Administrative Penalty
Quick Answer
What is Administrative Penalty?
An administrative penalty is the fixed monthly penalty SARS charges for each outstanding tax return.
Administrative Penalty explained
Penalties repeat every month the return stays outstanding and are based on your income level. They stop accumulating once the return is filed.
Who it applies to: Any taxpayer with an unfiled return.
Cost: Monthly per outstanding return, until filed.
Related terms and guides
Official source: SARS (South African Revenue Service)
Always verify this information with official South African government sources. Rules, fees and thresholds change. Check SARS, CIPC, the Department of Employment and Labour or gov.za before you act.
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Last reviewed: September 2026 by the BizAnswers editorial team. How we write and check our guides.