Online Reporter
Nelson Gahadza
Senior Business Reporter
Property owners earning rental income have been encouraged to regularise their tax affairs ahead of a looming compliance deadline set by the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA), with the tax authority warning that failure to act could trigger full penalties and enforcement action.
The tax, which took effect on January 1, 2026, specifically targets landlords leasing to commercial tenants and marks a significant shift in how the fiscus monitors and collects revenue from the property sector.
The measure, introduced by Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube as part of the 2026 National Budget, compels landlords to register with ZIMRA and submit quarterly returns detailing tenants and rental inflows.
“The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) invites all taxpayers to review their tax affairs and voluntarily disclose any income that was not declared or tax obligations that were not complied with during the 2025 year of assessment,” the tax authority said in a public notice.
“This initiative is meant to encourage voluntary compliance and allow taxpayers to regularise their tax affairs without unnecessary disruption to their business operations.”
The voluntary disclosure opportunity expires on May 30, 2026 and after that date, ZIMRA says any non-compliance identified will be treated in accordance with the full provisions of the law, including penalties and possible prosecution.
“Under the programme, taxpayers who make a full and truthful disclosure will have penalties waived in full, although interest on outstanding amounts will still apply. Importantly, such disclosures will not automatically trigger audits or criminal proceedings,” it said.
The scope of the amnesty is broad, covering individuals and businesses across all sectors, including micro, small, medium and large enterprises, as well as participants in the informal economy.
These include unregistered businesses, income earned from online platforms such as Facebook or digital services, trading in gold and other minerals, transport and taxi operations, and transactions involving crypto assets.
It also extends to individuals earning foreign income while residing in Zimbabwe and non-resident entities deriving income from digital services consumed locally.
ZIMRA also flagged cases where individuals possess significant assets or property developments that are inconsistent with their declared income.
ZIMRA noted that the voluntary disclosure facility applies across all major tax heads, including Income Tax, Value Added Tax (VAT), Pay As You Earn (PAYE) and Capital Gains Tax (CGT).
Earlier in the year, the Government clarified the scope of the new tax measures, including the Digital Services Withholding Tax (DSWT), introduced under Finance Act Number 7 of 2025 and effective from 1 January 2026.
Minister Ncube noted that the DSWT applies to payments made to non-resident suppliers for imported digital services such as streaming platforms, online advertising, e-hailing services and other cross-border digital access services.
He emphasised that any reference to goods within the digital services framework should be interpreted strictly in the context of electronically supplied services, in line with VAT provisions.
