Left South Africa? Still have a bank account, retirement fund, or property back home? SARS might still expect you to file and pay tax. We break it all down so you actually understand what to do.
Where are you?
Your tax situation depends on where you are in the process. Pick the one that sounds most like you and we'll point you to the right guide.
You're living abroad but you're not sure if SARS still considers you a taxpayer. Maybe you still have a SA bank account, an RA, or property. You want to know what you're supposed to be doing.
Start hereYou're still in SA but you've got a job or a plan to move abroad. You want to sort out the tax side before you go so you don't get hit with surprises later.
Plan your move New guideYou're abroad and want to get money out of your RA, pension, or preservation fund. The rules changed in 2024 with the new two-pot system and there's tax involved.
Retirement guideGuides
Not sure if you still need to pay tax in South Africa? This guide walks you through everything from scratch. What SARS expects, what you can earn tax-free, and what happens if you ignore it.
SARS uses two tests to decide if you're still a SA taxpayer. Find out which one applies to you and how to officially stop being one.
The formal process of telling SARS you've left for good. We cover the steps, costs, how long it takes, and whether you actually need to do it.
When you leave SA, SARS can tax you as if you sold your assets even if you didn't. This guide explains what gets taxed, how much, and how to reduce it legally.
Read the guide 05South Africa has tax deals with 80+ countries that stop you from being taxed twice on the same income. Find your country and see exactly how the deal protects you.
Browse countries 06Want to get your money out of your RA or pension fund while living overseas? The rules changed in 2024. We explain what you can withdraw, when, and how much tax you'll pay.
Read the guide2026 tax year
You moved abroad and you're earning a salary in another country. SARS lets you earn up to R1.25 million tax-free. Everything above that gets taxed. Here's what that looks like at different salary levels.
Earn under R1.25M abroad? You owe SARS nothing. Earn more than that and SARS starts taxing the difference. Here's how much at each level.
These amounts assume you qualify for the R1.25M exemption and you have no other SA income. If you pay tax in the country you live in, you might be able to reduce your SA bill using something called a foreign tax credit. Our guides explain how.
This is the question most expats worry about. Here's how it works. South Africa has agreements with over 80 countries called Double Taxation Agreements (DTAs). These agreements exist to make sure you don't get taxed on the same income by two countries. If you pay income tax in the country you live in, that amount gets subtracted from what SARS wants. So if you owe SARS R157k but you already paid R540k in UK tax, SARS says "you've paid more than enough" and your SA bill drops to R0. But here's the catch that trips people up. If you live in a country with no income tax (like the UAE), there's nothing to subtract. You haven't paid any foreign tax, so SARS gets the full amount. That's why "tax-free" countries can actually cost South African expats more.
You already pay ~R540k in UK tax. SARS only wants R157k, so your SA bill is wiped to R0.
You pay nothing extra to SARSYou pay R0 in local tax. Nothing to subtract. SARS gets the full R157k.
You owe SARS R157,397You already pay ~R520k in Australian tax. That covers what SARS wants, so your SA bill is wiped to R0.
You pay nothing extra to SARSYou already pay ~R600k in Dutch tax. That's well above what SARS wants, so your SA bill is wiped to R0.
You pay nothing extra to SARSAll examples assume a R2M foreign salary after the R1.25M exemption.
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