Since 2011, SARS in consultation with the Law Society of South Africa (LSSA) has been introducing changes to the Transfer Duty process to improve efficiency, compliance and to reduce risk to Conveyancers and SARS. The ultimate goal being improved benefits and easier management of transactions for Conveyances. These changes have been in a phased manner so as to ensure the minimum impact on the work of Conveyancers.
Following the introduction of the electronic submission of Transfer Duty declarations and the eAccount for Transfer Duty on eFiling, SARS has further enhanced the Transfer Duty system with respect to refunds.
Due to the considerable risks and delays associated with the use of manual cheques, as from 17 February 2014, SARS will no longer process manual requests for Transfer Duty refunds in respect of Transfer Duty that was submitted via eFiling. Conveyancers must from now request refunds via eAccount on eFiling once the transfer duty declaration have been cancelled and approved using the eAccount management-Refund function.
The eAccount function offers quicker access to credits on the account and enables the Conveyancer to:
- Request a refund
- Reallocate a credit to another debit
- Request an interim statement of account.
Top Tip: When you request a refund for the first time, a screen message will appear requesting you to verify your banking details. Once you have captured your banking details you will be requested to upload supporting documents via eFiling or hand in person at the nearest SARS branch as soon as possible, once you have submitted your banking details. This will be a once-off requirement for the specific account in order to ensure the correct banking details is being used. It will also be needed every time you change your banking details. For more information on this please visit the Guide for Transfer Duty via eFiling.
The following supporting documents with your financial account number will be required when visiting the SARS branch
- Power of authority
- Valid original or a temporary identity document/passport/driving licence of the Representative taxpayer
- Copy of a bank statement with the original bank stamp or ABSA eStamped statement (not more than three months old) confirming the account holder’s legal name, account number, account type and branch code, where applicable, or in the case and only based on exception where the client opened a new bank account and cannot produce a bank statement, an original letter from the bank on the bank letterhead with the original bank stamp reflecting the date the bank account was opened
- Copy of a proof of business physical address.
For more information call the SARS Contact Centre on 0800 00 (SARS) (7277) or visit your nearest SARS branch.
