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TDS Guide · FY 2025-26

Section 194N — TDS on
Cash Withdrawal

The current 194N rate and threshold for FY 2025-26, how banks aggregate your accounts, the higher limit for ITR filers, exemptions, and how to claim the TDS as credit in your return.

Updated for FY 2025-26 Tax Expert Reviewed Filer vs Non-filer Limits
2%Standard 194N rate
Rs1CrFiler threshold
Rs20LNon-filer threshold
Rs3CrCo-op society limit
Quick Answer

Under Section 194N, banks, co-operative banks and post offices deduct 2% TDS on cash withdrawals above Rs1 crore in a financial year if you have filed ITR in any of the last 3 years. Non-filers face a lower Rs20 lakh limit — 2% on Rs20 lakh to Rs1 crore and 5% above Rs1 crore. The limit is cumulative across all your accounts in the same bank. TDS is fully claimable as credit in your return.

Filer · above Rs1Cr 2%
Non-filer · Rs20L-1Cr 2%
Non-filer · above Rs1Cr 5%
Within threshold Nil
At a glance

Section 194N — TDS Rate & Threshold Table

The complete 194N rate and threshold matrix for FY 2025-26, split by whether you have filed your income-tax return in the last three years.

Deductee / situationCash withdrawn (per bank, per FY)TDS rate
ITR filed in any of last 3 FYsUp to Rs1 croreNil
ITR filed in any of last 3 FYsAbove Rs1 crore2% on excess
ITR not filed in last 3 FYsUp to Rs20 lakhNil
ITR not filed in last 3 FYsRs20 lakh to Rs1 crore2% on excess over Rs20L
ITR not filed in last 3 FYsAbove Rs1 crore5% on excess over Rs1Cr
Co-operative society (any filer status)Above Rs3 crore2% / 5% as above

TDS is on the cash withdrawal amount, not on income. Rates unchanged by Budget 2025. Co-op society threshold is Rs3 crore since 1 Apr 2023.

The essentials

Section 194N — Key Details

FeatureDetails
Who deductsBanks, co-operative banks, post offices
On whatCash withdrawn (not cheque / NEFT / RTGS / UPI)
Effective from1 Sep 2019 (Rs1Cr); 1 Jul 2020 (non-filer lower limits)
AggregationAll accounts of the same person in the same bank (all branches)
Across banksNot aggregated — each bank has its own threshold
TDS certificateForm 16A from the bank; reflects in Form 26AS / AIS
Claim creditIn ITR — refundable if tax liability is below TDS
New law referenceRenumbered to Section 393(3), Table Sl. No. 5 from AY 2026-27
How the limit works

How Banks Aggregate Your Withdrawals

The 194N threshold is cumulative and per-bank. Every cash withdrawal from all your accounts — savings, current, cash-credit, overdraft — across every branch of the same bank is added up during the financial year. Different banks are counted separately, so each bank applies its own Rs1 crore (or Rs20 lakh) threshold independently.

  • Same bank, all branches & accounts: added together for the threshold.
  • Bank A and Bank B: not combined — each tests its own limit.
  • Digital payments (NEFT / RTGS / IMPS / UPI / cheque) do not count — only physical cash.
File your ITR to keep the Rs1 crore limit

If you have not filed a return in any of the last three years, your TDS-free cash limit collapses from Rs1 crore to just Rs20 lakh, and withdrawals above Rs1 crore are taxed at 5% instead of 2%. Filing your ITR every year restores the higher Rs1 crore threshold and the lower 2% rate.

No 194N TDS

Who Is Exempt from Section 194N?

  • Central and State Governments
  • Banks (including co-operative and RRBs) and business correspondents of a bank
  • White-label ATM operators
  • Authorised cash-replenishment agencies / franchise agents of a bank
  • Traders / commission agents of APMC mandis (notified), and other CBDT-notified persons

Withdrawing large cash for business? Get your 194N exposure and credit position reviewed.

Talk to a Tax Expert →
Worked example

How 194N TDS Is Computed

Take a person who withdraws Rs1.5 crore in cash from one bank in FY 2025-26. The TDS depends entirely on whether they have filed ITR in the last three years.

Filer — ITR filed in last 3 yrs

First Rs1 croreNil
Next Rs50 lakh @ 2%Rs1,00,000
Total 194N TDSRs1,00,000

Non-filer — no ITR in 3 yrs

First Rs20 lakhNil
Rs20L to Rs1Cr (Rs80L) @ 2%Rs1,60,000
Above Rs1Cr (Rs50L) @ 5%Rs2,50,000
Total 194N TDSRs4,10,000

Same Rs1.5 crore withdrawal, but the non-filer pays over four times the TDS — a direct cost of not filing returns.

Getting it back

Claiming 194N TDS as Credit in Your ITR

Section 194N TDS is deducted on the cash you withdraw, not on income — the money is presumably from funds already taxed. So for most people the TDS simply becomes a credit that reduces tax payable or is refunded.

  • Check the TDS in your Form 26AS / AIS
  • Match it against Form 16A from the bank
  • Report it in the TDS schedule of your ITR
  • Adjust it against your tax liability
  • Claim a refund if TDS exceeds the tax due
TaxClue Insight

194N TDS cannot be treated as an expense or carried forward like business tax — it is a pre-paid tax credit. Because the withdrawal itself is not income, filing your ITR is usually the only way to recover it, and non-filers with 194N deductions often forfeit refunds simply by not filing.

194N TDS showing in your Form 26AS? Let us file your ITR and claim the refund.

