Revised SARB Policy on South African Currency Image Production

Posted 27 July 2026 Written by Acts Online
Category Banking & Finance

Brought to you by SA Legal Academy: The South African Reserve Bank (SARB) has published a revised policy governing the production, reproduction, and use of South African currency images, replacing the previous 2016 iteration.

Under the regulatory framework of the South African Reserve Bank Act, No. 90 of 1989, the revised policy applies retrospectively from 1 April 2026 to all instances of creating or reproducing an image of any unit of South African currency. The policy binds any juristic or natural person incorporated, resident, or domiciled in the Republic of South Africa.

The updated framework is designed to protect the integrity and intellectual property of South African currency while mitigating counterfeiting risks. It establishes mandatory approval procedures that must be followed when submitting an application to produce or reproduce currency images for commercial, educational, editorial, or media purposes.

Key elements of the revised policy include:

  • Universal Scope: Applies across all print, digital, and broadcasting media to any person or corporate entity within South Africa.
  • Prior Approval Requirement: Mandates compliance with formal application procedures before any currency image is produced or published.
  • SARB Discretionary Authority: Grants the relevant SARB committee express prerogative to deviate from standard policy conditions in exceptional circumstances when in the best interest of the SARB Group.

What this means for you, your business, or your clients

  • For yourself: Ensure that any personal, academic, or professional publications featuring images of South African banknotes or coins adhere strictly to SARB reproduction guidelines.
  • For your business: Review marketing, branding, and media creation processes to ensure prior approval is obtained from the SARB before utilizing currency images in commercial materials or advertisements.
  • For your clients: Advise clients in advertising, media, publishing, and film production of the mandatory approval workflow required by the SARB to avoid regulatory sanctions or copyright enforcement actions.

Originally published at https://legalacademy.co.za/news/read/currency-image-production-revised-sarb-policy-published

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