Tax Clearance Certificate (TCC) in Uganda: what it is, who needs one, and how to get yours
A TCC is URA's official confirmation that you are up to date with your taxes. Government tenders, transport and clearing licences, and sending more than UGX 50 million abroad all need one. If yours is blocked or you're not sure you'd qualify, we check your file, fix what's missing and apply for you.
What is a Tax Clearance Certificate?
A Tax Clearance Certificate (TCC) is issued by URA's Commissioner when you ask for one. It tells a third party, such as a government office, a bank or a licensing body, that you have registered for the right taxes, filed your returns and paid what you owe (or agreed a payment plan with URA).
You apply online, through URA's eTax portal, under e-services. URA checks your whole account before it issues anything.
What this costs you every month it waits
- Lost government tenders and pre-qualification opportunities
- Bank facilities and loan renewals stalled at the compliance check
- Contract payments withheld pending proof of tax compliance
- Suppliers and partners questioning your business's standing
The cost of waiting: Every day without the certificate is another day your payment, loan or tender waits. Resubmitting without fixing the cause gets the same rejection. Start with the diagnosis the day you find out.
Three steps. Zero guesswork.
We diagnose
With your TIN we review the ledger within one business day and give you a written list of every blocker — usually shorter and cheaper than feared.
We clear
Missing returns filed, balances settled or arranged, mis-postings corrected. Each item confirmed cleared before we move on.
We obtain
We submit the application, follow it through URA, and deliver your TCC — then diarise the renewal so you're never caught out again.
Build your TCC estimate
TCC work is priced by how much clean-up the ledger needs — diagnosed and quoted before you commit.
Licensed Tax Agent, registered with TARC under URA · Helping clients since 2012 · Rated 4.7 on Google
TCC Blocker Diagnosis
Share your TIN and deadline. We'll tell you exactly what's blocking your certificate — within one business day. The first 30-minute conversation is free for new clients. If your file needs the UGX 150,000 TCC diagnosis, we tell you first, and it is credited against any clean-up.
- Reviewed personally by a licensed tax agent
- Plain-language answer — what you owe, what it costs to fix
- Reply within one business day (Mon–Fri)
Common questions
It's a certificate from URA's Commissioner confirming that you are registered, have filed your returns and have paid your taxes (or agreed a payment plan). Third parties ask for it as proof that you're in good standing with URA.
Online, through URA's eTax portal, under e-services. Before you apply, make sure all five conditions are met: current registration, every return filed, directors' returns filed (for companies), returns accepted, and everything paid or on a plan. We can apply for you as your tax agent.
An annual TCC lasts a year. URA's Tax Clearance page says it may be issued only to taxpayers whose compliance has been monitored for at least three years. A transactional TCC is for one purpose, addressed to one organisation, and is used up once you hand it over.
You'll need a TCC to bid for or supply government work. Start early: if there's a blocker, clearing it can take longer than the tender window. Send us the deadline and we plan backwards from it.
URA's Tax Clearance page says a TCC is required for transfers of more than 2,500 currency points (UGX 50 million) out of Uganda. If your bank is holding a transfer, tell us the amount and the date and we'll treat it as urgent.
Usually, yes. Your employer deducts PAYE, so the main thing is that your registration is up to date and any return you're due has been filed. If you also earn rent or run a business, those need to be filed too.
Yes. Rental tax is filed once a year, and any year you haven't filed will block your certificate. We can file the missing years and apply in the same job.
URA won't clear a company or partnership until every director, or every member of the partnership, has filed their own returns. One missing personal return can block the whole company, so we check them at the start.