TDS Return Filing & Payment Due Dates for FY 2026-27

For the TDS return, the due date is generally the last date of the next month of the quarter. However, for the last quarter, which is Jan-Mar, the due date is the 31st May of the next financial year. Conversely, the due date for TDS payments is the 7th of the following month, such as for April 2026, the due date is 7th May, 2026. Failing to file within the due date can attract a late filing fee per day, penalties, and even serious consequences like imprisonment.

Do you know a due date for TDS FY 2026-27 is approaching? Keep reading further to know all the TDS return filing and payment due dates for FY 2026-27.

What is the TDS Return Due Date?

The table below lists the due date for TDS for FY (Financial Year) 2026-27:

So, the due date for filing TDS returns is the last day of the next month after the quarter. However, the due date for the last quarter (Jan - Mar) is the 31st May of the next financial year. 

These were the due dates for the TDS return. Let's now see the TDS payment due date.

What is the Due Date for TDS Payment?

The table below lists the due dates for depositing the TDS amount for the Financial Year 2026-27:

**Keep in mind that making the TDS via book entry (Treasury Challan) for government deductions must be deposited on the same day when the deduction happens. However, for the month of March, this must be done by 7th April. Moving further, let's now discuss the forms required for filing TDS returns.

What are the Forms Required for Filing TDS Returns?

The table below lists the type of forms and their purpose based on the Income Tax Act 2025 and the Income Tax Act 1961:

The person responsible for deducting the tax (deductor) must submit the challan-cum-statement within 30 days from the end of the month in which the deduction was executed. Moreover, no return is separately required in such cases as an exception.

Now, if you fail to file the TDS/TCS returns on time, you will attract a late filing fee under Section 427 and Section 461. Let's learn the penalties you may have to face for late filing.

What are the Penalties for Late Filing of TDS/TCS Returns?

You may face different penalties for TDS/TCS late filing, one under Section 427 and another under Section 461.

Late Filing Fee (Sec 427)

• Late submission of TDS/TCS statements from the due date of submission attracts a penalty under Section 427 (Section 234E of the Income Tax Act, 1961). The fee is Rs. 200 per day and is charged until you submit the statements.
• The total amount of the fee cannot be more than the total amount of TDS or TCS.

To make it easier to understand, let's consider an example.

Penalty (Sec 461)

• An individual who fails to file the TDS/TCS statement within the due date may attract a penalty ranging from ₹10,000 to ₹1 lakh.

• Section 27IH of the Income Tax Act, 1961 covers the provisions. Moreover, the penalty under this section is in addition to the late filing fee under Section 234E.

• Under this section, the case of incorrect TDS return filing is also covered.

However, under some situations, no penalty will be charged for the delay in filing the TDS/TCS return. If the following conditions are fulfilled, no penalties will be charged:

• The TDS/TCS is paid to the credit of the Government.
• The late filing and interest (if any) are paid to the credit of the Government.
• The TDS/TCS return is filed prior to the expiry of one year from the prescribed due date.

Apart from the penalties, you may attract interest on the late deposit of TDS. Let's see the amount of interest you are liable to pay for the delay in depositing the TDS.

What is the Applicable Interest Rate on Late Deposit of TDS?

The table below lists the applicable interest rate based on the nature of default and the duration for which the interest must be paid:

Points to Note

• The interest mentioned above must be paid before filing the TDS return
• Calculate the interest every month and not based on the number of days. It means part of a month is considered a full month.

Moreover, you must pay interest for late deposit of TDS after deduction u/s 398(3). The interest is calculated from the date on which the TDS was deducted till the actual deposit date. It is calculated at the rate of 1.5% per month. Do you know, apart from the penalties and late filing fee, there may be prosecution proceedings as well?

What are the Prosecution Proceedings Under Section 476?

It is mandatory to deposit the TDS to the credit of the central Government within the TDS return due date. However, failing to remit can attract prosecution proceedings under Section 476 (Section 276B of the Income Tax Act, 1961). It can lead to imprisonment from three months to even seven years, along with a hefty fine.

The Bottom Line

Ensure to follow the due dates and comply with the mandatory statutory requirements. Failing to file within the due date or non-compliance may lead to serious consequences, including hefty penalties and even imprisonment.

The FY 2026-27 deadline is approaching, and if you are still facing issues filing TDS returns, connect with an expert at Savetaxs. Our experts can consult you on tax collection and deduction at the source. We will ensure you file your quarterly returns on time, make deposits accurately within the due date, and complete accurate reconciliations. Our experts can also help with TAN compliance, TDS certificate issuance, PAN-related issues, or other NRI-related matters.

Connect with us right away, as we are actively working 24/7 across all time zones.