Income Tax Calendar 2026-27: All Due Dates & Deadlines
Complete income tax due date calendar for AY 2026-27 / FY 2025-26: ITR filing deadlines, advance tax instalments, TDS/TCS payment and return dates, Form 16 issue date, and tax audit report deadline — with penalties for missing each.
Disclaimer
This article is for educational purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice. Please consult with a certified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. Read our complete Financial Disclaimer.
Income tax calendar 2026-27: all due dates and deadlines
Every statutory income tax deadline for FY 2025-26 (Assessment Year 2026-27), in one place. ITR filing by taxpayer category, advance tax instalments, monthly TDS/TCS payment dates, quarterly return due dates, Form 16, and the tax audit report — with penalties for missing each.
If you are a practicing accountant or CA, skip the prose and go straight to the tables.
Integrity note: Every date here is sourced from CBDT notifications, the Income Tax Department portal, ClearTax, and India Briefing (sources listed at the end). Where a date has not been officially confirmed for AY 2026-27, this article says so and directs you to the official portal. Nothing has been guessed.
ITR filing deadlines
Which form you use — and whether your accounts need a statutory audit — decides your deadline.
Original return deadlines — AY 2026-27 (FY 2025-26)
| Taxpayer category | ITR form | Due date |
|---|---|---|
| Salaried individuals, pensioners, house property, basic capital gains | ITR-1, ITR-2 | 31 July 2026 |
| Business/professional income — non-audit cases, presumptive taxation | ITR-3, ITR-4 | 31 August 2026 |
| Companies, firms, LLPs requiring tax audit (Section 44AB) | ITR-5, ITR-6, ITR-7 | 31 October 2026 |
| Cases requiring transfer pricing report (Form 3CEB / Section 92E) | ITR-5, ITR-6, ITR-7 | 30 November 2026 |
Budget 2026 change: Before Union Budget 2026, almost all non-audit filers shared the July 31 deadline. Budget 2026 split it by form. ITR-3 and ITR-4 filers — freelancers and small business owners — now have until August 31 to organise their accounts.
Belated and revised returns
| Return type | Deadline | Penalty / fee |
|---|---|---|
| Belated return (missed original deadline) | 31 December 2026 | ₹5,000 (₹1,000 if total income ≤ ₹5 lakh) under Section 234F |
| Revised return (correcting a filed return) | 31 March 2027 | ₹1,000 (income ≤ ₹5 lakh) or ₹5,000 (income > ₹5 lakh) per Budget 2026 |
| Updated return / ITR-U (within 4 years of AY end) | 31 March 2031 | Additional tax of 25%–50% of the incremental tax + interest |
What a belated return actually costs: The ₹5,000 penalty is not the main problem. Filing after the original deadline means you lose the right to carry forward capital losses and business losses to future years. For equity investors who had a loss year, that carry-forward is worth more than the fine.
For the mechanics of actually filing — form selection, step-by-step walkthrough, common mistakes — see the ITR filing guide for 2026.
Advance tax instalment schedule
Advance tax applies to anyone whose estimated tax liability for the year exceeds ₹10,000, after TDS already deducted. Salaried employees whose employer deducts TDS fully are generally clear, but if you have significant interest income, rent, capital gains, or freelance earnings, you probably need to check whether advance tax applies to you.
Advance tax due dates — FY 2025-26 (AY 2026-27)
| Instalment | Due date | Cumulative tax to be paid | Who it applies to |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st instalment | 15 June 2025 | At least 15% of estimated annual tax | All advance taxpayers |
| 2nd instalment | 15 September 2025 | At least 45% of estimated annual tax | All advance taxpayers |
| 3rd instalment | 15 December 2025 | At least 75% of estimated annual tax | All advance taxpayers |
| 4th instalment | 15 March 2026 | 100% of estimated annual tax | All advance taxpayers |
Note: The first three instalments (June 2025, September 2025, December 2025) have already passed as of June 2026. They are in the table for completeness — the same schedule repeats every year. FY 2026-27 advance tax dates: 15 June 2026, 15 September 2026, 15 December 2026, 15 March 2027.
Presumptive taxation exception: Taxpayers under Section 44AD or Section 44ADA can skip the first three instalments and pay the full advance tax liability in one go by 15 March.
Penalty for shortfall: Section 234C charges 1% per month interest on the shortfall at each instalment date. Section 234B kicks in if you pay less than 90% of your total liability by March 31 — it runs at 1% per month from April 1 until you pay the balance.
