contact information | Correct an obvious typing error or ask SARS about the mismatch |
| You cannot find the emailed notice | Which email address SARS has on record | Check the relevant inbox and spam folder |
| The attachment requests a password | Whether it is the IT150 and which identity details you used | Follow the official document-opening instructions |
| Your previous phone number or email is inaccessible | Whether you need account recovery | Use the appropriate official recovery process |
| The notice contains unexpected personal details | Whether the document belongs to you | Stop using it and ask SARS to resolve the discrepancy |
Work through one issue at a time.
Changing your identity entry, phone number and email assumptions simultaneously makes it harder to establish what went wrong.
If you contact support, explain the stage at which the request stopped. For example, “The menu opens, but verification fails” gives more useful information than “WhatsApp does not work.”
Keep a private note of the date, the error wording and any reference provided.
What If You Changed Your Cellphone Number or Email Address?
Losing access to an old contact method can create a separate account-access problem. Repeating the same retrieval request will not correct an outdated record.
SARS explains a recovery option for registered eFilers who are South African citizens in its guidance on updating inaccessible eFiling security contact details.
Eligible users can select Update Contact Details from the eFiling login screen and complete biometric verification before submitting replacement security contact information.
The guidance directs non-citizens and people who cannot pass the biometric check to the SARS Contact Centre or an appointment with SARS.
Follow the route that matches your circumstances.
Be precise about the problem when asking for assistance. You might need to recover eFiling access, correct registered contact information or address both issues.
Do not assume that receiving a login OTP automatically proves every contact field used by another service is now correct.
Before starting recovery, make sure your new email account works and that you control it. Sending a test message to yourself can help you confirm access before beginning a more involved process.
Other Ways to Retrieve Your SARS Tax Number
If WhatsApp is unavailable or inconvenient, SARS provides other official routes.
Choose one you can access securely. You do not need to try every channel at the same time.
Request Your IT150 by SMS
SARS’s Notice of Registration help page provides this SMS format:
TRN [your ID number, passport number or asylum-seeker number]
Send it to 47277, leaving a space after TRN.
Replace the bracketed description with your own number. Do not include the brackets or type the description literally.
Use your phone’s ordinary SMS application for this request. Sending an SMS command into an unrelated WhatsApp conversation does not submit the same request.
Before sending, check both the destination and the identity number you entered.
Use the SARS USSD Service
The same SARS help page identifies *134*7277# as its USSD channel.
Enter the code using your phone’s dialler, choose the relevant service and complete the required verification.
If you have not used USSD before, it works through an on-screen phone menu. Read each screen before responding so you do not accidentally select a different enquiry.
Check SARS eFiling or the MobiApp
If you already have secure access to eFiling, obtaining your notice there may be convenient.
SARS also identifies the MobiApp as a route for registered eFilers to request their registration notice.
If you use a shared computer, download only what you need, sign out afterwards and avoid leaving personal documents in the Downloads folder.
Where you cannot reliably remove your files or protect your login information, use a device you control.
Contact SARS for Assistance
The official registration page lists 0800 00 7277 as the SARS Contact Centre number.
This differs from the WhatsApp number:
| Service | Number |
|---|---|
| SARS WhatsApp | 0800 11 7277 |
| SARS Contact Centre | 0800 00 7277 |
Before calling, write a short description of your problem and list the steps you have already attempted.
This makes it easier to explain the issue without repeatedly searching through your phone during the conversation.
What to Do If You Need Your Tax Number for a Job Application
Check exactly what the employer has requested.
A form asking for a tax reference number and an instruction asking for a registration notice are related, but they require different submissions.
If the form contains a number field, copy the reference carefully and compare it with the source document before submitting.
If the employer requests supporting documentation, attach the original notice in the format they accept.
Do not put your ID number into the tax-number field simply because it is the number you know. A form accepting an entry does not prove that the information is correct.
If you cannot retrieve the document before a deadline, contact the verified recruiter or payroll administrator. Explain the administrative delay and ask whether you may supply the document later.
The employer determines its process, so do not assume an extension has been granted.
Also consider where you are sending the document. Use a verified employer portal or confirmed contact rather than posting tax paperwork in a public recruitment group.
An employment-related request for information does not mean that everyone advertising a vacancy should receive your documents.
How to Protect Yourself From Fake SARS Assistance
SARS’s scams and phishing guidance warns against requests for passwords, one-time PINs, banking PINs and eFiling login credentials through messages or calls.
Never forward a security code to someone claiming they need it to retrieve your number.
Entering a code yourself on an official authentication screen you deliberately opened is different from handing that code to another person.
Treat unsolicited offers to “release” your tax number, unlock a refund or fix your profile with caution. Verify the request through an independently accessed official channel before proceeding.
If you need help reading the menus, someone you trust can explain them while you remain in control of your phone.
You do not need to give that person permanent access to your email or allow them to keep copies of your documents.
For professional assistance, verify the practitioner’s credentials and discuss the scope of the work. Do not confuse a private person’s service fee with an official demand from SARS.
What to Do After Receiving Your Notice of Registration
Create an organised record rather than relying on the WhatsApp conversation remaining easy to find.
Save the notice somewhere private and make a secure backup if you have a suitable location.
Check that the saved copy opens before deleting anything. A filename appearing in a downloads list does not necessarily mean the download finished successfully.
If you send the notice to an employer, retain your own copy and record where you submitted it. This makes it easier to respond if the employer later says the attachment was missing or unreadable.
Avoid editing the document to make it look more presentable.
If information requires correction, seek assistance through SARS instead of changing the official notice yourself. You can rename the file for organisation without altering its contents.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Tax Number Shown in the WhatsApp Chat Enough?
That depends on what you need it for.
If someone requests documentary proof, ask which document they accept and keep the IT150 available. A typed number may satisfy a number field while still failing a separate attachment requirement.
Can I Use Another Person’s WhatsApp Account?
For existing personal tax services, SARS requires the WhatsApp number to match the registered contact number.
Use your own appropriate account or resolve the contact-information problem through an official route. Using somebody else’s identity information is not a solution.
Must I Send My Full ID Document Immediately?
Do not send documents before the official process requests them.
Follow the selected service’s prompts and distinguish a request to enter an identity number from a request to upload an image of an identity document.
How Long Does It Take to Get a Tax Number Through WhatsApp?
Do not rely on a guaranteed number of minutes.
The guidance used for this article does not establish a universal completion time. Verification problems or inaccessible contact details can require additional assistance.
If you receive an unresolved error, seek help rather than assuming repeated requests will resolve it, particularly when you have an employment deadline.
Does an IT150 Show Whether I Owe Tax?
Use the document for its stated purpose: registration information.
If your question concerns an amount payable, a tax assessment or filing obligations, make that a separate enquiry. Successfully retrieving your tax number does not, on its own, answer those questions.
Can Someone Else Obtain My Tax Number for Me?
SARS’s registration guidance states that it does not disclose a person’s tax number to another person unless they are the taxpayer’s practitioner or hold the appropriate power of attorney.
If representation is necessary, ask about the formal process rather than sharing your login details.
Conclusion
Start by confirming whether you need to retrieve an existing number or register for the first time. Contact 0800 11 7277, select the relevant WhatsApp service and follow the verification prompts.
Once your request succeeds, save your IT150 and check that you can open it. If something goes wrong, identify whether the problem involves connectivity, identity verification, contact information or the document itself. This gives you a practical next step instead of repeatedly starting the same request.