SARS verification and supporting-document assistance
SARS verification is a document check on specific items - not a full audit. This page focuses on checking the actual request, matching your evidence to the return fields that were questioned, reviewing submission records and shaping appropriate follow-up. It keeps verification distinct from an audit, and it does not promise how long SARS will take to complete the check.
Verification is a document check - and its timeline is not promised
Being selected for verification does not mean SARS has found an error. It is a check on specific items, and how long it takes is set by SARS, not by submitting documents faster. This service focuses on getting the right evidence to the right fields and following up accurately - not on promising a completion date.
Two different checks, two different responses
Confusing verification with an audit leads to an over-sized response for a narrow check. This distinction frames what this service does and does not cover.
| Check | What it is | Scope |
|---|---|---|
Verification | A document check on a specific item - SARS asks you to confirm particular figures on a return or assessment with supporting documents. | Narrower and typically faster. Being selected does not mean SARS has concluded your return is wrong. |
Audit | A broader examination of a return, period or transaction, requiring a more coordinated response. | More involved and usually takes longer. Audit assistance is a separate service. |
What this service focuses on
Four things, in order, before any documents are submitted or any follow-up is made.
Checking the actual request
Verification requests vary. The first step is reading exactly what SARS asked for, which items and which tax period - not assuming every request is the same template.
Matching evidence to return fields
The documents submitted must correspond to the specific fields SARS is checking. Evidence that does not match the questioned item does not resolve the verification.
Submission records
Confirming what was already submitted, when, and through which channel - so follow-up is based on an accurate record rather than a guess.
Appropriate follow-up
If verification is taking longer than expected, follow-up is shaped to the actual status rather than a blanket demand. Completion time is not promised.
What verification assistance is - and is not
What verification assistance involves
- Reading the actual verification request to identify the specific items SARS is checking.
- Matching your supporting evidence to the return fields that were questioned.
- Reviewing what has already been submitted and when, to keep follow-up accurate.
- Shaping appropriate follow-up based on the real status, only after a written scope is agreed.
What verification assistance is not
- A guarantee of how long verification will take. SARS controls the timeline.
- The same as audit representation. Verification is narrower and is handled separately.
- A promise that a refund will be released on submission. Verification is one factor in a refund hold.
- A way to bypass SARS checks. The documents must genuinely support the figures.
Helpful details for the assessment
You do not need the full document pack to begin. These high-level details help identify exactly what SARS is checking. Do not send sensitive documents or passwords with the initial enquiry.
Questions about SARS verification
Why was I selected?
SARS selects returns for verification through its own risk processes, and being selected is not a finding that anything is wrong. It is a check on specific items. The reasons for selection are set by SARS, and the focus of this service is on responding to the actual request accurately rather than speculating about why it was issued.
What happens after documents are submitted?
SARS reviews the documents against the questioned items. If they support the figures, the verification may be concluded; if not, the matter may escalate or lead to an adjustment. How long this takes is set by SARS, and no completion time is promised. Where follow-up is appropriate, it is shaped to the actual status rather than a blanket demand.
Will verification delay a refund?
It can. A refund may be held while verification is underway, but verification is only one of several reasons a refund can be delayed - a banking-detail stopper or an offset against a debt are others. Whether a refund is genuinely due, and why it is held, is checked separately. See SARS refund delayed for the full picture, and the refund review service if a refund is the real concern.
Match the right evidence to the right fields
A confidential assessment reads the actual verification request, identifies exactly what SARS is checking, and maps the evidence that corresponds. No documents or passwords are required to begin.