SARS 19-Digit Payment Reference Lookup
Find Payment Reference Number (PRN)
Retrieve or generate your exact 19-digit SARS Payment Reference Number for Income Tax, Provisional Tax, VAT201, or EMP201 so your EFT payment allocates immediately.
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eFiling Navigation & Turnaround
19-Digit PRN Format & eFiling Credit Push Path
PRN Generation: Instant | Bank Clearing: 1–2 Business Days
eFiling Navigation Path: Log into eFiling → Returns → Payments → Create Payment (Credit Push) or Inspect ITA34 / SOA Bottom Slip
Verified SARS Portal
Retrieve Your 19-Digit SARS PRN Online
Access the SARS digital query system to find the exact payment reference number for your tax account.
PRN Lookup Instructions
How to Retrieve & Use Your SARS PRN
01
Access the SARS SOQS "What’s My PRN" Tool or Log into eFiling
Navigate to tools.sars.gov.za/sarsonlinequery/wmprn or log into SARS eFiling and open the submitted return (ITR12, ITR14, IRP6, VAT201, or EMP201) or Statement of Account.
02
Understand the 19-Digit PRN Structure
Every SARS PRN is exactly 19 characters: your 10-digit Tax Reference Number + 1-letter Tax Type indicator (T = Income Tax, V = VAT, P = Provisional, E = PAYE, U = UIF, S = SDL) + 8-digit period/check code (e.g. 9123456789T00002026).
03
Select the Exact Tax Type & Assessment / Filing Period
Ensure you select the PRN for the current period being paid (for example, 202602 for February PAYE/VAT) and NEVER reuse last month’s saved PRN.
04
Choose eFiling Credit Push Over Manual Bank EFT
Where possible, click "Make Payment > Credit Push" inside eFiling so SARS pushes the pre-populated 19-digit PRN and exact amount directly to your FNB, Standard Bank, Nedbank, ABSA, Capitec, or Investec approvals list.
05
Select Correct Pre-Approved SARS Beneficiary When Paying via EFT
If paying via manual internet banking EFT, select the official bank-approved public beneficiary (e.g. SARS-ITA, SARS-VAT, SARS-PAYE, or SARS-PROV) and paste the 19-digit PRN with zero spaces.
EFT Payment Mistakes
Common PRN Errors That Cause 10% SARS Late Penalties
Reusing a Saved Monthly Beneficiary with Last Month’s PRN
Because characters 12–19 of a VAT201 or EMP201 PRN encode the specific month/period and check-digit, paying this month’s PAYE using last month’s saved PRN over-credits last month and triggers a 10% late payment penalty on the current month.
Paying on the Last Business Day After Bank Cut-Off Times
Under the Tax Administration Act, a payment is only received when it clears into SARS’s account. Initiating a Credit Push after 14:30/15:00 on the 7th (PAYE) or 25th/last business day (VAT) clears the next day and incurs an automatic 10% penalty.
Selecting the Wrong SARS Public Beneficiary Code
Paying Provisional Tax (IRP6) into the "SARS-ITA" beneficiary instead of "SARS-PROV" (or vice versa) causes the payment to hang in unallocated suspense.
Adding Spaces, Hyphens, or Company Names to the Reference Field
The beneficiary reference field on your bank EFT must contain ONLY the 19-character PRN—adding your company name or spaces truncates the check-digit and breaks automated allocation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a 19-digit SARS Payment Reference Number (PRN)?
A SARS Payment Reference Number (PRN) is a unique 19-character alphanumeric code generated by SARS for a specific tax return, assessment (ITA34), or statement of account. It consists of your 10-digit tax reference number, a 1-letter tax type code (T, P, V, E, U, S), and an 8-digit period and check-digit sequence.
How fast is a SARS PRN generated on SOQS or eFiling?
A 19-digit PRN is generated instantaneously (in real time) on the SOQS "What’s My PRN" portal or immediately upon submitting a VAT201, EMP201, or IRP6 return on SARS eFiling.
Where do I find my PRN on SARS eFiling?
On SARS eFiling, your 19-digit PRN is printed at the bottom-left payment slip of your Notice of Assessment (ITA34), Statement of Account (ITSA/VASA/EMPSA), or on the submitted return work page next to the "Make Payment" button.
What happens if I paid SARS using the wrong PRN?
Your money is not lost—it sits in SARS’s Unallocated Suspense account or as a credit on the prior period. You must submit a formal Payment Allocation / Reallocation query on SOQS with bank-stamped proof of payment to move the funds and reverse any late-payment interest.
Can My Accountant load SARS Credit Push payments so we never use the wrong PRN?
Yes! For all monthly bookkeeping, VAT, and payroll clients, we prepare the return on eFiling and push the exact payment instruction with the verified 19-digit PRN straight to your online banking app—you simply click "Approve" in your banking app.
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