Bulk SARS VAT Vendor Search

The SARS VAT vendor search, for a whole supplier list

SARS lets anyone look up a VAT vendor on its website: you enter one VAT number, accept the terms, and see whether a registered vendor matches. That works for a single supplier. For a vendor master of 50 or 500 suppliers it means retyping every number and noting each answer by hand.

This page runs the same SARS lookup for every number in your list and puts the answers in one table you can filter, export and save. You do not need a SARS eFiling profile to use it.

Why supplier VAT numbers matter

To deduct input tax, a VAT vendor needs a valid tax invoice from the supplier, and a full tax invoice has to show the supplier's VAT registration number. If that number is wrong, or the supplier is not registered for VAT, the input tax claimed on the invoice can be disallowed when SARS reviews the return.

Checking numbers when a supplier is set up, and again before each VAT201 return, catches these problems while they are still easy to fix: you can ask the supplier for a corrected invoice before the claim is made rather than after an audit.

Common reasons a supplier is not found

• The supplier gave its income tax reference number instead of its VAT number. Both have 10 digits, but a VAT number starts with 4.
• The supplier has deregistered for VAT. The number still looks correct, but it is no longer on the register, and a format check alone will not catch it.
• The registration is very recent. New vendors can take a few days to appear in the SARS search.
• Two digits were swapped when the number was captured. The length and first digit are still right, so only a lookup shows the mistake.

What the results show

• Valid: SARS found a registered VAT vendor under the number, and the details SARS returns are shown with it.
• Invalid: SARS did not find a VAT vendor under the number. Confirm the number with the supplier, ideally from its VAT registration certificate.
• Format error: the number is not 10 digits starting with 4, so it is not sent to SARS and does not count against your limit.
• Service error: SARS did not answer for that number. It has not been judged invalid; use Retry Failed to check it again.

Checking your supplier list every month

• Export the VAT numbers from your vendor master in Sage, Xero, Pastel or a spreadsheet, one per line. Numbers pasted from Excel are cleaned up automatically.
• Paste them into the checker above or upload the file, and run the check.
• Follow up on invalid numbers with the supplier and retry any service errors.
• Save the list, then re-check it before each VAT201 submission. Export the results to CSV, Excel or PDF to keep a record of what was checked and when.

Frequently asked questions

What does a South African VAT number look like?

A SARS VAT vendor number has 10 digits and starts with 4, for example 4123456789. Numbers that do not match this format are flagged before any lookup.

How does the SARS VAT vendor check work?

Each well-formed number is looked up in the SARS VAT vendor search, and the result shows whether a registered VAT vendor was found, together with the details SARS returns.

What does an invalid result mean?

SARS did not find a VAT vendor under that number. Check for typos, and make sure you have the VAT number and not the income tax reference number, which also has 10 digits.

Why do some numbers need a retry?

If the SARS service is busy or does not respond, the number is marked for retry instead of being reported as invalid. Use Retry Failed to check those numbers again.

Can I check a whole vendor list at once?

Yes. Paste your vendor list, one number per line, and every number is checked in turn. Registered users can export the results to CSV or Excel.

Is this the same as the SARS eFiling VAT vendor search?

It uses the SARS VAT vendor search behind the scenes, but checks a whole list in one go instead of one number at a time. justaxit is an independent service and is not part of SARS.

How often should I re-check my suppliers?

When a supplier is set up, and again before each VAT return. Suppliers can deregister at any time, and their invoices will keep showing the old number.