I missed the ITR due date. Can I still file, and what does it cost?

Due dates for FY 2025-26 (AY 2026-27)

Returns for FY 2025-26 are still filed under the Income-tax Act, 1961, so the section numbers below are those of the 1961 Act, with the matching section of the Income-tax Act, 2025 in brackets for later years.

If your accounts require audit and you missed 21 November 2026, the return can still be filed as a belated return by 31 December 2026, with the consequences below. File as soon as you can.

What a belated return costs

• Late fee (section 234F of the 1961 Act, now section 428(a) of the 2025 Act): ₹5,000, or ₹1,000 if total income does not exceed ₹5 lakh. No fee applies if total income is below the basic exemption limit.
• Interest (section 234A, now section 423): 1% a month, or part of a month, on the tax still unpaid after the due date.
• Losses: business losses and capital losses of the year cannot be carried forward (house-property loss can).
• Regime: the new regime applies. You cannot choose the old regime in a belated return.
• Refunds: still allowed, though they may take longer to process.

If you miss 31 December too

An updated return (section 139(8A), now section 263(6); form ITR-U, now ITR-UN) can be filed within 48 months from the end of the relevant assessment year to report additional income. It carries additional tax of 25%, 50%, 60% or 70% of the tax and interest, depending on how late it is filed (section 140B, now section 267). An updated return cannot be used to claim a refund or reduce tax.

Correcting a return already filed

A revised return (section 139(5), now section 263(5)) corrects a mistake in a return already filed (on time or belated). For AY 2026-27 it can be filed until 31 March 2027. A fee applies if it is filed after 31 December 2026.

What to do now

Gather Form 26AS and the AIS (replaced by Form 168 under the Income-tax Rules, 2026) and your documents, pay any tax due with interest, and file. Waiting increases the interest and can lead to a notice for not filing.