File My ITR →
Government sourcesSection text & rates: incometax.gov.in · Provision: Section 194N, Income-tax Act 1961 (eff. 1 Sep 2019) · Non-filer lower limits: Finance Act 2020, w.e.f. 1 Jul 2020 · Co-op society Rs3 crore threshold: Finance Act 2023, w.e.f. 1 Apr 2023 · New law: Section 393(3), Table Sl. No. 5, Income-tax Act 2025 (from AY 2026-27)
People also ask

Frequently Asked Questions

Rate & Threshold
What is Section 194N of the Income Tax Act?
Section 194N requires banks, co-operative banks and post offices to deduct TDS on cash withdrawals. For a person who has filed ITR in any of the last three years, 2% TDS applies on cash withdrawn above Rs1 crore in a financial year. For a person who has not filed ITR in the last three years, the threshold drops to Rs20 lakh — 2% on Rs20 lakh to Rs1 crore and 5% above Rs1 crore. The limit is cumulative across all accounts in the same bank.
What is the TDS rate under Section 194N?
The standard rate is 2%. For ITR filers, 2% applies only on cash withdrawn above Rs1 crore. For non-filers (no ITR in the last three years), it is 2% on withdrawals between Rs20 lakh and Rs1 crore and 5% on withdrawals above Rs1 crore. These rates were not changed by Budget 2025 and continue for FY 2025-26.
What is the cash withdrawal limit before 194N TDS applies?
Rs1 crore per bank per financial year if you have filed ITR in any of the last three years. If you have not filed ITR in the last three years, the limit falls to Rs20 lakh. Co-operative societies get a higher Rs3 crore threshold. Below the applicable limit, no 194N TDS is deducted.
Is the 194N threshold different for ITR filers and non-filers?
Yes. Filers (ITR filed in at least one of the last three assessment years) get the higher Rs1 crore threshold and a 2% rate. Non-filers get only Rs20 lakh — with 2% between Rs20 lakh and Rs1 crore and 5% above Rs1 crore. The bank checks your filing status against your PAN with the income-tax department.
Did Budget 2025 change Section 194N?
No. Budget 2025 did not revise the 194N rates or thresholds — 2% above Rs1 crore for filers, and 2%/5% with a Rs20 lakh floor for non-filers, continue for FY 2025-26. The provision was, however, renumbered as Section 393(3), Table Sl. No. 5 under the new Income-tax Act 2025 applicable from AY 2026-27.
Aggregation & Scope
Are cash withdrawals aggregated per account or across all accounts?
Across all accounts you hold in the same bank, including every branch — savings, current, cash-credit and overdraft accounts are all added together to test the threshold. Different banks are not combined; each bank applies its own Rs1 crore (or Rs20 lakh) limit separately.
Does 194N apply to NEFT, UPI or cheque payments?
No. Section 194N applies only to physical cash withdrawals. Digital transfers such as NEFT, RTGS, IMPS, UPI and payments by cheque or demand draft are not counted towards the 194N threshold and attract no 194N TDS.
If I withdraw Rs1 crore each from two different banks, is TDS deducted?
No. Because banks are not aggregated, Rs1 crore from Bank A and Rs1 crore from Bank B are each within their own Rs1 crore threshold (for a filer), so no 194N TDS is deducted. TDS starts only when withdrawals from a single bank cross that bank's threshold.
What is the 194N limit for co-operative societies?
Since 1 April 2023, a co-operative society is subject to 194N TDS only when its cash withdrawals from a bank exceed Rs3 crore in a financial year (instead of Rs1 crore). Above Rs3 crore the same 2%/5% structure applies depending on filer status.
Exemptions & Credit
Who is exempt from Section 194N TDS?
The Central and State Governments, banks (including co-operative banks and regional rural banks) and their business correspondents, white-label ATM operators, cash-replenishment agencies and franchise agents of banks, and certain CBDT-notified persons such as notified APMC commission agents are exempt from 194N deduction.
Can I claim Section 194N TDS as credit in my ITR?
Yes. 194N TDS appears in your Form 26AS and AIS and can be claimed in the TDS schedule of your income-tax return. It is adjusted against your tax liability, and if the TDS exceeds the tax due, the balance is refunded. Filing your ITR is the only way to recover it.
Is 194N TDS an extra tax on my money?
Not really. 194N TDS is deducted on the cash withdrawal, not on income — the withdrawn money is presumably from funds already taxed. It is essentially an advance-tax credit meant to track large cash transactions. For most people it results in a refund once claimed in the ITR.
How can I reduce or avoid 194N TDS?
File your ITR every year to keep the higher Rs1 crore threshold and the 2% rate; use digital payments (NEFT/RTGS/UPI) which fall outside 194N; spread genuine cash needs across different banks since each has its own threshold; and always claim the deducted TDS as credit in your ITR to get any refund. These are the legitimate ways to manage 194N impact.
Which TDS certificate is issued for 194N?
The bank issues Form 16A for the TDS deducted under Section 194N, and the same amount is reflected in your Form 26AS and Annual Information Statement (AIS). Use these to reconcile and claim the credit when filing your return.
New Law
What is Section 194N called under the new Income-tax Act 2025?
From AY 2026-27, the Income-tax Act 2025 (effective 1 April 2026) renumbers the provision. TDS on cash withdrawals earlier under Section 194N now sits in Section 393(3), Table Sl. No. 5 of the new Act. The rates and thresholds are carried forward unchanged, so 194N remains the familiar reference for FY 2025-26.
TaxClue for large cash transactions

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