SARS asks for proof of address on almost every company application. Two questions cause most of the confusion: what counts as proof, and whose name it needs to be in.
Whose name depends on what you're applying for:
Application | Personal proof (your name) | Company proof (business name) |
SARS Registered Representative | ✅ Required | — |
VAT registration | ✅ Required | ✅ Required |
PAYE registration | ✅ Required | ✅ Required |
Import/Export licence | — | ✅ Required |
So VAT and PAYE need both — your own proof of address and the company's. The Registered Representative application only needs yours. Import/Export only needs the company's.
Whatever the document, it must be dated within the last 3 months.
Where to go next:
What documents does SARS actually accept? See the full list → What documents does SARS accept as proof of address
Can't get proof in the right name? This is common — you don't have a business address yet, you work from home, or you let from someone without a formal lease. There's a way around it → What if you can't provide a SARS proof of address