Every tax season, the same document goes missing: the IT3(b). If you earned interest on a Capitec account — or any South African bank account — SARS expects that interest to appear on your tax return, and the IT3(b) is the certificate that states the amount.
This guide explains what the IT3(b) is, how to get yours from Capitec, and where to find the equivalent at the other major banks.
What is an IT3(b)?
An IT3(b) is an income tax certificate issued by banks and other financial institutions. It summarises the investment income an account earned during the tax year — for a bank account, that is mainly interest.
Key facts:
- The South African tax year for individuals runs 1 March to 28/29 February.
- Banks issue IT3(b) certificates after the tax year closes, typically between April and June, ahead of SARS filing season opening in July.
- Banks also submit this data directly to SARS, which is why interest income is often pre-populated on your auto-assessment or ITR12. The certificate is your copy for checking and record-keeping.
- If your total interest is below the annual exemption for your age group, you may owe no tax on it — but it must still be declared, and SARS already has the number.
How to get your IT3(b) from Capitec
Capitec makes tax certificates available digitally — you do not need to visit a branch. Depending on your app version, the wording may differ slightly, but the routes are:
1. Capitec app Sign in to the Capitec app and look under your profile/settings for statements and documents (sometimes labelled Email me a document or Tax certificates). Select the tax certificate (IT3(b)) for the relevant tax year and it will be emailed to you as a PDF, or made available to download.
2. Capitec internet banking Sign in at capitecbank.co.za and look for the documents/statements section, where tax certificates for past tax years can be downloaded.
3. Client Care or a branch If the digital routes fail, Capitec's client care line (0860 10 20 43) or any branch can email the certificate to your registered address after verifying you.
If the certificate for the latest tax year is not showing yet, check the date — certificates for the year ended February are usually only available from late April or May.
IT3(b) at the other major banks
| Bank | Where to find it |
|---|---|
| FNB | Online banking / app → your profile → tax certificates (IT3b) |
| Standard Bank | Internet banking / app → statements & documents → tax certificates |
| Nedbank | Money app / online banking → statements and documents → tax certificates |
| Absa | Online banking / app → statements & documents → tax certificates |
| Investec | Online banking → documents → tax documents |
The pattern is the same everywhere: profile or documents section, pick the tax year, download the PDF. Joint or business accounts may require the primary account holder's profile.
IT3(b) vs. other tax certificates
The IT3 family covers more than interest, and they are easy to confuse:
- IT3(b) — interest, dividends, and other investment income (your bank account).
- IT3(c) — proceeds from the disposal of assets (unit trusts, shares sold).
- IT3(a) — payments where no employees' tax was deducted (e.g. some annuities).
- IRP5 — employment income; comes from your employer, not your bank.
For an ordinary bank or savings account, the IT3(b) is the one you need.
For businesses: interest tracking shouldn't wait for tax season
Companies declare interest income too — but a business that only discovers its interest figure when the IT3(b) arrives is reconciling once a year, blind.
If your business holds interest-bearing balances — a MarketLink account, call account, or savings pocket — an automated transaction feed shows interest credits as they post, month by month. BankLink pulls transactions from linked South African bank accounts on a schedule and delivers them to a dashboard, webhook, or email, so the interest line in your management accounts matches the certificate before SARS ever asks. See How to Consolidate Multiple Bank Accounts for the broader picture.