Income tax return due date and late fee: what filing late costs
Filing late costs a fixed fee, plus interest on any tax you still owe. This works out what yours would be, so your due date stays on your mind.
Your numbers
Common answers are filled in. Change the ones you know.
Typical: ₹0. Put in yours. Often 0 if tax was taken from your pay or paid in advance. Your Form 16 shows it for a salary.
It only changes the order on your statement.
What waiting costs you
₹5,000 if late
Filing 2 months late would cost about ₹5,000
Your return is due by 31 July. After that, there's a late fee of ₹1,000 if your income is up to ₹5 lakh, or ₹5,000 above that, plus 1% a month interest on any tax still unpaid. Your employer must give you Form 16 by 15 June.
Your small stepPut 15 June (Form 16) and 31 July (your return) in your calendar today.
How we worked this out
- Late fee: ₹5,000.
- Interest: ₹0 unpaid × 1% × 2 months = ₹0.
- No late fee applies if your income is below the basic exemption limit.
- A new Income-tax Act applies from tax year 2026-27, and section numbers change. Check the official income tax website.
- How much it matters to you: 7 out of 10. It only changes the order on your statement.
Sources
- Income Tax Act and Rules, via Tax2Win and India Briefing (2026): Most people must file their income tax return by 31 July. Late, it costs ₹1,000 if income is up to ₹5 lakh, or ₹5,000 above that, plus 1% a month interest on unpaid tax. Employers must give Form 16 by 15 June.
How it works
Salaried people must usually file by 31 July, and your employer must give you Form 16 by 15 June. From 2026, business income without an audit is due by 31 August, and with an audit by 31 October.
Filing late costs ₹1,000 if your income is up to ₹5 lakh, or ₹5,000 above that, plus 1% a month interest on any tax still unpaid. No late fee applies if your income is below the basic exemption limit.
A new Income-tax Act applies from tax year 2026-27, and section numbers change. Check the official income tax website for your year.
Sources
- Income Tax Act and Rules, via Tax2Win and India Briefing (2026): No late fee applies if your income is below the basic exemption limit. A new Income-tax Act applies from tax year 2026-27, and section numbers change.
Rules last checked: October 2026. They can change at any time, so check the official page before you plan anything.
Questions people ask
Is this tax advice?
No. We show the published late fee and interest on your own numbers. For your own situation, check the official website or ask a tax professional.
What if my employer already took tax from my pay?
Then the tax still to pay is often 0, and only the late fee applies if you file late. Your Form 16 shows what was taken.
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We show what waiting costs on your own plans. We never tell you what to buy or invest in. Rules and averages change, so check the official pages before you plan anything.