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Sars Change Contact Details

Verified 26 September 2026Updated 6 October 2026Official source onlyIndependent directoryPublished by Silas T Nkoana, Cape TownReport a wrong number

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To change your contact details with SARS, click Update Contact Details on the eFiling login screen, or call the SARS Contact Centre on 0800 00 7277 (+27 11 602 2093 from abroad). The Contact Centre is open weekdays 8:00 to 16:00, except Wednesdays 9:00 to 16:00, and is closed on weekends and public holidays.

What you want to changeOfficial SARS route
Cell number or email (security contact details), cannot log inUpdate Contact Details on the eFiling login screen, with a facial biometric check
Cell number or email, logged ineFiling: My Profile > Profile and Preference Setup > Security Contact Details
Address, contact details, trading nameseFiling RAV01 (Registration, Amendments and Verification) form
Biometric check failed, or not a South African citizenSARS Contact Centre 0800 00 7277, or book a branch appointment
Branch appointmentCall 0800 00 7277 and select option 0, or SMS “Booking” and your ID number to 47277

Changing banking details with SARS triggers verification, and that is deliberate. Refund diversion, where a fraudster changes a taxpayer’s bank account, is the reason the process is deliberately slow and document-heavy. Expect to prove who you are.

ContactDetails.co.za is an independent directory and is not the South African Revenue Service.

What a change usually requires

For most changes you do not need to visit a branch or hand in documents. Individuals can update their name or surname, bank details, address details, contact details, trading names and tax products on eFiling using the RAV01 form.

  • A branch visit, with biometric verification and an appointment, is only needed to change your entity type or your ID, passport or registration number, or bank details that involve a third party, a trust, or a deceased or insolvent estate.
  • Security contact details (cell number and email) can be changed online without logging in, using the facial biometric check.

Keep your registered email address and cellphone number current. Verification codes go there, and an old number is the most common reason a taxpayer is locked out of their own profile.

How to change your cell number on SARS eFiling

If you cannot log in, lost your SIM or your OTP goes to an old number

Since 29 August 2025, SARS lets registered eFilers update their security contact details without logging in, which also helps taxpayers who cannot receive an OTP:

  • On the eFiling login screen at sarsefiling.co.za, click Update Contact Details.
  • Enter your first name, surname and South African ID number.
  • Pass the facial biometric check.
  • Capture your new cell number and email address, and choose a contact method.
  • Enter the OTP sent to the new number or email.

This route is only for registered eFilers who are South African citizens. If you are not a citizen, or you fail the biometric check, call the SARS Contact Centre on 0800 00 7277 or book an appointment.

If you can log in to eFiling

Go to My Profile > Profile and Preference Setup > Security Contact Details. Enter the new email address and/or cell number, choose your preferred method, click Update & Save, then confirm with the OTP. This also changes where SARS sends your OTP.

Change your cell number on the SARS MobiApp

The cell number used for SARS WhatsApp, USSD and SMS services must be the one on your eFiling personal income tax profile. SARS says: “To update your registered details, login to eFiling or SARS MobiApp.”

How to change your address or registration details with SARS

To change your postal or physical address, or advise SARS of a new business address, log in to eFiling and complete the RAV01 form, which covers address details, contact details, trading names and tax products. If your change needs a branch visit, book an appointment by calling 0800 00 7277 and selecting option 0, by sending an SMS to 47277 in the format “Booking” (space) your ID, passport or asylum seeker number, or through the online booking form.

The scam this process exists to stop

SARS does not send links asking you to confirm banking details, and does not ask for your password. A message announcing a refund and inviting you to update your account is fraud, whatever the branding looks like.

Reach eFiling by typing the address yourself. If you believe your profile has been tampered with, report it to SARS immediately and check whether a return was filed in your name. An assessment you disagree with is challenged through the formal objection process, which has a deadline; the Office of the Tax Ombud handles service complaints free once that process is exhausted.

Frequently asked questions

How do I change my cell number on SARS eFiling?

If you can log in, go to My Profile > Profile and Preference Setup > Security Contact Details. If you cannot, click Update Contact Details on the eFiling login screen and pass the facial biometric check.

How do I change where SARS sends my OTP?

Update your security contact details. The OTP goes to the cell number or email you choose there.

I lost my SIM card. How do I change the number registered with SARS?

Use Update Contact Details on the eFiling login screen, which does not need a login or the old number. If the biometric check fails, call 0800 00 7277.

How do I change my address with SARS?

Log in to eFiling and complete the RAV01 form. Address changes do not need a branch visit.

What is the SARS Contact Centre number?

0800 00 7277, or +27 11 602 2093 from abroad, weekdays 8:00 to 16:00 (Wednesdays 9:00 to 16:00).

Sources

  • SARS FAQ: How do I update my security contact details on eFiling, sars.gov.za/faq, read 26 September 2026
  • SARS FAQ: Both my cell number and email address changed, how do I get the OTP now, sars.gov.za/faq, read 26 September 2026
  • SARS news: Taxpayers can now update their security contact details on eFiling without having to log in, sars.gov.za/latest-news, read 26 September 2026
  • SARS: Maintain personal details on eFiling vs branch, sars.gov.za/types-of-tax/personal-income-tax, read 26 September 2026
  • SARS Contact Centre and Make an appointment pages, sars.gov.za/contact-us, read 26 September 2026
  • SARS Mobile tax services page, sars.gov.za/about, read 26 September 2026