Form 24Q and Form 26Q are quarterly TDS returns filed by every deductor holding a TAN. Form 24Q reports TDS deducted on salary (Section 192); Form 26Q reports non-salary TDS paid to residents — contractors, professionals, rent, interest, commission and more. For FY 2025-26 both are due 31 Jul, 31 Oct, 31 Jan and 31 May. Late filing attracts Rs 200 per day under Section 234E (capped at the TDS of that quarter), plus a possible Rs 10,000–Rs 1,00,000 penalty under Section 271H.
Every person who deducts tax at source must obtain a TAN (Tax Deduction Account Number) under Section 203A and quote it on all TDS returns, challans and certificates. No TAN means no return — apply first, then register on TRACES.
Form 24Q vs 26Q — and 27Q / 27EQ
The correct form depends on the nature of payment and whether the deductee is resident. Filing the wrong form triggers mismatch notices, so pick carefully.
| Form | What it reports | Deductee | Key sections |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24Q | TDS on salary | Employees (resident) | 192 |
| 26Q | TDS on non-salary payments | Residents | 194A, 194C, 194H, 194I, 194J, 194Q |
| 27Q | TDS on payments to non-residents | Non-residents / foreign cos | 195, 196A/B |
| 27EQ | TCS (tax collected at source) | Buyers / collectees | 206C |
This page covers the two most common returns — 24Q (salary) and 26Q (resident non-salary). 27Q and 27EQ follow the same quarterly schedule.
Form 24Q — salary
- TDS deducted on salary under Section 192
- Employee-wise salary, exemptions, deductions
- Basis for Form 16 (Part A + Part B)
- Annexure II (salary detail) filed in Q4
Form 26Q — non-salary
- TDS on contractor, professional, rent, interest
- Payments to resident deductees only
- Basis for Form 16A (per quarter)
- PAN of each deductee mandatory
TDS Return Due Dates
Both Form 24Q and Form 26Q follow the same quarterly calendar under Rule 31A. Q4 gets a longer window because it coincides with year-end closing and Form 16 issuance.
| Quarter | Period | Return due date | Form 16 / 16A by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 | Apr – Jun 2025 | 31 Jul 2025 | 15 Aug 2025 (16A) |
| Q2 | Jul – Sep 2025 | 31 Oct 2025 | 15 Nov 2025 (16A) |
| Q3 | Oct – Dec 2025 | 31 Jan 2026 | 15 Feb 2026 (16A) |
| Q4 | Jan – Mar 2026 | 31 May 2026 | 15 Jun 2026 · Form 16 by 15 Jun |
Form 16A (non-salary certificate) is due within 15 days of the return due date. Form 16 (salary) is issued once a year by 15 June following the FY.
The return only reports TDS that is already deposited by challan. TDS deducted must be paid by the 7th of the next month (30 April for March deductions). Late deposit carries interest at 1.5% per month under Section 201, which is separate from the Section 234E return late fee.
Late Fee & Penalty for TDS Returns
Late or incorrect TDS returns carry a mandatory fee plus discretionary penalties. Filing on time is far cheaper than the exposure below.
| Default | Provision | Consequence |
|---|---|---|
| Late filing of TDS return | Section 234E | Rs 200 per day (capped at the TDS of that quarter) |
| Non-filing / incorrect return | Section 271H | Rs 10,000 to Rs 1,00,000 penalty |
| Late deposit of deducted TDS | Section 201(1A) | Interest 1.5% per month till deposit |
| Failure to issue Form 16 / 16A | Section 272A(2) | Rs 100 per day per certificate |
The Section 234E fee is mandatory and cannot be waived; it must be paid before or with the delayed return. Section 271H is imposed by the Assessing Officer.
Section 234E is a fee, not a penalty — the Assessing Officer has no discretion to reduce it. Even a one-day delay costs Rs 200, and it keeps running until the return is actually accepted on TRACES. File on the due date to avoid it entirely.
Missed a TDS quarter or got a 234E notice? We handle late returns and corrections.
Talk to a TDS Expert →How to File Form 24Q / 26Q on TRACES
- 1Register TANOn TRACES with TAN + PAN
- 2Prepare with RPUEnter challan & deductee data
- 3Validate (FVU)Generate the .fvu file
- 4UploadOn TRACES / income-tax portal
- 5Verify & issueDSC/EVC, then Form 16 / 16A
- TAN registered & active on TRACES
- Challan (CIN / BSR code, date, amount)
- Deductee PANs — all valid
- Salary breakup & deductions (24Q, Q4 Annexure II)
- Section-wise payment details (26Q)
- NSDL Return Preparation Utility (RPU)
- File Validation Utility (FVU) run clean
- DSC or EVC for verification
- Previous quarter acknowledgement / token
- CONSO file from TRACES (for corrections)
✓You must file even if
- You deducted TDS in any quarter — always file
- You are a company, firm, LLP or proprietor with a TAN
- You want deductees to get Form 16 / 16A credit in 26AS
!Common mistakes
- Filing the wrong form (24Q for a contractor payment)
- Wrong or missing deductee PAN — 20% higher TDS
- Forgetting Q4 Annexure II salary detail in 24Q
- Depositing TDS but never filing the return
If you have a TAN but deducted no TDS in a quarter, you are not required to file a full return, but filing a declaration for non-filing (Nil statement) on TRACES avoids default notices. If any TDS was deducted, a proper 24Q/26Q is mandatory.
Want us to file every quarter, reconcile challans and issue Form 16?
File TDS Return →- TDS statements (Form 24Q/26Q), Rule 31A: incometax.gov.in
- Filing & corrections: TRACES (tdscpc.gov.in)
- Late fee Section 234E & penalty Section 271H, Income-tax Act 1961
- RPU / FVU utilities: Protean (NSDL) e-Gov TIN
Disclaimer: This guide is general information based on the law and notifications in force when it was last updated. It is not professional advice for your case — rates, thresholds and due dates change, so check the current position or speak to our CA team before you act on it.