You filed your return. You did the maths. A juicy refund is on its way… 💰

And then eFiling delivers the plot twist: “Your return has been selected for verification.”

Cue the panic. Is this an audit? Did I do something wrong? Will I ever see my refund? 😱

Deep breaths. A SARS verification is one of the most common — and most misunderstood — parts of tax season. Here’s everything you need to know to get through it quickly.

🚨 What SARS verification actually means

A verification is SARS saying: “Nice return. Prove it.”

SARS compares your declared figures against the third-party data it already holds, and asks you to upload supporting documents for anything it wants to confirm — medical expenses, travel claims, retirement contributions, home office costs and so on 📂

It’s not an accusation. Thousands of compliant taxpayers get selected every season, especially those claiming refunds.

The good news for 2026: SARS’s new declaration questionnaire on the ITR12 is specifically designed to reduce unnecessary verification selections. Fewer innocent returns stuck in the queue 🎉

📬 What to do the moment you’re selected

Speed and completeness win here:

1️⃣ Read the verification letter on eFiling carefully — it tells you exactly what SARS wants

2️⃣ Gather your supporting documents: IRP5s, medical certificates, logbooks, invoices, retirement annuity certificates

3️⃣ Upload everything via eFiling or the SARS MobiApp — within 21 business days of the request

4️⃣ Submit documents that are legible, complete and clearly labelled

5️⃣ Then wait — incomplete or piecemeal uploads are the #1 cause of delays 🐌

🚩 Only ever upload documents through eFiling or official SARS channels. Anyone emailing you a “document upload link” is running a SARS scam.

❓ How long does SARS verification take?

Once SARS has received all your supporting documents, verification is usually finalised within 21 business days.

In practice, simple cases often wrap up faster, while returns with missing documents, large claims or follow-up questions can drag on longer.

Your refund stays frozen until verification is complete — which is why responding fast and fully is the single best thing you can do ⏱️

❓ What documents does SARS need for verification?

It depends on what you claimed, but the usual suspects are:

🧾 IRP5/IT3(a) certificates 🏥 Medical aid tax certificate plus proof of out-of-pocket medical expenses 🚗 Travel logbook (the detailed kind, not the “reconstructed in a panic” kind 😅) 🏦 Retirement annuity and investment certificates 🏠 Home office expense proof — floor plans, bills, employer letters 📑 Invoices and statements for any other deductions claimed

Golden rule: if you claimed it, you must be able to prove it.

❓ What happens if I ignore a SARS verification?

Please don’t. If you ignore the request or miss the deadline:

⚠️ SARS can disallow your deductions entirely 📈 Your refund can evaporate — or flip into an amount owed 💳 SARS may issue a revised or estimated assessment based on its own data 🔍 Your risk profile worsens, inviting a full SARS audit next time

Silence is the most expensive response to SARS. Always 🙊

🎯 Verification doesn’t have to mean delays

Handled properly, a SARS verification is a speed bump, not a roadblock. The taxpayers who suffer are the ones with missing logbooks, lost certificates and missed deadlines.

If your refund is stuck in verification, or you’d like your documents reviewed before you file, the team at Go2 Accounting is ready to help.

Because the only thing better than a big refund… is actually receiving it 😉