Reminder - Don’t Miss the 13th Customs Deferment Payment Deadline

21 Jan

This article will count 0.25 units (15 minutes) of unverifiable CPD. Remember to log these units under your membership profile.

Customs deferment account holders must make their 13th and final payment for the 2025/2026 financial year before 15h00 on 31 March 2026.

This extra payment is part of the long-standing SARS deferment schedule. But if you're not prepared, you could face account suspension and delays that hit your operations hard.

Why a 13th Payment?

SARS’ Customs External Standard-Deferment policy requires a thirteenth payment in March each year. It’s added on top of the twelve regular monthly payments you’ve already selected. Think of it as the financial year-end wrap-up for all your customs duties.

The Timeline You Can’t Ignore

Here’s what you need to do and when:

Statement period closes: 30 March 2026 at 00h00 (midnight)
E-statements available: From 04h00 on 31 March 2026 for eFiling users
Final payment deadline: 15h00 on 31 March 2026

If you’re not using eFiling, don’t wait. Contact your local Customs Branch Office to get your statements via email.

Pay Early As Banking Delays Can Lead to Suspension

The reminder from SARS comes with a warning: some banks don’t process payments immediately. That means waiting until the last minute could cost you. If your payment doesn’t reflect on time, your deferment account could be suspended, just when you need it most.