Belated and Revised ITR: Deadlines for AY 2026-27
In short
For FY 2025-26 (AY 2026-27), a belated return under section 139(4) can be filed until 31 December 2026, with a late fee of up to ₹5,000. A revised return under section 139(5) can be filed until 31 March 2027 after the Finance Act, 2026 change, but one filed after 31 December 2026 carries a new fee under section 234I of ₹1,000 (total income up to ₹5 lakh) or ₹5,000. After 31 December, the only route for a missed return is an updated return (ITR-U).
Missing the income tax return due date does not shut the door. The law gives two more chances to file or correct a return for FY 2025-26: the belated return and the revised return. The Finance Act, 2026 changed the revised return deadline, so the dates are not the same as last year's.
FY 2025-26 is assessment year (AY) 2026-27, which is still governed by the Income-tax Act, 1961. The new Income-tax Act, 2025 applies from tax year 2026-27, so the section numbers below are the 1961 Act ones, with the 2025 Act equivalents noted for later years.
What are the due dates for FY 2025-26 returns?
The original due date depends on the kind of taxpayer. The Finance Act, 2026 rewrote the table in Explanation 2 to section 139(1) with effect from 1 March 2026, moving non-audit business cases to 31 August (Finance Bill, 2026 memorandum, "Rationalising due dates for filing of return of Income"), and CBDT then extended the audit-case date (Circular No. 07/2026, 28 September 2026).
| Taxpayer (AY 2026-27) | Due date under section 139(1) |
|---|---|
| Individuals and others not in business (ITR-1, ITR-2) | 31 July 2026 |
| Business or profession whose accounts need no audit, and partners of such firms | 31 August 2026 |
| Companies and taxpayers whose accounts must be audited, and partners of such firms | 21 November 2026 (extended from 31 October 2026) |
| Taxpayers who must file a transfer pricing report | 30 November 2026 |
With the extension, the tax audit report for audit cases is due by 21 October 2026, according to the same circular. If your due date has passed, the rest of this article applies.
What is the last date for a belated return?
A belated return for AY 2026-27 can be filed until 31 December 2026, or before the assessment is completed if that is earlier. The memorandum to the Finance Bill, 2026 notes that the time limit for the belated return is nine months from the end of the financial year, which is 31 December, and the Finance Act, 2026 did not change it.
A belated return is filed in the same ITR form you would have used on time, selecting section 139(4) as the filing section. After 31 December 2026, a regular return for AY 2026-27 can no longer be filed.
What does filing late cost?
The income tax department's own ITR FAQ lists late filing fees, losses not being carried forward and deductions and exemptions not being available as consequences of missing the due date. In practice:
- Late fee under section 234F. Up to ₹5,000. Under the Income-tax Act, 2025 the matching fee is in section 428(a): ₹1,000 if total income does not exceed ₹5 lakh, ₹5,000 in any other case (Finance Bill, 2026, clause 83).
- Interest. Interest is charged on any tax still unpaid, so pay the balance before filing.
- Losses. Business losses and capital losses of the year cannot be carried forward from a late return.
- Choice of tax regime. The new tax regime is the default. A taxpayer with business income who wants the old regime must file Form 10-IEA by the section 139(1) due date, and others must choose it in a return filed by that date (incometax.gov.in). If that choice was not made by the due date, the belated return is filed under the new regime.
How long can a return be revised now?
From AY 2026-27, a revised return can be filed until 31 March 2027, the end of the assessment year, or before the assessment is completed if that is earlier. The Finance Act, 2026 substituted section 139(5) from 1 March 2026 to allow this. Until last year the limit was 31 December.
The memorandum gives the reason: the belated and revised return deadlines used to fall on the same day, so a person who filed a belated return near the end had no time to correct it. Both an original return and a belated return can be revised.
| Return for AY 2026-27 | Last date | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Belated return, section 139(4) | 31 December 2026 | Section 234F, up to ₹5,000 |
| Revised return filed by 31 December 2026 | 31 December 2026 | None |
| Revised return filed from 1 January to 31 March 2027 | 31 March 2027 | Section 234I: ₹1,000 if total income is up to ₹5 lakh, otherwise ₹5,000 |
| Updated return (ITR-U), section 139(8A) | 31 March 2031 | Additional tax on the extra income |
Is there a fee for revising a return late?
Yes, a new fee applies to revised returns filed after 31 December. Section 234I, inserted by the Finance Act, 2026, charges ₹1,000 where total income does not exceed ₹5 lakh and ₹5,000 in any other case. The income tax department's ITR FAQ confirms that the fee applies from AY 2026-27 to revised returns filed after 31 December and up to 31 March of the assessment year.
