VAT Deadline Passed — Here's What To Do Now

The May 30th eFiling deadline has passed. If you didn't submit your VAT return in time, here's what you need to do right now.

The most important thing: submit as soon as possible. The longer you wait, the worse it gets.

Who Is Affected?

Monthly vendors:

Your April VAT201 was due yesterday, Friday 30 May.

Bi-monthly vendors:

Your March/April VAT201 was due yesterday, Friday 30 May.

If either of these applies to you and you haven't submitted — keep reading.

What To Do Right Now

Step 1: Submit Your Return Immediately

Submit your outstanding return on eFiling today. Pull your VAT report for the outstanding period, check the figures make sense, and submit. Every day you delay adds to your exposure.

Step 2: Pull Your SARS Statement of Account

Once your return is submitted and payment has been made, log back into eFiling and pull your Statement of Account.

Your Statement of Account will show:

• The outstanding VAT amount
• The 10% penalty SARS has applied
• The interest accrued to date

This is important: interest on outstanding VAT is calculated daily. The sooner you pay, the less you owe.

Step 3: Pay the Penalty and Interest Immediately

When making payment for the penalty and interest, use the same payment reference number as your original VAT return.

Do not create a new reference number. Using the same reference ensures SARS allocates the payment correctly to your account.

Pay as soon as possible — interest continues to accumulate every day the balance remains outstanding.

Step 4: Confirm Your Account is Settled

Once you have submitted your return and paid the VAT, penalty and interest in full, pull a final Statement of Account to confirm your balance is nil.

Keep this as proof that your account is fully settled.

What Happens Now?

Submitting late triggers penalties and interest on any VAT owed.

The specifics depend on your situation — your VAT liability, your compliance history, and how late the submission is.

Don't guess. Get professional advice before assuming what you owe.

Important: This article provides general guidance for South African businesses. Every situation is unique. Consult a qualified accounting professional for advice specific to your circumstances.