File size

SARS file too large for eFiling?

Phone photos and multi-page scans can easily exceed the SARS upload limit. The goal is not maximum compression. The goal is a readable document under 5MB.

Reduce tax scans to SARS-ready files. TaxScanZA prepares PDFs under the eFiling size limit.
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Updated 4 July 2026. General information, not tax advice.

A modern phone photo can be several megabytes before you even turn it into a PDF. If you combine multiple photos into one file, the upload can fail because the document is too large for eFiling.

How to reduce the file safely

  • Scan the document instead of uploading the raw camera photo.
  • Crop out the table, wall, or background around the page.
  • Use black-and-white or document enhancement where it keeps text readable.
  • Export as PDF after the image has been resized and compressed.
  • Check the final file size before opening eFiling.
Do not over-compress: A tiny unreadable file can still create problems. Keep names, dates, totals, and certificate numbers legible.

What TaxScanZA does

TaxScanZA scans the document, optimises the output for SARS requirements, shows the before-and-after file size, and confirms the compliance status before export. That means you know the file is ready before you upload it.

Related guides

See also the SARS Document Compliance Checker, how to make a SARS PDF under 5MB, and what to check when SARS rejects an upload.