Income-Tax Guide · AY 2026-27

TDS Refund —
Get Your Excess TDS Back

How to claim a TDS refund by filing your Income Tax Return, how to verify credits in Form 26AS and AIS, the refund timeline, Section 244A interest, and why refunds fail.

Updated for AY 2026-27 CA Reviewed ITR-linked refund

Get ITR Filing Help See the steps

ITROnly way to claim

30 daysTo e-verify

20–45dTypical credit time

0.5%/mo244A interest

Quick Answer

A TDS refund arises when the tax deducted at source during the year is more than your actual tax liability — and the only way to claim it is to file your Income Tax Return (ITR). There is no separate refund application. Verify all deductions in Form 26AS and AIS, pre-validate your bank account, file and e-verify within 30 days. After CPC processes the return, the excess is credited to your PAN-linked bank account, usually in 20–45 days, with Section 244A interest on any delay.

Claim via File ITR

E-verify in 30 days

Credited in 20–45 days

Interest u/s 244A 0.5%/mo

A refund is not "applied for" — it is claimed in the ITR

The Income Tax Department does not run a separate TDS-refund form. When your ITR shows total TDS/TCS/advance tax greater than the tax computed on your income, the excess is automatically flagged as "Refund due" and paid out after the return is processed by the CPC.

Step by step

How to Claim a TDS Refund

The whole process happens on the income-tax e-filing portal. Do these in order:

Check 26AS & AISConfirm every TDS credit is reflected

→

Gather proofsForm 16, 16A, interest & other income

→

File the ITRTDS > tax due shows as refund

→

Pre-validate bankPAN-linked account for the credit

→

E-verifyWithin 30 days via Aadhaar OTP/EVC

Form 26AS matches your TDS
AIS / TIS reviewed
Form 16 (salary) collected
Form 16A (non-salary TDS)
Bank interest certificates
Correct ITR form chosen
Bank account pre-validated
ITR e-verified within 30 days
Refund bank account linked to PAN
No pending tax demand

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Before you file

Check 26AS & AIS for TDS Credits

The department only allows credit for TDS that appears in your Form 26AS. Reconcile it against your Form 16 / 16A before filing, because a mismatch is the single most common cause of a delayed or short refund.

Statement	What it shows	Where
Form 26AS	All TDS, TCS, advance tax & self-assessment tax credits	e-Filing portal → e-File → View Form 26AS
AIS	Full transaction view — salary, interest, dividends, securities, TDS	e-Filing portal → AIS
TIS	Summarised AIS with pre-filled figures for the ITR	e-Filing portal → AIS → TIS

If a TDS entry is missing, ask the deductor to file a correction in their TDS return — only 26AS credits are allowed while processing your ITR.

Pick the correct ITR form

ITR-1 (Sahaj) — salary, one house property, other income (interest) within limits
ITR-2 — capital gains, more than one house, foreign income
ITR-3 — business or professional income
ITR-4 (Sugam) — presumptive business/profession under 44AD/44ADA/44AE

Pre-validate your bank account first

Refunds are credited only to a bank account that is pre-validated on the e-filing portal and linked to your PAN. Do this before you file — an unvalidated or KYC-mismatched account is the top reason refunds bounce back.

How long it takes

Refund Timeline & Section 244A Interest

Once the ITR is filed and e-verified, the Centralised Processing Centre (CPC) processes it and releases the refund. Filing early and e-verifying the same day gives the fastest turnaround.

Stage	Typical time	Note
E-verification	Within 30 days of filing	Return is invalid until verified
CPC processing	~15–30 days after e-verify	Intimation u/s 143(1) issued
Refund credit	~20–45 days after processing	To pre-validated PAN-linked account
Interest u/s 244A	0.5%/mo	6% p.a. simple, on eligible delay

Times are indicative; peak-season volumes, mismatches or scrutiny can extend them.

Interest on a delayed refund

Under Section 244A you get simple interest at 0.5% per month (6% p.a.) on a delayed refund. For a return filed by the due date, interest generally runs from 1 April of the assessment year to the date the refund is granted — provided the refund is at least 10% of the tax otherwise payable.

Stay updated

How to Track TDS Refund Status

e-Filing portal — Login → e-File → Income Tax Returns → View Filed Returns → refund status
NSDL / Protean refund tracker — enter PAN and assessment year
CPC Bengaluru helpline — 1800-103-0025 (toll-free) for status queries

Troubleshooting

Why a TDS Refund Fails — and How to Fix It

You should get your refund smoothly if

Bank account is pre-validated and PAN-linked
26AS/AIS match the TDS you claim
ITR e-verified within 30 days
No outstanding tax demand from earlier years
Correct ITR form and bank details

It can fail or be withheld if

Account not pre-validated or IFSC wrong
Name/KYC mismatch between PAN and bank
Return filed but never e-verified
Old tax demand adjusted against the refund
Defective-return notice u/s 139(9) pending

If the refund has failed, raise a re-issue request

Log in to the e-filing portal → Services → Refund Reissue, correct or add a pre-validated bank account, and submit the request. There is no need to re-file the return — the same processed refund is released to the corrected account.

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Government sourcesITR filing & refund: incometax.gov.in · Refund status: Protean (NSDL) refund tracker · Interest on refund: Section 244A, Income-tax Act 1961 · Refund set-off against demand: Section 245, Income-tax Act 1961

TDS Refund — Frequently Asked Questions

Claiming

How do I claim a TDS refund?

