Exit tax · Johannesburg

Leaving Johannesburg.

Deemed disposal. Ceasing South African residence treats your worldwide assets as sold the day before, except South African property, and taxes 40% of the gain at up to 45%, about 18% of the gain.

Rate on unrealized gains18%on the gain accrued to the day you leave
DeferralNo deferral.
Addresses with no capital gains tax36of the 100 on the board
TriggerLoss of tax residencethe departure date is tested under local rules

What the charge looks like on your number.

Gain accrued at departureExit charge at 18%Kept
$1M$180K$820K
$5M$900K$4.1M
$20M$3.6M$16.4M

Flat application of the headline rate to the gain. Exemptions, thresholds, and the date of the sale change the figure.

Deferral.

No deferral.

Addresses with no capital gains tax.

🇦🇪 Abu DhabiUAE · effective tax 0% on $1M🇦🇮 AnguillaAnguilla · effective tax 0% on $1M🇵🇫 Bora BoraFrench Polynesia · effective tax 0% on $1M🇰🇳 Christophe HarbourSt Kitts and Nevis · effective tax 0% on $1M🇦🇪 DubaiUAE · effective tax 0% on $1M🇨🇭 GenevaSwitzerland · effective tax 36% on $1M🇰🇾 George TownCayman Islands · effective tax 0% on $1M🇬🇮 GibraltarGibraltar · effective tax 21% on $1M🇲🇺 Grand BaieMauritius · effective tax 20% on $1M🇨🇭 GstaadSwitzerland · effective tax 36% on $1M🇫🇷 GustaviaSt Barths · effective tax 0% on $1M🇭🇰 Hong KongHong Kong SAR · effective tax 16% on $1M🇯🇪 JerseyJersey · effective tax 20% on $1M🇨🇾 LimassolCyprus · effective tax 34% on $1M🇨🇭 LucerneSwitzerland · effective tax 32% on $1M🇨🇭 LuganoSwitzerland · effective tax 32% on $1M🇲🇨 MonacoMonaco · effective tax 0% on $1M🇨🇭 MontreuxSwitzerland · effective tax 36% on $1M🇧🇸 NassauBahamas · effective tax 0% on $1M🇵🇦 Panama CityPanama · effective tax 0% on $1M🇧🇧 Platinum CoastBarbados · effective tax 28% on $1M🇨🇿 PragueCzech Republic · effective tax 22% on $1M🇹🇨 ProvidencialesTurks and Caicos · effective tax 0% on $1M🇺🇾 Punta del EsteUruguay · effective tax 0% on $1M🇳🇿 QueenstownNew Zealand · effective tax 38% on $1M🇵🇷 San JuanPuerto Rico · effective tax 4% on $1M🇸🇬 SingaporeSingapore · effective tax 21% on $1M🇦🇬 St John'sAntigua and Barbuda · effective tax 0% on $1M🇨🇭 St. MoritzSwitzerland · effective tax 32% on $1M🇧🇲 Tucker's TownBermuda · effective tax 9% on $1M🇱🇮 VaduzLiechtenstein · effective tax 17% on $1M🇨🇭 VerbierSwitzerland · effective tax 32% on $1M🇻🇬 Virgin GordaBritish Virgin Islands · effective tax 0% on $1M🇨🇭 ZermattSwitzerland · effective tax 32% on $1M🇨🇭 ZugSwitzerland · effective tax 20% on $1M🇨🇭 ZurichSwitzerland · effective tax 32% on $1M
Questions

Is there an exit tax when you leave Johannesburg?

Deemed disposal.

Ceasing South African residence treats your worldwide assets as sold the day before, except South African property, and taxes 40% of the gain at up to 45%, about 18% of the gain.

Can the Johannesburg exit tax be deferred?

No deferral.

Which addresses on the board levy no capital gains tax?

36 of the 100 addresses on the board levy no personal capital gains tax on listed securities, among them Abu Dhabi, Anguilla, Bora Bora, Christophe Harbour, Dubai, Geneva.

Source: the Patrician.ch board, an original ranking of 100 residence addresses across 48 countries and territories. Tax rates, thresholds and routes are sourced. Cost, safety, schools, sun and beauty are Patrician.ch editorial indices. Figures current to September 2026. Updated . Cite as: Patrician.ch, South Africa exit tax 2026: leaving Johannesburg, the rate and the deferral, patrician.ch/exit-tax/johannesburg/, September 2026.

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The general case, ranked: Where should high earners live in 2026 · Best country to live in if you are rich · Best countries for high earners after tax · Europe · United States

Tax figures use a simplified marginal model with indicative 2026 brackets for a non-US single filer, ignore social contributions, most deductions, wealth taxes, and treaties, and are not advice. Residence rules change often. Verify before acting.

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