ZIMRA TIN Number: How to Get It, Use Your Old BP Number and Find a Lost TIN

Your ZIMRA BP number has been replaced by a TIN. Since October 2023, every taxpayer in Zimbabwe has a 10-digit Taxpayer Identification Number on ZIMRA's TaRMS system, and that's the number banks, buyers and ZIMRA now ask for.

If you had a BP number, you use it once to claim your TIN online. If you never had one, you register as a new taxpayer. Below: both routes, how to find a TIN you've lost, and fixes for the errors people hit. Checked against ZIMRA's TaRMS guidance in October 2026.

What is a ZIMRA TIN, and what happened to BP numbers?

The TIN is the number the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) uses to identify you for every tax. ZIMRA moved from its old SAP system and e-services to the Tax and Revenue Management System (TaRMS) in October 2023, and rolled out TINs and registration links on 16 October 2023.

Under the old system, registering with ZIMRA gave you a Business Partner (BP) number. Under TaRMS, the TIN is the number that counts:

• Tax clearance certificates (ITF263) show your TIN.
• Banks take your TIN directly. Bank advice notes are no longer needed, because TaRMS is linked to the banks.
• Fiscal tax invoices must show both the seller's and the buyer's TaRMS TIN.

TINs differ by type of taxpayer. ZIMRA's TaRMS FAQs give the pattern: individuals' TINs start with 1 (1000000000) and organisations' with 2 (2000000000). One TIN covers your transactions in both US dollars and local currency.

How to get your TIN if you already had a BP number

1. Go to mytaxselfservice.zimra.co.zw and choose to register. Type the address yourself; ZIMRA warns that links pointing to a test ("UAT") server won't work.
2. Enter your BP number as 10 digits, starting with 0. A BP number like 200123456 becomes 0200123456. Without the leading 0, TaRMS shows "Invalid BP Number".
3. Enter your full name exactly as it appears on your national ID. TaRMS rejects details that don't match.
4. Verify your email and phone through the link ZIMRA sends.
5. Log in and find your TIN in the drop-down menu at the top right, where your name appears.

Your tax history moved across from the old system, so you're continuing your account, not starting a new one.

How to register for a TIN if you never had a BP number

New taxpayers register straight on the Self-Service Portal at mytaxselfservice.zimra.co.zw, without a BP number. Use your national ID details exactly as printed, and an email address and phone number you check.

Companies register through their public officer, who signs up as a user on the portal and can register every company they're the public officer for. They can then give a tax agent access, rather than sharing a password.

ZIMRA also still publishes its paper REV1 registration form for first-time registrations, with REV2 for changing details or adding a tax type to an existing account. Both are on ZIMRA's registration page, and you attach the supporting documents each form lists.

Do employees need their own TIN?

Yes, but you don't register yourself. ZIMRA's FAQs say the employer creates TINs for its employees on TaRMS when setting up payroll. If you're employed and want your TIN, ask HR or payroll. It also appears on documents your employer files for you.

How to find your ZIMRA TIN if you've lost it

• Log in to the Self-Service Portal. Your TIN is in the drop-down under your name at the top right.
• Look at an old tax clearance certificate (ITF263) or a fiscal invoice issued to your business. Both show your TIN.
• Ask ZIMRA. Call the Contact Centre on 585 (toll-free) or 08688007614 from a landline, or WhatsApp +263 78 272 9862, with your national ID number ready.

Received two or three TINs? That happened to some people during the switch. ZIMRA's advice: register on the portal with your 10-digit BP number, then log out, log back in, and use the TIN shown in the drop-down at the top right.

How to check a supplier's TIN

The simplest way to check a supplier is through their tax clearance certificate. Ask for their ITF263, then go to mytaxselfservice.zimra.co.zw and use Verify Tax Clearance Certificate with the QR code, or the TIN and authentication code. If the certificate is genuine and current, the TIN on it is real. Our ITF263 guide walks through it.

Fixes for common TaRMS registration problems

Mistakes that cause problems later

• Registering a second time. If you had a BP number, claim your TIN with it. A fresh registration can create a duplicate account.
• Using a nickname or short name. The name must match your ID.
• Giving buyers your old BP number. Your invoices and tax clearance now use your TIN.
• Not filing because you're not trading. ZIMRA expects inactive taxpayers to file nil returns, and missing returns block your ITF263.
• Paying someone to "get you a TIN". Registration is free on the portal.

With your TIN sorted, see how IMTT tax applies to your payments, and what comes off a salary in ZIMRA's PAYE tax tables.

Frequently asked questions

Is the ZIMRA TIN the same as the BP number?

No. The BP (Business Partner) number belonged to ZIMRA's old system. Since October 2023, TaRMS gives every taxpayer a 10-digit TIN. You use your old BP number once, with a leading 0, to claim your TIN on the Self-Service Portal.

How many digits is a ZIMRA TIN?

Ten. ZIMRA's TaRMS FAQs show individuals' TINs starting with 1 and organisations' starting with 2.

How do I get my TIN number from ZIMRA?

Register on mytaxselfservice.zimra.co.zw. If you had a BP number, enter it as 10 digits starting with 0. If not, register as a new taxpayer with your national ID details. Once you log in, your TIN is under your name at the top right.

How do I verify a ZIMRA TIN online?

The simplest check is the business's tax clearance certificate (ITF263). Verify it on mytaxselfservice.zimra.co.zw by scanning its QR code or entering the TIN and authentication code. A valid certificate confirms the TIN.

Is registering for a ZIMRA TIN free?

Yes. Registering on the TaRMS Self-Service Portal costs nothing.

Who creates TINs for employees?

The employer. ZIMRA's guidance says employers create TINs on behalf of their employees on TaRMS.