So the cheapest time to correct a mistake is still before 31 December 2026.
What if both deadlines are missed?
After 31 December 2026, a person who has not filed for AY 2026-27 can only file an updated return, Form ITR-U, under section 139(8A). The department's FAQ confirms that ITR-U can be used for the previous four years. An updated return can be filed within 48 months from the end of the assessment year, so for AY 2026-27 the window runs to 31 March 2031.
An updated return comes at a price. The memorandum to the Finance Bill, 2026 describes the scale of additional income tax: 25%, 50%, 60% and 70% of the tax and interest due, for an updated return filed in the first, second, third and fourth year respectively. An updated return cannot reduce tax, increase a refund or, in most cases, declare a loss, and it is not allowed once an assessment, search or survey has started for that year. The Finance Act, 2026 relaxed two points: an updated return may now reduce a loss shown in a return filed on time, and one may be filed in response to a reassessment notice, with an extra 10% of tax and interest.
Which sections apply from tax year 2026-27?
For income earned from 1 April 2026, returns are filed under the Income-tax Act, 2025, where section 263 covers all returns:
| Topic | Income-tax Act, 1961 (AY 2026-27 and earlier) | Income-tax Act, 2025 (tax year 2026-27 onward) |
|---|---|---|
| Due dates | Section 139(1), Explanation 2 | Section 263(1)(c) |
| Belated return | Section 139(4) | Section 263(4) |
| Revised return | Section 139(5) | Section 263(5) |
| Updated return | Section 139(8A) | Section 263(6) |
| Fee for late return | Section 234F | Section 428(a) |
| Fee for late revised return | Section 234I | Section 428(b) |
Under the 2025 Act too, a revised return can be filed within 12 months from the end of the tax year, with the fee applying after nine months.
What should you do now?
If you have not filed for FY 2025-26, file before 31 December 2026. Pay any tax and interest due first, download the AIS and Form 26AS so that income the department already knows about is included, and use the same ITR form you would have used on time. If you have filed but spot an error, revise before 31 December 2026 to avoid the section 234I fee.
Our income tax return filing service handles belated, revised and updated returns, including reconciling the AIS before filing. Companies should also check the other year-end deadlines in our compliance checklist for a new private limited company. More articles on tax are in Income Tax & GST.
Frequently asked questions
What is the last date to file a belated return for FY 2025-26?
31 December 2026, for assessment year 2026-27, or before the assessment is completed if that is earlier. After that date a regular return cannot be filed, and the only option is an updated return in Form ITR-U.
Has the revised return deadline changed for AY 2026-27?
Yes. The Finance Act, 2026 extended the time limit for a revised return under section 139(5) from 31 December to 31 March of the assessment year, so a return for AY 2026-27 can be revised until 31 March 2027. A fee applies if the revised return is filed after 31 December 2026.
What is the fee under section 234I?
Section 234I applies to a revised return filed after 31 December and up to 31 March of the assessment year. The fee is ₹1,000 if total income does not exceed ₹5 lakh and ₹5,000 in any other case. It applies from AY 2026-27.
What is the late fee for a belated return?
The fee under section 234F is up to ₹5,000. Under the Income-tax Act, 2025 the matching fee in section 428(a) is ₹1,000 where total income does not exceed ₹5 lakh and ₹5,000 in other cases. Interest on any unpaid tax is charged separately.
Can I choose the old tax regime in a belated return?
Generally no. The option to leave the default new tax regime must be exercised by the due date under section 139(1): through Form 10-IEA for taxpayers with business income, and in the return itself for others. If that was not done, the belated return is filed under the new regime.
Can I revise a belated return?
Yes. Section 139(5) allows both an original return and a belated return to be revised. Because the revised return deadline is now 31 March 2027, a person who files a belated return in late December 2026 still has time to correct it, although the section 234I fee applies after 31 December.
What is the due date for companies and audit cases for AY 2026-27?
CBDT Circular No. 07/2026 extended the due date for companies and other taxpayers whose accounts must be audited from 31 October 2026 to 21 November 2026, and the tax audit report date to 21 October 2026.
Can I still file after 31 December 2026?
Only an updated return in Form ITR-U under section 139(8A), which can be filed up to 48 months from the end of the assessment year. It requires additional tax of 25% to 70% of the tax and interest due, depending on how late it is filed, and it cannot be used to claim a refund or reduce tax.