TDS and TCS due dates
Two separate obligations here: the monthly payment deadline (depositing deducted tax with the government) and the quarterly return filing deadline (Form 24Q, 26Q, 27Q, or 27EQ).
Monthly TDS/TCS payment due dates
| Month of deduction/collection | Payment due date |
|---|---|
| April | 7 May |
| May | 7 June |
| June | 7 July |
| July | 7 August |
| August | 7 September |
| September | 7 October |
| October | 7 November |
| November | 7 December |
| December | 7 January |
| January | 7 February |
| February | 7 March |
| March (non-government deductors) | 30 April |
The March exception catches people out: non-government deductors have until April 30 to deposit TDS deducted in March, without attracting interest. Government deductors must deposit the same day as deduction, or by March 31 if paying without challan.
Quarterly TDS/TCS return filing due dates — FY 2025-26
| Quarter | Period | TDS return due date | TCS return due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 | April – June 2025 | 31 July 2025 | 15 July 2025 |
| Q2 | July – September 2025 | 31 October 2025 | 15 October 2025 |
| Q3 | October – December 2025 | 31 January 2026 | 15 January 2026 |
| Q4 | January – March 2026 | 31 May 2026 | 15 May 2026 |
Forms used: Form 24Q (salary TDS), Form 26Q (non-salary TDS for residents), Form 27Q (TDS for non-residents), Form 27EQ (TCS).
Penalty for late TDS payment (Section 201 + interest): Interest at 1% per month from the date of deduction to the date of actual payment (1.5% per month from date of deduction if TDS was not deducted at all).
Penalty for late TDS return filing (Section 234E): ₹200 per day for every day of delay, subject to a maximum of the total TDS amount for that quarter.
Penalty for non-filing beyond one year (Section 271H): ₹10,000 to ₹1,00,000, at the discretion of the assessing officer.
Other key compliance dates
Form 16 — TDS certificate for salary
| Certificate | Who issues it | Due date |
|---|---|---|
| Form 16 (salary TDS) | Employer to employee | 15 June 2026 |
| Form 16A (non-salary TDS) | Deductor to deductee | Within 15 days of the quarterly return due date |
Form 16 can only be generated from TRACES after the Q4 TDS return (Form 24Q for January–March 2026) is filed by 31 May 2026. Employers then have 15 days — until June 15 — to issue it.
Penalty for late issuance: ₹100 per day per certificate under Rule 31A.
Tax audit report (Section 44AB)
| Report | Due date |
|---|---|
| Tax audit report — general cases (Forms 3CA/3CB + 3CD) | 30 September 2026 |
| Tax audit report — transfer pricing cases | 31 October 2026 |
The tax audit report must be filed before the ITR. In practice, the CA completes the audit and uploads the report on the e-filing portal; the taxpayer then files the ITR separately.
Note on new forms: Under the Income-tax Act, 2025, a unified Form 26 will eventually replace Forms 3CA, 3CB, and 3CD. For AY 2026-27 (FY 2025-26), the old forms still apply — Form 26 will come into effect for Tax Year 2026-27 onwards. Confirm with your CA or on the Income Tax portal.
One-page summary: all critical dates at a glance
| Deadline | Date | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Advance tax — 1st instalment | 15 June 2025 | All advance taxpayers |
| Q1 TCS return | 15 July 2025 | TCS collectors |
| Q1 TDS return | 31 July 2025 | TDS deductors |
| Advance tax — 2nd instalment | 15 September 2025 | All advance taxpayers |
| Q2 TCS return | 15 October 2025 | TCS collectors |
| Q2 TDS return | 31 October 2025 | TDS deductors |
| Advance tax — 3rd instalment | 15 December 2025 | All advance taxpayers |
| Q3 TCS return | 15 January 2026 | TCS collectors |
| Q3 TDS return | 31 January 2026 | TDS deductors |
| Advance tax — 4th instalment | 15 March 2026 | All advance taxpayers |
| TDS for March (non-govt) | 30 April 2026 | Non-government deductors |
| Q4 TCS return | 15 May 2026 | TCS collectors |
| Q4 TDS return | 31 May 2026 | TDS deductors |
| Form 16 issue | 15 June 2026 | Employers |
| ITR — salaried / individuals (ITR-1, ITR-2) | 31 July 2026 | Salaried, most individuals |
| ITR — business/professionals non-audit (ITR-3, ITR-4) | 31 August 2026 | Freelancers, small businesses |
| Tax audit report (Section 44AB) | 30 September 2026 | Audit cases |
| ITR — audit cases (ITR-5/6/7) | 31 October 2026 | Companies, firms under audit |
| Transfer pricing report | 31 October 2026 | Transfer pricing cases |
| ITR — transfer pricing cases | 30 November 2026 | International transactions |
| Belated ITR (missed original deadline) | 31 December 2026 | Anyone who missed above deadlines |
| Revised ITR (correcting a filed return) | 31 March 2027 | Anyone who filed and found errors |
What happens if you miss a deadline
ITR filing
Missing the July 31 or August 31 original deadline triggers a ₹5,000 late filing fee under Section 234F (₹1,000 if income is under ₹5 lakh). You can file a belated return until December 31, 2026. The bigger problem for investors: filing after the original deadline means you lose the right to carry forward capital and business losses. That carry-forward right disappears permanently — no amount of late filing or revised returns gets it back.
