Corporate Income Tax
Quick Answer
What is Corporate Income Tax?
Corporate income tax is the flat 27% tax South African companies pay on taxable profit.
Corporate Income Tax explained
Qualifying Small Business Corporations pay reduced rates (0% – 27% in bands), and micro businesses can elect turnover tax instead. Companies file the ITR14 annually.
Who it applies to: Every registered company that makes a profit.
Cost: 27% of taxable profit at the standard rate.
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.
About BizAnswers: BizAnswers is a privately owned South African company – not a government department. Our guides are free to read and show you how to do things yourself through official channels. If you would rather have the paperwork handled for you, we assist individuals and businesses with filing their South African tax returns and staying compliant, which is a paid service, not a free government service. Contact us for help.
Last reviewed: September 2026 by the BizAnswers editorial team. How we write and check our guides.