Taxman adding new requirements for vehicle owners in South Africa next week

The South African Revenue Service (SARS) will implement new requirements for owners of foreign-registered vehicles next month.

Starting 1 June 2026, foreign-registered cars will need to be declared on the SARS Traveller Management System (TMS) prior to entering or leaving South Africa.

SARS stated that this new measure aligns with international customs practices and will strengthen compliance while protecting South Africa’s ports of entry.

New SARS Commissioner Johnstone Makhubu said the registration process will improve risk screening and improve the “overall traveller experience” for those affected.

“It also supports South Africa’s financial transparency obligations and enhances national security by ensuring goods, currency and vehicles are properly declared and assessed before entry or exit,” he said.

In cases where foreign vehicles have been temporarily imported, SARS may issue a temporary import permit with a validity period of six months.

These permits can be using for multiple border crossings during the valid period, with no requirement to reapply at each entry.

Notably, frequent cross-border travel for work, study, business, medical care or other lawful reasons does not affect the validity of the permit, provided it remains in force and is renewed before it expires.

“The process is designed to make compliance straightforward while improving oversight, consistency and fairness at the border,” SARS said.

SARS stated that it expects travellers to declare their foreign-registered vehicles in the TMS before they arrive at the border.

This will allow individuals to take advantage of a simplified, expedited processing system.

However, Makhubu said that SARS will still support travellers who are unable to complete the declaration online by deploying dedicated officials at South Africa’s ports of entry.

He added that while online declarations improve processing times, they do not replace physical border controls.

All travellers are still required to present themselves to Customs for verification, processing, and inspection, where required.

Makhubu stressed that compliance is not optional.

“Vehicle owners who do not declare foreign-registered vehicles or who provide false or incomplete information expose themselves to enforcement consequences and prolonged processing at the border,” he said.

“I also wish to reaffirm that where vehicle owners comply with all the legal requirements, the process will be seamless; however, where compliance is low, this may lead to delays in border crossings.”

SARS is urging owners of foreign vehicles and cross-border operators to make use of its official sources for accurate guidance to understand the new declaration procedures before the 1 June 2026 implementation date.