Advance tax shortfall
Section 234C charges 1% per month on any instalment shortfall. Section 234B runs at the same rate on the overall underpayment from April 1 onwards, and it keeps accruing until you actually pay. The longer the ITR filing gets delayed, the higher the Section 234B bill.
TDS non-compliance
Late TDS payment under Section 201(1A) attracts two separate interest charges: 1% per month from the date tax was deductible to the date it was actually deducted, and a further 1.5% per month from the deduction date to the actual deposit date. Late TDS return filing adds ₹200 per day under Section 234E.
How this calendar connects to your tax planning
For salaried individuals, the practical sequence through the year looks like this:
- April: Declare investment proofs to employer; choose old or new regime. Use the tax calculator to check which one saves more.
- June 15: Collect Form 16 from your employer.
- July 31: File ITR-1 or ITR-2. Do not leave it for the last week — the portal gets congested, and a mistake under time pressure means you will pay the Budget 2026 revised-return fee to fix it.
- December 31: Last chance for a belated return if you missed July 31.
- March 31, 2027: Last chance to file a revised return for AY 2026-27.
For freelancers and business owners, the June, September, December, and March advance tax dates matter more. Missing September means interest starts running from September 15 on the shortfall. It is not a large amount, but it is entirely avoidable by paying on time.
For deduction planning, regime selection, and the 80C toolkit, see the income tax planning guide for 2026-27.
Frequently asked questions
What is the last date to file ITR for salaried individuals for AY 2026-27?
31 July 2026 for ITR-1 and ITR-2 (salary, house property, pension, basic capital gains). If you miss it, you have until 31 December 2026 to file a belated return with a ₹5,000 penalty — or ₹1,000 if your total income is under ₹5 lakh.
When is the advance tax due for FY 2025-26?
All four instalments for FY 2025-26 have already passed as of June 2026: 15 June 2025 (15%), 15 September 2025 (45% cumulative), 15 December 2025 (75% cumulative), and 15 March 2026 (100%). If you missed an instalment, interest under Sections 234B and 234C applies — it gets calculated and added when you file your ITR.
What is the TDS payment due date each month?
The 7th of the following month. So TDS deducted in May is due by June 7. The one exception: TDS deducted in March by non-government deductors can be deposited as late as 30 April.
By when must an employer issue Form 16 for FY 2025-26?
15 June 2026, under Rule 31(3) of the Income Tax Rules, 1962. Form 16 cannot be generated from TRACES until the Q4 TDS return (Form 24Q) is filed by May 31, so the 15-day window from June 1 to June 15 is tight. If you have not received it by mid-June, follow up with HR. The employer faces ₹100 per day per certificate for late issuance.
What is the tax audit report deadline for AY 2026-27?
30 September 2026 for general audit cases (Forms 3CA/3CB + 3CD under Section 44AB). Transfer pricing cases have until 31 October 2026. The ITR follows one month later in both cases.
Is there any extension announced for AY 2026-27 ITR deadlines?
As of 10 June 2026, no CBDT extension notification has been issued. The deadline for ITR-1/ITR-2 stands at 31 July 2026. Past extensions have been announced at short notice — check the Income Tax Department news page in the week before any deadline for updates.
Last updated: 10 June 2026. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional tax advice. Tax laws and CBDT notifications can change; verify critical deadlines on the Income Tax Department portal or with a registered Chartered Accountant before acting.
Sources used:
- Income Tax Department — incometax.gov.in
- ClearTax — ITR filing last dates FY 2025-26
- ClearTax — TDS payment due dates and penalties
- India Briefing — Form 16 deadline June 15, 2026
- India Briefing — Advance tax due dates FY 2026-27
- Sag InfoTech — ITR return filing due dates
- Sag InfoTech — TDS/TCS quarterly return due dates
- LegalAdda — Tax audit AY 2026-27