Many people still say "I need my tax clearance certificate" out of habit. In many situations, what they actually need now is a Tax Compliance Status PIN or a specific TCS result, which works differently from the old paper certificate.
Source: SARS — Tax Compliance Status
Frequently Asked Questions
What is TCS?
Tax Compliance Status.
What is a TCS PIN used for?
It allows an authorised third party to verify a taxpayer's compliance status electronically.
Does having a TCS PIN mean SARS will never have a tax issue with me?
No — compliance status reflects the status at the relevant time and under the applicable criteria.