TDS deadlines — FY 2026-27
TDS has two clocks that run independently: the tax is deposited by the 7th of the following month, and the quarterly return is filed by 31 July, 31 October, 31 January and 31 May. Depositing on time and filing late is the expensive combination — the money has reached the government, but the person it was deducted from has no credit in their 26AS and no Form 16, while ₹200 a day runs under section 234E.
Assessment year AY 2027-28
Dates through the year
| Date | Form | What it is | Who it applies to | If missed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 days from the end of the month | Form 26QB | TDS on a property purchase of ₹50 lakh or moreSection 194-IA read with Rule 31A(4A) | The buyer, using their PAN — no TAN required | ₹200 per day under section 234E, plus interest |
| 31 May | 24Q / 26Q, quarter 4 | TDS return for January to March, with the annual salary annexureRule 31A, Income-tax Rules 1962 | Every deductor holding a TAN | ₹200 per day, and no employee can be issued a Form 16 until it is filed |
| 31 July | 24Q / 26Q, quarter 1 | TDS return for April to JuneRule 31A, Income-tax Rules 1962 | Every deductor holding a TAN | ₹200 per day under section 234E, capped at the TDS in the return |
| 31 October | 24Q / 26Q, quarter 2 | TDS return for July to SeptemberRule 31A, Income-tax Rules 1962 | Every deductor holding a TAN | ₹200 per day under section 234E |
| 31 January | 24Q / 26Q, quarter 3 | TDS return for October to DecemberRule 31A, Income-tax Rules 1962 | Every deductor holding a TAN | ₹200 per day under section 234E |
Every period
| Date | Form | What it is | Who it applies to | If missed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7th of every month | TDS deposit | Tax deducted in the previous month, paid by challanRule 30, Income-tax Rules 1962 | Every deductor. March deductions are due 30 April instead | 1.5% per month under section 201(1A) |
Deposit and return are separate obligations
The 7th-of-the-month deposit and the quarterly return are two different things with two different penalties. Late deposit attracts 1.5% a month under section 201(1A); late filing attracts ₹200 a day under section 234E, capped at the TDS amount in the return.
March is the exception on the deposit side: deductions made in March are due on 30 April rather than 7 April, which is one of the few pieces of relief in the whole calendar.
The fourth quarter carries the salary annexure
The Q4 24Q return, due 31 May, contains the annual salary detail for every employee. Form 16 is generated from TRACES only after that return is processed, which is why the 15 June Form 16 deadline depends entirely on the 31 May filing.
An employer who files Q4 late has employees who cannot file their own returns on time. That is the sequence worth understanding: your deadline is upstream of theirs.