South Africa · SARS VAT number
South Africa VAT Number Checker
Check that a SARS VAT registration number has 10 digits, starts with 4 and has a correct check digit.
What is a South African VAT number?
A South African VAT number is the 10-digit registration number the South African Revenue Service (SARS) issues to a VAT vendor. It always starts with 4 and ends in a check digit — for example 4740101508 for Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd. It is a different number from the company’s income tax reference and its CIPC registration number.
South African VAT number format
Leading 4, eight digits and a check digit — 10 digits.
(VAT)
2–9
digit
Example: 4740101508 (Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd, as shown on the B-BBEE certificate published on eskom.co.za).
- Check digit: Modulus 10 (Luhn), as published by SARS.
- No prefix: There is no “ZA” prefix; South Africa is not part of the EU VIES system.
- Not a VAT number: A 10-digit number starting with 0, 1, 2, 3 or 9 is an income tax reference; 2002/015527/30 is a CIPC registration number.
- Format check only: This checker tests the leading 4 and the check digit. It does not query SARS’s register, so it cannot confirm that a number is registered or active.
How to check a South African VAT number
- 1 Find the VAT number on the supplier’s tax invoice — SARS requires it on every one.
- 2 Enter the 10 digits above. The checker tests the leading 4 and the check digit.
- 3 If it fails, check for a typo, or whether you were given the income tax reference instead.
- 4 To confirm the number is registered with SARS, see our guide to verifying a South African VAT number.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a South African VAT number look like?
Ten digits, always starting with 4, written without spaces or a country prefix. The last digit is a check digit — for example 4740101508 for Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd.
Does a South African VAT number have a check digit?
Yes. SARS’s data-submission specifications publish a modulus-10 check for income tax and VAT reference numbers: alternate digits are doubled (adding the digits of any result over 9), and the last digit brings the total to a multiple of 10.
Is a VAT number the same as an income tax reference number?
No. Both are 10-digit SARS numbers with the same kind of check digit, but an income tax reference number starts with 0, 1, 2, 3 or 9, never 4. A business gets a VAT number only when it registers as a VAT vendor, so most VAT-registered companies hold both.
Is the CIPC company registration number the VAT number?
No. The CIPC registration number (year/sequence/type, e.g. 2002/015527/30) identifies the company in the companies register. SARS issues the VAT number separately, on VAT registration.
Who must register for VAT in South Africa?
A business whose taxable supplies exceed, or are likely to exceed, R2.3 million in any 12 consecutive months — the threshold SARS has applied since 1 April 2026 (previously R1 million). Voluntary registration is generally possible once supplies have exceeded R120,000 in the past 12 months, subject to SARS’s conditions.
Must the VAT number appear on a tax invoice?
Yes. Every tax invoice must show the supplier’s VAT number. A full tax invoice (over R5,000) must also show the recipient’s VAT number where the recipient is a vendor. Without a valid tax invoice, the buyer cannot deduct input tax.
Last reviewed: , against official sources.
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