South Africa's Carbon Tax Act covers roughly 90% of the country's greenhouse gas emissions. Phase 2 began on 1 January 2026: the headline rate rose from R236 to R308 a tonne, and the tax-free allowances that softened Phase 1 are being narrowed. Most companies feel the second change harder than the first.
The rate went up 30.5% and the allowances came down at the same time. Your taxable share of emissions grew even if your fuel use did not.
Most finance teams budgeted off last year's number. Few know their Scope 1 emissions well enough to say what the Phase 2 basis actually costs them.
The published path runs to R462 a tonne by 2035, and the offset allowance — now up to 15% — is the lever most companies have never used.
Nobody should be surprised by a tax bill this size. This estimator gives you an honest ballpark of your carbon tax liability — so you can budget with numbers instead of hope.
| Fiscal year | Headline rate per tonne CO₂e | Year on year |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | R190 | Baseline |
| 2025 | R236 | ↑ 24% |
| 2026 — Phase 2 begins | R308 | ↑ 30.5% |
| 2035 | R462 | ↑ long-term path |
Rates as published by National Treasury. The estimator below compares a 2025 basis with a 2026 basis, because that comparison is what most budgets missed.
Enter the fuel your operations burn in a year. The estimator converts it to Scope 1 emissions, applies your allowance position, and shows you the 2025 basis against the 2026 one. Your numbers stay in your browser.
Annual figures. Leave anything you do not burn at zero.
Emission factors used: diesel 2.68, petrol 2.31 kg CO₂e per litre; natural gas 56.1 kg CO₂e per GJ; coal 2 400 kg CO₂e per tonne.
Your figures and results are written straight into the request form — you only add your contact details.
Free, no obligation. A SolveSA advisor will walk you through your allowance position and the fastest ways to bring this number down.
This estimator is a free, high-level indicative tool. It applies generic emission factors to the fuel volumes you enter and a simplified allowance position; it is not a carbon tax calculation under the Carbon Tax Act. It covers Scope 1 fuel combustion only and does not model process or fugitive emissions, the carbon budget allowance, offset utilisation, the trade-exposure or performance allowances individually, petrol and diesel levy interactions, or your licensing and reporting position with SARS and the DFFE. Rates and allowances change. For a defensible liability figure, speak to a SolveSA advisor.
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SolveSA helps South African companies measure Scope 1 and 2 emissions properly, claim the allowances they are entitled to, build an offset position before it is needed, and file with confidence.
Use this free estimator to see what the Phase 2 basis costs you, and where the emissions actually come from.
We work out your real allowance position — basic threshold, trade exposure, performance, offsets — instead of the standard assumption used here.
We build the reduction and offset plan that lowers the bill, and the reporting that stands up to SARS and the DFFE.
Estimate your liability in minutes, then book a no-obligation discovery session — we will map your fastest route to a lower, defensible carbon tax bill.
Use the estimatorProvided by SolveSA — Transformation Solutions, part of the Alternative Prosperity group. Tools, calculators and benchmarks published here are general, indicative overviews based on generally available information. They may not be accurate, complete or current, and they do not constitute advice — read the full disclaimer.