Tax Year-end Timeline

February

Important dates/deadlines

19 February 2025: Budget Speech for 2025/2026 tax year (postponed to 12 March 2025)
28 February 2025: End of tax year 2024/2025

Task to complete

Preparation: Print the IRP5/IT3a Validation report to identify possible error or outstanding information
Reconciliation: Review your payroll values (EMP501 History Report) with your monthly EMP201 declarations and payments for PAYE, SDL, UIF and ETI
Complete your final payroll for 2024/2025 tax year
Create a Tax Year-end Instance of your final February payroll when your start your March payroll - this happens automatically, and this instance allows you to generate your tax certificates and submission files

March

Important dates/deadlines

Task to complete

Update your live payroll to Release 6.4a (available mid-March 2025). This is a mandatory update for all users.
Attend the 2025 Annual Payroll Tax Update seminars or webinar presented by Rob Cooper (click here to book your seat)
Update National Minimum Wage codes for ETI
Review all payroll records and print the IRP5/IT3a Validation report to identify possible errors or outstanding information
Reconcile your payroll values (EMP501 History Report) in you Tax Year-end Copy System (if not done previously) with your monthly EMP201 declarations and payment for PAYE, SDL, UIF and ETI

April

Important dates/deadlines

1 April 2025: Employer Annual Reconciliation submission opens **
7 April 2025: Software update - Release 6.4a, including ETI changes effective April 2025
7 April 2025: Submit your EMP201 for March 2025 (Monday)
11 April 2025: Return of Earnings 2024 (2024/2025) CF-2a submission opens (as per website Compensation Fund Online website - https://cfonline.labour.gov.za/OnlineSubmissions)
18 April 2025: Public holiday - Good Friday (Friday)
21 April 2025: Public holiday - Family Day (Monday)
27 April 2025: Public holiday - Freedom Day (Sunday)
28 April 2025: Public holiday - Freedom Day observed (Monday)
30 April 2025: Deadline for Workplace Skills Plan / Actual Training Reports (Skills Reports) to your SETA (Wednesday) - confirm the specific submission dates with your SETA

* *As per SARS Notice on SARS website

Task to complete

Review all payroll records and print the IRP5/IT3a Validation report to identify possible errors or outstanding information
Reconcile your payroll values with your monthly EMP201 declarations and payment for PAYE, SDL, UIF and ETI
Submit Employer Annual Reconciliation (EMP501 and tax certificates) to SARS through SARS e@syFile once filing season opens for employers
Submit Return of Earnings 2024 (financial year 2024/2025) to the Compensation Fund when submission period opens

May

Important dates/deadlines

1 May 2025: Public holiday - Workers' Day (Thursday)
7 May 2025: Submit your EMP201 for April 2025 (Wednesday)
31 May 2025: Deadline for submission of Annual Employer Reconciliation (Saturday)

Task to complete

If you still have not completed the preparation for submission:
- Review all payroll records and print the IRP5/IT3a Validation report to identify possible errors or outstanding information
- Reconcile your payroll values with your monthly EMP201 declarations and payment for PAYE, SDL, UIF and ETI
- Submit Employer Annual Reconciliation (EMP501 and tax certificates) to SARS through SARS e@syFile before Friday 31 May 2025 ***
Submit Return of Earnings 2024 (2024/2025) to the Compensation Fund

*** Avoid the rush and long queues for assistance by submitting as soon as possible.

June

Important dates/deadlines

7 June 2025: Submit your EMP201 for May 2025 (Saturday)
30 June 2025: Return of Earnings 2024 (financial year 2024/2025) CF-2a submission deadline (Monday)

Task to complete

Submit Return of Earnings 2024 (financial year 2024/2025) to the Compensation Fund before Monday 30 June 2025

(Updated 25/02/2025)

Sage Payroll Professional Year-end Centre