Form 26Q Filing: Quarterly Due Dates, Challan Deposit, and Section Mapping

Form 26Q is the quarterly TDS return for all non-salary payments, filed by the 31 July, 31 October, 31 January and 31 May deadlines for the four quarters of the financial year. The underlying TDS must be deposited earlier — by the 7th of the month following the deduction, with March deductions deposited by 30 April. Filing late costs ₹200 per day under Section 234E, capped at the TDS amount in the statement, and the fee is mandatory with no waiver. Every form must quote the company's TAN.

What Form 26Q actually covers

Form 26Q captures tax deducted on every payment that is not salary. Salary TDS goes in Form 24Q; payments to non-residents go in Form 27Q. Everything else a private limited company deducts — contractors, professionals, rent, commission, benefits, partner remuneration — lands in Form 26Q.

Quarterly due dates

Challan deposit: the earlier deadline

The return is filed quarterly, but the tax is deposited monthly. TDS deducted in a month is due by the 7th of the following month — 7 August for July deductions, 7 February for January deductions — except for March, which is due by 30 April. Missing a deposit date costs 1.5% per month under Section 201(1A) even if the return is filed on time.

Worked example: the year in 26Q for Indigo Textiles Pvt Ltd

Indigo Textiles Pvt Ltd deducts TDS under 194C, 194J and 194Q. Its FY 2025-26 compliance calendar:

If Indigo files its Q4 return on 15 June instead of 31 May, it owes ₹200 × 15 days = ₹3,000 under Section 234E (provided its TDS for Q4 exceeds ₹3,000). That fee is separate from any interest for late deposit, and separate from the ₹10,000–₹1,00,000 penalty under Section 271H for non-filing or incorrect filing.

Changed FY 2026-27: from 1 April 2026, the Income-tax Act 2025 renumbered the non-salary TDS provisions into Section 393 with serial-numbered payment codes. A 26Q filed after April 2026 must quote the Section 393 codes (for example, 1023/1024 for contractors), not legacy 194-series references, on the challan and in the return. Rates and thresholds were carried forward.

Practical implications

• Deposit monthly, file quarterly, reconcile always. The three rhythms drift apart quickly. A company that deposits correctly but files late pays 234E; one that files on time but deposits late pays 201(1A) interest. Neither forgives the other.
• TAN is non-negotiable. Every challan and every 26Q must quote the Tax Deduction Account Number. Apply via Form 49B if the company does not already have one; a challan without a TAN is not credited to the correct ledger.
• File on the income tax TDS portal / TRACES. Correct statements can be filed or revised; the portal computes 234E automatically and it cannot be waived by requesting an officer.
• Reconcile against 26AS/TRACES before the tax audit. Every deduction must match the recipient's Form 26AS. A deduction that is deposited but not reported in 26Q does not reach the payee's credit — and the payee will claim short-credit, dragging the company into a Section 201(1) "assessee in default" position.

Step-by-step: filing a quarterly Form 26Q

• Confirm the TAN. Every challan and every statement must quote the company's TAN (obtained via Form 49B). A deduction credited to the wrong PAN/TAN combination is a reconciliation problem that takes weeks to untangle.
• Deposit the TDS monthly, by the 7th. July deductions are due 7 August; March deductions by 30 April. The deposit must happen before the quarterly return is even built.
• Reconcile every challan against 26AS/OLTAS. A challan that has not been credited will not appear when the return is generated — verify before you file, not after.
• Compile the deductee-wise data. PAN, section code, amount paid, amount of TDS, and the challan serial for each deduction. A wrong PAN is a 271H exposure.
• Generate and validate the 26Q file on the income tax TDS portal. The portal runs validations against PAN and challan databases and reports mismatches before submission.
• Upload with DSC/OTP and note the acknowledgment token number. Download the token for the compliance file.
• Issue Form 16A certificates to deductees for the quarter. The certificate is due within 15 days of the quarterly due date and must reconcile with the statement filed.

FAQ

What are the Form 26Q due dates?
31 July (Q1), 31 October (Q2), 31 January (Q3) and 31 May (Q4). Each quarter follows the financial-year quarters from April.

When is TDS deposited?
By the 7th of the month following the month of deduction, except March, which is due by 30 April.

What is the late-filing fee?
₹200 per day of delay under Section 234E, capped at the total TDS in that statement. It is a mandatory fee with no waiver.

Does Form 26Q cover salary TDS?
No. Salary TDS is reported in Form 24Q. Form 26Q covers all other resident payments — contractors, professionals, rent, interest, commission, benefits and partner remuneration.

What if we filed a wrong 26Q?
File a revised statement on the TDS portal. Deliberate or repeated incorrect filing can attract the Section 271H penalty of ₹10,000 to ₹1,00,000; a genuinely corrected statement within the permitted window avoids that exposure.

Is a TAN required to file 26Q?
Yes. The statement must quote the company's TAN, obtained by applying in Form 49B. Filing without a TAN is not possible on the portal.

Sources

• Rule 31A, Income-tax Rules 1962 (TDS statement forms and due dates)
• Section 200(3) and Rule 30 (deposit timelines); Section 234E (late filing fee)
• Section 271H (penalty for non-filing/incorrect filing); Section 201(1A) (interest on late deposit)
• For FY 2026-27: Section 393, Income-tax Act 2025 (renumbered non-salary TDS provisions)

Use the compliance calendar to track your 26Q due dates and challan deposits. For a TDS compliance audit of your company, visit pvtltd.co.

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