Reviewing SARS interest and possible relief
Interest on a SARS debt is a distinct amount from the tax and any penalty, and it follows its own rules. This page explains how the interest is traced back to its origin - the relevant tax type, the dates it ran from, the statutory grounds that may allow remission, and whether an account correction is actually the more appropriate route. It does not assume that hardship alone qualifies for relief.
Hardship alone does not entitle you to an interest waiver
Being unable to pay is not, by itself, a ground for remitting interest. Where remission is possible it depends on specific statutory grounds, and where the interest figure is simply wrong the correct step is an account correction or dispute - not a remission request. The assessment separates these before anything is submitted.
Four things that determine the path
Before any remission request is considered, the interest is traced back to its origin. These four factors decide whether remission, correction or dispute is the right route.
When the interest began
Interest on SARS debt generally accrues from a defined point - often linked to the due date of the tax or the date of an assessment. The start date and the period that has run shape how much interest has accumulated and whether a remission route is even open.
The relevant tax type
Interest rules can differ by tax type - income tax, VAT, PAYE and other administered taxes are not all treated identically. The tax type determines which statutory provisions apply and how the interest was calculated.
Available statutory grounds
Where remission of interest is possible, it follows specific statutory grounds rather than a general hardship plea. The assessment checks whether your situation meets one of those grounds - it does not assume that being unable to pay is, by itself, enough.
Whether an account correction is appropriate
Sometimes the interest figure is wrong because the underlying account is wrong - a duplicated period, an allocation to the wrong tax type, or a payment that was not credited. Where that is the case, the right step is an account correction or dispute, not an interest remission request.
How interest differs from a penalty
Taxpayers often treat the whole balance as one negotiable number. Separating interest from penalty matters because each follows a different remedy.
| Amount | What it is | How it is addressed |
|---|---|---|
Interest | A charge that accrues over time on an unpaid tax amount, calculated by reference to a rate and a period. | Treated on its own merits. Where grounds exist, a remission request may be possible; where the underlying account is wrong, a correction or objection is the route instead. |
Penalty | A separate charge for non-compliance - administrative, late-payment or understatement - that follows its own remedy per penalty type. | Addressed through penalty remission or objection, not interest remission. Reducing a penalty does not automatically reduce interest. |
What interest review is - and is not
What interest review involves
- Tracing how and when the interest arose, against the actual statement of account and assessment dates.
- Confirming the relevant tax type and the statutory provisions that apply to that interest.
- Checking whether the interest figure is even correct - an account error may need correction, not remission.
- Assessing whether a specific statutory ground for remission applies, only after a written scope is agreed.
What interest review is not
- An automatic waiver. Interest is not waived on request or on hardship alone.
- The same as a penalty. Interest and penalties are separate amounts with separate mechanisms.
- A reduction of the underlying tax. Even if interest is remitted, the tax itself remains payable.
- A blanket negotiation of the whole balance. Interest, tax and penalty are separated so each is addressed by the right route.
Helpful details for the assessment
You do not need full paperwork to begin. These high-level details help the review trace the interest to its origin. Do not send sensitive documents or passwords with the initial enquiry.
Linked but distinct: interest often sits alongside a penalty and the underlying tax on the same statement of account. Because the three are addressed by different mechanisms, the assessment separates tax, penalty and interest first - then maps the right route to each. See SARS penalty remission for the penalty side, and the statement of account guide for reading the breakdown yourself.
Questions about SARS interest
Can interest always be waived?
No. Where remission is possible it depends on specific statutory grounds, not a general request. Hardship alone is not, by itself, a ground. And where the interest figure is wrong because the underlying account is wrong - a duplicated period or a misallocated payment - the correct route is a correction or dispute, not a remission request. The assessment establishes which situation applies before anything is submitted.
How is interest different from a penalty?
Interest is a time-based charge on an unpaid tax amount, calculated by reference to a rate and a period. A penalty is a separate charge for non-compliance - administrative, late-payment or understatement - and each penalty type follows its own remedy. They are addressed through different mechanisms, so reducing a penalty does not automatically reduce the interest, and vice versa. Treating the whole balance as one negotiable number usually targets the wrong amount.
Can an incorrect allocation affect the balance?
Yes. If a payment was allocated to the wrong tax type or period, or a period was duplicated, the interest figure can be inflated even though the underlying tax is not genuinely owed in the amount shown. In that case the right step is an account correction or, where an assessment is wrong, an objection - not an interest remission request. The assessment checks the statement of account for allocation errors before recommending a route.
Trace the interest before you ask for it to be waived
A confidential assessment separates interest from tax and penalty, checks whether the figure is even correct, and maps the right route - remission, correction or dispute. No documents or passwords are required to begin.