You claim a TDS refund by filing your Income Tax Return (ITR) for the relevant year. There is no separate refund form. Report all your income, claim eligible deductions and compute your tax; if the TDS/TCS/advance tax already paid is more than this tax, the excess is shown as "Refund due" and is credited to your bank account after the return is processed by the CPC.

Can I claim a TDS refund without filing ITR?

No. Filing an Income Tax Return is mandatory to claim a TDS refund. The refund arises only when the ITR shows that TDS deducted exceeds the tax computed on your total income. Without a filed and e-verified return, the department has no basis to issue a refund.

What is the last date to file ITR and claim my TDS refund for AY 2026-27?

For most individuals (non-audit cases) the due date to file the ITR for AY 2026-27 is 31 July 2026. You can still file a belated return later (up to 31 December 2026, subject to a late fee) and claim the refund, but filing by the due date preserves full Section 244A interest and avoids the late fee under Section 234F.

Which ITR form should I use to claim a TDS refund?

Use ITR-1 (Sahaj) for salary, one house property and interest income within limits; ITR-2 if you have capital gains, more than one house or foreign income; ITR-3 for business or professional income; and ITR-4 (Sugam) for presumptive income under 44AD/44ADA/44AE. The correct form depends on your income sources, not on the refund itself.

Timeline

How long does it take to get a TDS refund?

Typically the refund is credited within 20 to 45 days after the ITR is processed by the CPC. Returns filed and e-verified early in the season (before mid-July) are often processed and refunded fastest, sometimes within a couple of weeks. Mismatches, scrutiny or peak-season volumes can extend the timeline.

Do I need to e-verify my return to get the refund?

Yes. You must e-verify the ITR within 30 days of filing — using Aadhaar OTP, net banking, a bank/demat EVC or by sending a signed ITR-V to CPC. Until it is verified, the return is treated as not filed, so processing does not start and no refund is issued.

Why is my TDS refund taking so long?

Common causes are: the return has not been e-verified, a mismatch between the ITR and Form 26AS/AIS, an unvalidated bank account, a pending defective-return notice, or an outstanding tax demand being set off. Check your return status and any intimation on the e-filing portal, fix the flagged issue, and if needed raise a grievance or refund-reissue request.

Interest

Is interest paid on a delayed TDS refund?

Yes. Under Section 244A the government pays simple interest at 0.5% per month (6% per annum) on a delayed refund, provided the refund is at least 10% of the tax otherwise payable. For a return filed by the due date, interest generally runs from 1 April of the assessment year to the date the refund is granted.

Is the interest on my refund taxable?

Yes. Interest received under Section 244A on an income-tax refund is taxable as "Income from other sources" in the year you receive it, and should be reported in that year's ITR. The principal refund itself (return of your own excess tax) is not taxed — only the interest component is.

26AS & Mismatches

What if TDS in Form 26AS does not match my Form 16 or 16A?

Contact the deductor (employer, bank or payer) and ask them to file a correction in their TDS return so the entry appears correctly in your 26AS. Only TDS reflected in Form 26AS is allowed as credit while your ITR is processed, so claiming a credit not in 26AS will lead to a mismatch and a reduced or delayed refund.

A deductor cut my TDS but it is not in 26AS — can I still claim it?

You can enter it in the return, but the CPC generally allows credit only for TDS visible in Form 26AS/AIS, so an unmatched claim is usually disallowed at processing and can trigger a demand or short refund. The reliable fix is to get the deductor to correct their TDS return so the credit shows in your 26AS, then the refund flows through.

Failed Refunds

Why did my refund fail even though the ITR was processed?

The most frequent reasons are a bank account that is not pre-validated, wrong account number or IFSC, or a name/KYC mismatch between your PAN and the bank account. In each case the credit bounces back. Fix the bank details on the portal and submit a refund-reissue request to have the same refund released again.

How do I raise a refund re-issue request?

Log in to the e-filing portal, go to Services → Refund Reissue, select the relevant assessment year, choose or add a pre-validated bank account, and submit the request. You do not re-file the return — the department re-releases the already-processed refund to the corrected account.

Can an old tax demand be adjusted against my refund?

Yes. Under Section 245 the department can set off an outstanding tax demand from a current or earlier year against your refund, after giving you an intimation and an opportunity to respond. If you disagree with the demand, respond to it on the portal within the time allowed so the set-off is not made incorrectly.

Other

Can I claim a refund of TDS deducted in an earlier year I did not file for?

Only within the legal time limits. You can file a belated return up to 31 December of the assessment year, and in genuine hardship cases apply for condonation of delay under Section 119(2)(b) to file and claim an old refund, usually within a few years. Beyond those windows the TDS credit is generally lost, so file on time to protect the refund.

Done-for-you

Related TaxClue Services

Income Tax Return FilingCA-assisted ITR that reconciles 26AS and claims your full TDS refund.Explore →TDS Return FilingFor deductors — file quarterly TDS returns so credits reflect correctly.Explore →TDS on SalaryHow salary TDS is computed, Form 16 and matching your 26AS.Explore →Income Tax CalculatorEstimate your tax and whether excess TDS is refundable.Explore →

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