Freelancer, influencer or side hustle: the whole journey

Trade in your own name, or open a company

In your own name, the business’s debts are yours [1].Sole proprietor or company?

Get a tax number

Register on eFiling, the MobiApp or at a branch. Without a number, SARS issues one [4].

Invoice every job, with a due date

Getting paid on time

Keep business costs apart

Only costs incurred to earn the income count [5].

Register for VAT past R2.3 million

Taxable sales in any 12 consecutive months; apply within 21 business days [6].When do you have to register for VAT?

Pay provisional tax twice

By the end of August and the end of February [3].Provisional tax: your two payments

File one return

Your business income goes on your own return [1].

Keep records for five years

From the date you submit each return [7].Records SARS expects you to keep

You’re running a business

Earning creators usually are, whatever their follower count [8].

Get a tax number

Register on eFiling, the MobiApp or at a branch. Without a number, SARS issues one [4].

Invoice every campaign

Getting paid on time

Count what brands send you

Products, trips and services for agreed content are income at their money value; an unsolicited gift with no strings depends on the facts [2].

Keep a gift list

Each item, who sent it, its value, the campaign, and whether you kept it [2].

Declare foreign payouts in rand

AdSense, TikTok or a foreign brand: residents declare worldwide income [2].

Register for VAT past R2.3 million

Taxable sales in any 12 consecutive months; apply within 21 business days [6].When do you have to register for VAT?

Pay provisional tax twice

Campaign income often has no PAYE taken off, so you likely pay twice a year [2].Provisional tax: your two payments

File one return with all your income

Creator income goes on your ITR12 with any salary, rent or interest [2].

Keep records for five years

Including proof of each post and your platform statements [2].Records SARS expects you to keep

Treat it as a business

In your own name, its income goes on your own return [1].Sole proprietor or company?

Use your tax number

Register on eFiling, the MobiApp or at a branch. Without a number, SARS issues one [4].

Give it its own bank account

Its income and costs stay easy to see.

Keep business costs apart

Only costs incurred to earn the income count [5].

Register for VAT past R2.3 million

Taxable sales in any 12 consecutive months; apply within 21 business days [6].When do you have to register for VAT?

Pay provisional tax twice

A salary alone usually doesn’t need it; business income on top does [3].Provisional tax: your two payments

File one return

Side-hustle income goes on your own return, beside your salary [1].

Keep records for five years

From the date you submit each return [7].Records SARS expects you to keep

Trade in your own name, or open a company

In your own name, the business’s debts are yours [1].Sole proprietor or company?

Get a tax number

Register on eFiling, the MobiApp or at a branch. Without a number, SARS issues one [4].

Put your details, prices and returns on your shop

Start selling online in South Africa

Keep a record of every order

What sold, for how much, and when it was paid.

Keep business costs apart

Only costs incurred to earn the income count [5].

Register for VAT past R2.3 million

Taxable sales in any 12 consecutive months; apply within 21 business days [6].When do you have to register for VAT?

Pay provisional tax twice

By the end of August and the end of February [3].Provisional tax: your two payments

File one return

Your business income goes on your own return [1].

Keep records for five years

From the date you submit each return [7].Records SARS expects you to keep