VAT at 15%
The standard VAT rate in South Africa is 15%. The increase to 15.5% announced for May 2025 was withdrawn in April 2025, and the February 2026 Budget left the rate unchanged.
Full or abridged: the thresholds
| Consideration (including VAT) | What you issue |
|---|---|
| R50 or less | No tax invoice needed — a till slip is acceptable. |
| More than R50, up to R5,000 | An abridged tax invoice is allowed. |
| More than R5,000 | A full tax invoice. |
A tax invoice must be issued within 21 days of the supply.
What a full tax invoice must show
- the words "Tax Invoice", "VAT Invoice" or "Invoice";
- your name, address and VAT registration number;
- the customer's name, address and — where they have one — VAT registration number;
- a serial number and the date of issue;
- a description of the goods or services, with the quantity or volume;
- the value of the supply, the VAT charged and the total.
An abridged tax invoice can leave out the customer's details. Most glazing jobs for builders and companies are well over R5,000, so collect the customer's registered name, address and VAT number when you quote, not when you invoice.
Where Coglass fits
Coglass is not VAT-return software. It produces the invoices and hands them to Xero, where your VAT201 figures are prepared:
- Deposit, proforma and final invoices from the job, with payments recorded against them and overdue invoices flagged.
- Xero. Invoices, payments and supplier bills push to your Xero organisation, coded to the accounts and tax rates you choose from your own Xero settings — your returns are then done in Xero.
Want to see it on your own jobs? Book a demo or see pricing in ZAR.
Sources
This page explains the rules in general terms. Standards and tax rules change, and how they apply depends on the job — check the source, your building control body or your accountant before relying on it.