SARS Gazettes New Regulations on Automatic Exchange of Information

Posted 02 December 2025 Written by Acts Online
Category Tax

Brought to you by SA Legal Academy: The South African Revenue Service (SARS) has gazetted new regulations under the Tax Administration Act, No. 28 of 2011, affecting the automatic inter-jurisdictional exchange of financial account information in tax matters.

In terms of the Tax Administration Act, No. 28 of 2011, these regulations update the framework for the automatic exchange of information (AEOI) to ensure continued compliance with international tax transparency standards. The regulations are scheduled to come into effect on 1 March 2026.

The primary focus of these regulatory changes involves:

  • The refinement of reporting standards for financial institutions regarding account holders with tax residencies in participating foreign jurisdictions.
  • Alignment with updated international protocols for the Common Reporting Standard (CRS).
  • Enhanced data collection requirements to facilitate seamless inter-governmental tax data transfers.

What this means for you, your business, or your clients

  • For yourself: You must stay abreast of the technical reporting specifications and data security protocols required for the 2026 implementation to advise on compliance risks.
  • For your business: Financial institutions and reporting entities must audit their current data collection systems to ensure they can capture the expanded information sets required by the new regulations before the 1 March 2026 deadline.
  • For your clients: Clients with cross-border financial interests should be advised that their account information will be subject to automated disclosure between SARS and relevant foreign tax authorities under the updated framework.

Originally published at https://legalacademy.co.za/news/read/financial-sector-information-exchange-on-tax-matters

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