TIN certificate requirement deferred to April

The Inland Revenue Department has deferred the mandatory submission of Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) certificates for eight specified transactions until April 1, 2027.

The requirement, which was due to take effect from November 1, 2026, has been postponed following a surge in demand for TIN certificates from people engaged in the specified transactions as well as members of the general public.

The department said in a public notice that the decision had been taken with the approval of the Ministry of Finance.

The mandatory requirement was introduced under Circular No. SEC/PN/IT/2026/05 dated September 22, 2026, in terms of subsection (6) of Section 103 of the Inland Revenue Act, No. 24 of 2017, as amended by the Inland Revenue (Amendment) Act, No. 11 of 2026.

During the extended period, the department will introduce alternative and more convenient methods for those who have already registered for a TIN to obtain their certificates.

It also urged those who have not yet obtained a TIN to register through its online e-Services platform.