Income tax · TDS and TCS

When are TDS payments and TDS returns due, and what is the late fee and interest?

Short answer

TDS deducted in a month is paid by the 7th of the next month (30 April for March). Quarterly TDS statements are due by 31 July, 31 October, 31 January and 31 May. From tax year 2026-27 the statements are Form 138 (formerly 24Q), Form 140 (26Q), Form 144 (27Q) and Form 143 (27EQ, for TCS). A late statement costs ₹200 a day up to the TDS amount (section 234E, now 427); late payment costs interest of 1% or 1.5% a month.

Due dates

What	Due
Payment of TDS deducted in April to February	7th of the following month
Payment of TDS deducted in March	30 April
Payment by government offices without a challan	Same day
Statement for April–June	31 July
July–September	31 October
October–December	31 January
January–March	31 May
Salary certificate (Form 130, formerly Form 16)	15 June
Non-salary certificate (Form 131, formerly Form 16A)	15 days after the statement is due

TDS on property, on rent by individuals and on certain contract payments is paid with a challan-cum-statement (Form 141, formerly 26QB, 26QC, 26QD) within 30 days from the end of the month of deduction, with no quarterly statement.

Which statement

Payments	Up to March 2026	From tax year 2026-27
Salary	Form 24Q	Form 138
Other payments to residents	Form 26Q	Form 140
Payments to non-residents	Form 27Q	Form 144
TCS collected	Form 27EQ	Form 143

The cost of being late

Default	Consequence
Not deducting	Interest 1% a month from the date it should have been deducted to the date deducted
Deducting but paying late	Interest 1.5% a month from the date of deduction to the date of payment
Late statement	Late fee ₹200 a day until filed, up to the TDS amount (section 234E, now 427)
Statement more than one year late, or incorrect	Penalty of ₹10,000 to ₹1,00,000 (section 271H), unless the tax, fee and interest were paid and the statement filed within one year

Interest is counted in months or part months, so one day's delay over a month end costs two months. Pay interest and fee before filing the statement, or the statement will show a default. Late statements also delay the payees' credit, so their refunds are held up. See our due-date calendar.

Legal basis

Sections 392 to 398 and 427, Income-tax Act, 2025; Income-tax Rules, 2026 (Forms 138, 140, 143 and 144)
Sections 200, 201(1A), 234E and 271H, Income-tax Act, 1961; Forms 24Q, 26Q, 27Q and 27EQ (earlier periods)

Official sources

By CA Ameesh Gupta, FCA, DISA (ICAI) | Last reviewed: 7 November 2026. General information, not advice on your facts: the law changes and outcomes depend on the details of each case.