The South African Revenue Service (SARS) is introducing a new tool called ‘Express Access’ on its eFiling platform, aimed at making the 2025 tax season faster and more user-friendly, especially for taxpayers who are auto-assessed.
As part of its ongoing efforts to modernise tax services and boost compliance, SARS will launch the Express tab directly on the eFiling landing page from 7 July 2025, coinciding with the start of the tax season. This new functionality is tailored to make it easier for individuals to access and manage their personal income tax returns with minimal manual input.
According to SARS, auto assessments will begin rolling out two weeks before tax season officially opens. These assessments are mainly aimed at taxpayers with straightforward financial affairs, whose returns can be pre-populated using third-party data like bank statements, IRP5s, and medical aid certificates.
Through the new Express interface, taxpayers will be able to:
View their 2025 auto assessments
Submit returns from previous years
Submit the current year’s return if required
Update personal banking and contact details
SARS said this aligns with its strategic objective of simplifying tax obligations and ensuring ease of access. This modernised digital approach is expected to boost compliance and reduce turnaround times, allowing both refunds and collections to be processed more efficiently.
If an auto-assessed taxpayer agrees with the pre-filled return, they simply accept it and move on—no submission is required. If a refund is due, SARS typically pays it into the taxpayer’s verified bank account within 72 hours. If tax is owed, payment prompts will guide users via eFiling or the SARS MobiApp.
However, if the taxpayer disputes the auto-assessment, they must reject it and submit a manual return.
Focus on Updating Details
SARS is also urging taxpayers to make use of the Express tab to update their contact and banking details. The tax authority has repeatedly warned that incorrect banking information may cause refund delays, especially for auto-assessed taxpayers.
Additionally, with most SARS communication now happening through digital channels, having up-to-date contact information is critical. Important updates from SARS—such as audit notices, payment reminders, penalty warnings, or dispute outcomes—are often time-sensitive, and missing them could have serious consequences.
SARS also uses contact details for security verification, such as One-Time PINs (OTPs). Failure to receive these due to outdated information can lock taxpayers out of essential services and delay resolution of tax issues.
Focus on Past Returns and Debts
In addition to streamlining the current year’s filing, SARS is also pushing for compliance on past tax returns. The Express feature allows easy access to previous years’ returns, helping taxpayers clear any outstanding obligations.
This initiative comes as SARS Commissioner Edward Kieswetter confirmed that the agency would be using its R1 billion budget allocation from the National Treasury to hire 1,700 new staff in the next three months. These new hires will coincide with the peak of tax season and will be deployed to assist with processing, auditing, and collecting unresolved tax debts.
Kieswetter pointed out that during previous collection campaigns, “nudging” strategies such as SMS reminders and phone calls were effective in prompting overdue taxpayers to pay up. These soft approaches are appreciated by compliant taxpayers and can lead to improved voluntary compliance.
However, Tax Consulting SA has cautioned that SARS will not hesitate to escalate enforcement if reminders are ignored. Legal enforcement actions may include:
Appointing third parties (such as banks) to recover funds
Applying for civil judgments
Freezing bank accounts
Seizing assets
These steps are considered last-resort options when a taxpayer does not respond to repeated requests to settle outstanding debts.
A New Era of Tax Simplicity?
With millions of South Africans expected to be auto-assessed in 2025, the new Express Access feature represents a major push toward digital transformation within SARS. It supports the broader move to simplify tax obligations, improve turnaround times, and reduce the friction taxpayers face when interacting with the system.
Taxpayers are strongly encouraged to log into their eFiling profile ahead of time, verify their details, and familiarise themselves with the new features to ensure a smoother filing experience.
