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  5. ITR calendar changed in 2026: Your due date may not be July 31, know your correct deadline

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ITR calendar changed in 2026: Your due date may not be July 31, know your correct deadline

sangeeta-ojha.webp
By Sangeeta Ojha

4 min read | Updated on June 15, 2026, 15:05 IST

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SUMMARY

Various taxpayer categories now have various deadline dates on the income tax filing calendar. Your ITR deadline may be months later than July 31, depending on your source of income, whether your accounts need to be audited, and whether you are a partner in a firm.

itr calendar changed in 2026

Missing the correct due date can result in late filing fees. | Image: Shutterstock.

For years, most taxpayers in India have associated Income Tax Return (ITR) filing with a single date, July 31. Many salaried people grew so accustomed to the deadline that they imagined it applied to everyone, every year. However, depending on that assumption could prove costly for Assessment Year (AY) 2026-27, which refers to income received during Financial Year (FY) 2025-26.
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Various taxpayer categories now have various deadline dates on the income tax filing calendar. Your ITR deadline may be months later than July 31, depending on your source of income, whether your accounts need to be audited, and whether you are a partner in a firm.

At the same time, some taxpayers who assume they have more time may end up missing their actual due date.

This change makes it more important than ever for taxpayers to identify the filing deadline that specifically applies to them.

What has changed?

For AY 2026-27, eligible non-audit business and professional taxpayers filing ITR-3 or ITR-4 have a due date of 31 August 2026 instead of 31 July 2026. Salaried taxpayers filing ITR-1 or ITR-2 generally still have the 31 July deadline.

"It is proposed to provide a staggered timeline for the filing of tax returns due on the 31st of July. Individuals filing ITR 1 and ITR 2 shall continue to file tax returns by the 31st of July, and for non-audit business cases or trusts, 31st August shall be the due date," said FM Sitharaman while presenting the Union Budget 2026 on February 1. ( Read more about this in our article published on 1 Feb)
ITR FormCategoryDue Date
ITR-1 & ITR-2Salary income, Capital gains income31st July 2026
ITR-3 & ITR-4Business income – Non-audit cases31st August 2026
ITR-3 & ITR-4Business income – Cases requiring audit31st October 2026
Belated ReturnLate filing31st December 2026
Revised ReturnCorrection of earlier filed return31st March 2027
Updated Return (ITR-U)Within 4 years from end of relevant AY31st March 2031

Forms currently enabled for AY 2026-27

The Income Tax Department has enabled filing for:

ITR-1 (Sahaj)

ITR-2

ITR-4 (Sugam)

Who typically files which form?

ITR-1: Salary/pension income, up to ₹50 lakh total income, eligible resident individuals.
ITR-2: Individuals/HUFs with capital gains, higher income, foreign assets, multiple properties, etc., but no business income.
ITR-4: Presumptive business or professional income under sections 44AD, 44ADA, or 44AE.

Why you cannot afford to miss your deadline

Missing the correct due date can result in late filing fees under Section 234F, interest on unpaid taxes, delayed refunds, and loss of certain tax benefits.

Section 234F

Section 234F of the Income Tax Act provides for a fee when a taxpayer files their Income Tax Return (ITR) after the prescribed due date under Section 139(1).

Late filing fee

Total IncomeFee under Section 234F
Up to ₹5 lakhMaximum ₹1,000
Above ₹5 lakhUp to ₹5,000

When is the fee charged?

No fee applies if the ITR is filed by the due date. Filing after the due date may attract a fee under Section 234F, along with applicable interest under Sections 234A, 234B, and 234C.

Example: A taxpayer with income above ₹5 lakh may have to pay a late-filing fee of up to ₹5,000. For income up to ₹5 lakh, the fee cannot exceed ₹1,000.

So, before you put July 31 on your tax calendar, decide which category you fit under. The deadline for filing your return for AY 2026-2027 may differ from what you anticipated, and being aware of the right deadline might help you avoid unnecessary fines and compliance problems.

Have an ITR filing query for AY 2026-27? We will try to get them answered by experts. Write to sangeeta.ojha@rksv.in
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About The Author

sangeeta-ojha.webp
Sangeeta Ojha is a business and finance journalist with experience across leading media platforms like Mint and India Today. She has built a reputation for covering a wide range of personal finance topics, including income tax, mutual funds, insurance, savings and investing.

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