The costs of the regulatory service and oversight activities of the SACAA are funded from mainly three revenue streams, namely -
A passenger safety charge that is collected by airline operators on behalf of the SACAA from departing scheduled flight passengers (considered an indirect source);
An aviation fuel levy collected by wholesale distributors from entities not covered by the passenger safety charge (considered an indirect source); and
"User Fees" which include mainly licence and approval and other regulatory service fees (considered a direct source).
A fourth revenue stream namely an annual grant from the National Department of Transport is intended to cover the costs of investigations by a department into civil aviation incidents and accidents on behalf of the National Department of Transport .
During the 2014/15 financial year the percentage contributions of the various revenue streams to the total SACAA revenue of R449,561,000 were as follows –
The process to adjust revenue stream rates is regulated by legislation and include consultation with industry through the Civil Aviation Regulation Committee (CARCOM), consideration of comment from general public upon a Government Gazette, approval by the Minister of Transport and consent of the Minister of Finance. The history of the various revenue stream rates since the establishment of the SACAA in 1998 is:
| Passenger Safety Charge Increases (Part 187.02.1) |
| Date into operation | Charge amount | Government Gazette no | Comment |
| 01-May-01 | R 4 | 22173 dated 30 March 2001 | In terms of Section 22 of the South African Civil Aviation Act, 1998 (Act 40 of 1998) |
| 01-Apr-03 | R 7 | 24298 dated 31 Jan 2003 | In terms of Section 22 of the South African Civil Aviation Act, 1998 (Act 40 of 1998) |
| 09-Dec-05 | R 6 | 28213 dated 9 November 2005 | In terms of Section 22 of the South African Civil Aviation Act, 1998 (Act 40 of 1998). CAA was confirmed being VAT exempted |
| 01-Jan-08 | R 10 | 30522 dated 28 November 2007 | In terms of Section 22 of the South African Civil Aviation Act, 1998 (Act 40 of 1998) |
| 01-Jun-09 | R 11 | 32165 dated 28 Apr 2009 | In terms of Section 22 of the South African Civil Aviation Act, 1998 (Act 40 of 1998) |
| 01-Mar-11 | R 12 | 33967 dated 28 Jan 2011 | In terms of Section 155(z)(ii) read with Section 74(1)(b) of the Civil Aviation Act, 2009 (Act 13 of 2009). Introduced late - long outdrawn process to approve and promulgate amendment |
| 01-Aug-11 | R 18 | 34427 dated 1 July 2011 | In terms of Section 155(z)(ii) read with Section 74(1)(b) of the Civil Aviation Act, 2009 (Act 13 of 2009). |
| 01-Mar-12 | R 16 | 34964 dated 27 January 2012 | In terms of Section 155(z)(ii) read with Section 74(1)(b) of the Civil Aviation Act, 2009 (Act 13 of 2009). |
| 01-Nov-14 | R16.39 | 38045 dated 1 October 2014 | In terms of Section 155(z)(ii) read with Section 74(1)(b) of the Civil Aviation Act, 2009 (Act 13 of 2009) (Part 187.02.1) |
| 01-Apr-15 | R18.72 | 38367 dated 22 December 2014 | In terms of Section 155(z)(ii) read with Section 74(1)(b) of the Civil Aviation Act, 2009 (Act 13 of 2009) (Part 187.02.1) |
| 01-Apr-2016 | R20.23 | 39563 dated 24 December 2015 | In terms of Section 155(z)(ii) read with Section 74(1)(b) of the Civil Aviation Act, 2009 (Act 13 of 2009) (Part 187.02.1) |
Fuel Levy Increases - SACAA Levies Act 1998 |
| Date into operation | Fuel Levy rate (cent per litre) | Government Gazette No and date of publication thereof | Comment |
| 01-Sep-99 | R 0.015 | 20334 dated 30 July 1999 | In terms of Section 2(7) of the South African Civil Aviation Authority Levies Act (Act 41 of 1998) |
| 10-Dec-05 | R 0.01316 | 28213 dated 9 November 2005 | In terms of Section 2(7) of the South African Civil Aviation Authority Levies Act (Act 41 of 1998) |
| 01-Jun-08 | R 0.0215 | 31003 dated 25 April 2008 | In terms of Section 2(7) of the South African Civil Aviation Authority Levies Act (Act 41 of 1998) |
| 01-Apr-10 | R 0.04 | 32977 dated 26 February 2010 | In terms of Section 2(7) of the South African Civil Aviation Authority Levies Act (Act 41 of 1998) |
| 01-Jun-11 | R 0.122 | 34203 dated 8 April 2011 | In terms of Section 2(7) of the South African Civil Aviation Authority Levies Act (Act 41 of 1998) |
| 01-Aug-14 | R 0.13 | 37781 dated 30 June 2014 | In terms of Section 2(7) of the South African Civil Aviation Authority Levies Act (Act 41 of 1998) |
| 01-Apr-15 | R 0.138 | 38367 dated 22 December 2014 | In terms of Section 2(7) of the South African Civil Aviation Authority Levies Act (Act 41 of 1998) |
| 01-Apr-16 | R 0.146 | 395563 dated 24 December 2015 | In terms of Section 2(7) of the South African Civil Aviation Authority Levies Act (Act 41 of 1998) |
| General User Fee Increases - Part 187 of the South African Civil Aviation Regulations (CARS) |
| Date into operation | Percentage fee increase and local hourly rate as example | Government Gazette No and date of publication thereof | Comment |
| 01-May-03 | 7% and hourly rate R450 | 28-Mar-03 | In terms of Section 22 of the Aviation Act, 1962 (Act 74 of 1962) |
| 01-Apr-04 | 10% and hourly rate R480 | 26211 dated 31 March 2004 | In terms of Section 22 of the Aviation Act, 1962 (Act 74 of 1962) |
| 30-Jun-08 | 10% and hourly rate R525 | 31097 dated 30 May 2008 | In terms of Section 22 of the Aviation Act, 1962 (Act 74 of 1962) |
| 01-Mar-11 | 10% - hourly rate - R580 | 34028 dated 16 February 2011 | In terms of Section 155(1) of the Civil Aviation Act, 2009 (Act No 13 0f 2009) |
| 01-Nov-14 | 6% - hourly rate - R615 | 38045 dated 1 October 2014 | In terms of Section 155(1) of the Civil Aviation Act, 2009 (Act No 13 0f 2009)(Part 187.01) |
| 01-Dec-15 | 4.8% - hourly rate - R645 | 39339 dated 30 October 2015 | In terms of Section 155(1) of the Civil Aviation Act, 2009 (Act No 13 0f 2009)(Part 187.01) |
| 01-Apr-16 | 5.4% - hourly rate- R680 | 39687 dated 12 February 2016 | In terms of Section 155(1) of the Civil Aviation Act, 2009 (Act No 13 0f 2009)(Part 187.01) |