Home SARS tax reference South Africa
South Africa SARS tax reference validator
How the SARS tax reference format works
- Format
- 10 digits ending in a standard Luhn check digit; the first digit is typically 0, 1, 2, 3 or 9
- Example
- 0123456782
Things to watch for
- This is a SARS tax reference number, not South Africa's 13-digit national ID number (see the separate sa-id validator)
- The leading digit signals the taxpayer type SARS assigned it under (individual, company, trust, etc.) — 0, 1, 2, 3 and 9 are the common ranges
- Checksum only — a pass doesn't confirm the number is currently registered or active with SARS
^[0-9]{10}$A SARS tax reference number is the 10-digit identifier the South African Revenue Service assigns when a person or entity registers for income tax, VAT, or another tax type — for example 0123456782, as it appears on assessments, eFiling, and SARS correspondence. It’s worth being precise about what this number isn’t: it’s not South Africa’s 13-digit ID number, the personal identifier issued by the Department of Home Affairs, even though both happen to end in a Luhn check digit. SARS and Home Affairs are different authorities issuing different numbers for different purposes.
What the leading digit signals
The first digit isn’t arbitrary — it indicates the type of taxpayer SARS registered the number under. Individual income tax numbers commonly start with 0, 1, 2, or 3, while 9 typically marks other registered entities such as companies or trusts. The number ends with a standard Luhn check digit, calculated from the nine digits before it.
How this validator works
This tool confirms the input is 10 digits and runs the standard Luhn algorithm against the final digit, entirely in your browser. Because a tax reference is personal financial information, it’s worth being explicit: nothing you enter is stored, logged, or sent to a server.
What a pass doesn’t tell you
A passing Luhn check confirms the 10 digits are internally consistent — not that the number is currently active or registered with SARS.
Scope: this page covers SARS tax reference format and checksum validation only — not tax-registration status.
Content last reviewed 2026-08-09.
SARS tax reference FAQ
Is a SARS tax reference number the same as a South African ID number?
No. This is a 10-digit tax reference SARS assigns for income tax, VAT, or other tax types — a separate thing from South Africa's 13-digit ID number, which is a personal identifier from Home Affairs with its own Luhn-checked structure (covered by this site's separate SA ID validator).
What does the first digit of a SARS tax reference mean?
It signals the type of taxpayer the number was issued to. 0, 1, 2, and 3 are common ranges for individual income tax, while 9 is typically used for other registered entities such as companies and trusts.
Does a valid checksum mean I'm registered with SARS?
No. It only confirms the 10 digits are mathematically consistent under the Luhn algorithm — not that the number is currently active or registered with the South African Revenue Service.