ITR Filing Last Date for AY 2026-27: The Complete Deadline Calendar

For AY 2026-27 (income earned in FY 2025-26), the Income Tax Department has moved to a staggered deadline calendar. The old "everyone files by 31 July" rule no longer holds, and filing under the wrong assumption can cost a late fee of up to ₹5,000 plus lost benefits.

Key ITR deadlines for AY 2026-27

Which date applies to you

If you are a salaried employee or pensioner, or you have income from interest, one or two house properties and some capital gains, you are almost certainly on the 31 July 2026 deadline (ITR-1 or ITR-2). A helpful change this year: ITR-1 now covers income from up to two house properties, so many people who previously needed the more complex ITR-2 can stay on the simpler form.

If you run a business or work as a freelancer or professional and your accounts do not require an audit, you now get an extra month, to 31 August 2026. This split was made permanent by the Finance Act 2026, so it is not a one-off extension.

What missing your deadline costs

File after your due date and your return becomes a belated return, carrying a late fee under Section 234F: ₹1,000 if total income is up to ₹5 lakh, ₹5,000 otherwise. Interest under Section 234A applies on any unpaid tax, and you lose the right to carry forward business and capital losses. The point that surprises people most: a belated return can only be filed under the new tax regime, even if you had opted for the old regime earlier.

If you have already missed it

Do not skip filing altogether. You can still file a belated return up to 31 December 2026, and beyond that an updated return (ITR-U) is available for up to 48 months. The sooner you file, the lower the interest, so the practical advice is simply to file now rather than wait.

Get your return filed before the deadline

With the salaried deadline days away, the portal slows down and small errors get expensive. If you want a Chartered Accountant to review and file correctly, our Income Tax & ITR filing service handles the whole process. Get a free consultation and we will tell you exactly which form and date apply to you, or get your ITR filed before the deadline now.