ITR Filing Deadline for AY 2026-27: July 31 Is Not the Last Date for All Taxpayers

The Income Tax Department has prescribed different due dates for filing Income Tax Returns (ITRs) for Assessment Year (AY) 2026-27, depending on the taxpayer's category, source of income and audit requirements. While July 31, 2026, remains the due date for many salaried taxpayers, it is not applicable to all filers. 

Taxpayers are required to file their returns within the applicable deadline to avoid penalties, interest, and other consequences under the Income-tax Act. 

ITR Filing Due Dates for AY 2026-27 

The due dates for filing Income Tax Returns for different categories of taxpayers are as follows: 

Eligibility for ITR-1 and ITR-4 

ITR-1 (Sahaj) can be filed by resident individuals with annual income up to ₹50 lakh from salary, 1 house property, other sources such as interest income and agricultural income up to ₹5,000. The form also allows reporting of long-term capital gains up to ₹1.25 lakh in a financial year. 

ITR-4 (Sugam) can be used by individuals, Hindu Undivided Families (HUFs) and firms (excluding LLPs) having total income up to ₹50 lakh and income from business or profession under the presumptive taxation scheme. 

However, ITR-4 cannot be used by directors in companies, taxpayers with short-term capital gains, long-term capital gains under Section 112A exceeding ₹1.25 lakh, holders of unlisted equity shares, persons with foreign assets or income, ESOP tax deferral cases, taxpayers with brought-forward losses, or those with total income exceeding ₹50 lakh. 

Who Should File ITR-2 and ITR-3? 

ITR-2 is applicable to individuals and HUFs who do not have business or professional income but earn income from salary or pension, multiple house properties, capital gains or other sources such as interest and dividends. 

ITR-3 is meant for individuals and HUFs earning income from a proprietary business or profession. It is generally used by taxpayers maintaining regular books of accounts and by partners in firms, while also covering income from capital gains and other sources. 

Read More: CBDT Sets June 30, 2026, Deadline for ITR Scrutiny Notices Under Section 143(2) 

What Has Changed for ITR Filing This Year? 

One of the key changes for AY 2026-27 is the phased rollout of online filing facilities and Excel utilities for different ITR forms instead of releasing all filing utilities simultaneously. 

The Excel utilities for ITR-1, ITR-2, and ITR-4 are already available in the Downloads section of the Income Tax e-filing portal. With both online filing and Excel utilities now enabled for these forms, eligible taxpayers can begin filing their income tax returns. 

Conclusion 

The Income Tax Department has prescribed different ITR filing deadlines for AY 2026-27 based on the nature of income and audit requirements. Taxpayers should identify the applicable ITR form and due date relevant to their category before filing their returns. 

Want to read stock market updates in Hindi? Angel One News gives comprehensive share market news in Hindi.   

Disclaimer: This blog has been written exclusively for educational purposes. The securities mentioned are only examples and not recommendations. This does not constitute a personal recommendation/investment advice. It does not aim to influence any individual or entity to make investment decisions. Recipients should conduct their own research and assessments to form an independent opinion about investment decisions.  

Investments in the securities market are subject to market risks, read all the related documents carefully before investing.