To pass a logbook and get your 100% SARS diesel refund, you need detailed, comprehensive, and accurate logbooks that clearly meet SARS compliance standards, with the necessary accompanying documents. While the 100% rebate is a lifeline for many businesses, compliance is now way more demanding. Your business needs to be prepared.
Did you know that over 60% of diesel refund audits lead to partial or full claim rejections? The biggest (and avoidable) issue at the core of this is... Poorly detailed logbooks. Now that the rebate is 100%, SARS has introduced advanced automated risk-profiling tools, meaning they’re clamping down on lacklustre applications.
Get your logbook locked down so that your claim is uncontested and you get your full refund.
Keep reading to find out how to secure your diesel rebate and how a partnership with Cartrack can make this process much simpler.
To successfully claim a diesel refund, you first have to be part of a primary production business.
Following this, you should:
This rebate revision could prove to be an absolute plus for your business, bringing money back into your company and helping you save BIG TIME.
This kind of rebate is especially important during a time like now, when fuel prices are through the roof and propelled by geopolitical tensions.
For the submission process, you must ensure that the diesel is stored and used on your business premises. Any diesel refund claim needs to be submitted within two years of the day you purchased the diesel. Ensure you’re using the most current forms and that the rebate is at 100%, NOT the previous 80% rate.
Let’s break it down:
As mentioned, the qualifying sectors for the diesel refund scheme are primary production businesses, which mainly include farming, mining, fisheries, and forestry. The rebate covers equipment like mining haul trucks, tractors, harbour vessels, and forestry vehicles.
Not all fleet operators fit the criteria, and driving/activities on public roads are ineligible.
The documents needed to claim a diesel refund in South Africa include:
SARS is currently in the process of establishing a standalone system known as the New Diesel Refund System, moving away from the VAT system. This is being rolled out to handle higher user capacities and to modernise processes.
Your compliant logbook should include usage and storage records. Usage looks closely at activities and the hours that contribute to the fuel consumption, while storage focuses on inventory and where it's located.
The information from the two must speak to each other and match. The SARS system will aim to achieve reconciliation, and any large gaps or disparities will be flagged.
Take a look at our graphics below to see what criteria ensure compliance:
The logbook is important here because a 100% rebate is hugely substantial and needs to be fully supported by detailed and accurate records. The logbooks are proof that the diesel was used as intended, and can be classified as eligible or non-eligible for the purpose of the rebate.
With the review process being stricter and backed by legal precedent, you have no choice but to be diligent about your recordkeeping.
This ensures that you’re not claiming incorrectly (over- or under-claiming) or delaying your chances of getting that return. Take a look at the SARS diesel usage logbook template to see if you’re detailing your logs correctly.
Cartrack helps with refund claims by making the logbook feature fully available to you with your fleet management package. Through our Cartrack app, you & your drivers can quickly and confidently record the details of every time diesel was used, whether eligible or not. This data can then be converted into SARS-compliant claims.
We ultimately bridge the gap between your asset diesel consumption and a successful, 100% diesel return.
GET YOUR MONEY BACK WITH CARTRACK’S HELP! Here’s how:
As mentioned, you can classify eligible and non-eligible use in our logbook. In this case, ‘eligible' refers to a tractor used on the farm; 'non-eligible' refers to a tractor being driven on a highway to get to another location.
Automated, convertible data also means that you not only save a bunch of time from avoiding entirely manual records, but you also minimise human error—a factor that could make or break the success of your return.
With the modernisation of diesel rebate processes, manual or written records may also be rejected by the system. Automation is the way forward.
Cartrack is ahead of the game thanks to our sensitive, high-precision fuel sensors. These give you the precise necessary information required in a logbook, like the exact amount of fuel used, how much is added to the tank, whether what’s purchased matches what was poured, etc.
Typically, recording the exact amount of fuel used means getting the messy, true, and authentic data. When your logbook consistently reflects perfect and rounded numbers of litres used, it immediately gets flagged in the SARS system.
You don’t have to worry about misleading insights or even a lack of digital records.
Cartrack also understands that SARS auditors could give you a call two years after you’ve submitted your claim. If they do, you won’t have to concern yourself about lost documents or logged information. You’ll have it all readily available on the Cartrack platform.
We’ve got your documentation worries completely covered. Your raw information is coherently consolidated, and you can pick between a PDF or a CSV format in which you’d like to export your data.
We know it’s likely the most stressful part of getting everything together, but you can rest assured knowing that our reports meet the requirements of Schedule 6 of the Customs and Excise Act.
Schedule 6 is the backbone of your return, covering the rules around rebates and returns of excise duties and fuel levies.
The 100% rebate is a hugely transformative step forward for South African businesses. But with this comes intense prerequisites and strict compliance. There isn’t room for estimations and rough guesses; everything needs to be completed accurately and honestly to avoid potential delays.
Cartrack's automated & user-friendly logbook options make precision completely achievable, taking the stress out of daily records.
Fuel your business growth and not your taxes. There’s no such thing as guesswork on our end; so call our Cartrack professionals today and ensure your 100% refund is locked, loaded, and SARS-proof.
Secure your 2026 refund without the audit headache. Learn how to maintain a bulletproof logbook and claim your full 100% diesel rebate.
