INCOME TAX CURRENT AFFAIRS COMPLIANCE

Income Tax Compliance Calendar: All September 2026 Deadlines — TDS, Advance Tax & Audit Report

Income Tax Due Dates September 2026: TDS, Advance Tax & Tax Audit Report Deadlines

Fri Sep 4, 2026

Introduction

September is one of the most compliance-heavy months in the Indian income tax calendar. Four major deadlines fall within this month alone — covering TDS remittance for the previous month, TDS certificate issuance, the crucial second instalment of advance tax, and (for eligible assessees) the tax audit report under Section 44AB.

Missing any of these attracts interest, penalties, or prosecution under the Income Tax Act. This article walks through each deadline clearly — what it is, who it applies to, the consequence of missing it, and the provision behind it.

CURRENT LAW: The deadlines below are prescribed under the Income Tax Act, 1961 and the Income Tax Rules, 1962 as applicable for Assessment Year 2026–27 (Financial Year 2025–26). CBDT occasionally issues circulars extending specific deadlines — always check the CBDT website and the Income Tax e-filing portal for the latest notifications before the due date.

The Four Key September 2026 Deadlines at a Glance

Date	Compliance	Applies To	Legal Provision
7 September	TDS/TCS deposit for August 2026	All TDS/TCS deductors	Section 200 + Rule 30
14 September	TDS certificate (Form 16A) for Q1 / July-Aug deductions	All deductors (non-salary TDS)	Section 203 + Rule 31
15 September	Advance Tax — 2nd instalment (≥ 45% of annual liability)	All assessees liable to pay advance tax	Section 211
30 September	Tax Audit Report (Form 3CA/3CB + 3CD)	Assessees whose accounts must be audited u/s 44AB	Section 44AB + Rule 6G

Deadline 1 — 7 September: TDS/TCS Deposit for August 2026

7 Sept Deposit TDS/TCS deducted/collected during August 2026 into the government account via Challan ITNS 281.

Who must comply: Every person who has deducted TDS (Tax Deducted at Source) or collected TCS (Tax Collected at Source) during August 2026 — this includes employers deducting TDS on salaries, businesses deducting TDS on payments to contractors, professionals, rent, interest, etc.

How to pay: Online via the IT e-filing portal → e-Pay Tax → Challan ITNS 281. Government deductors deposit on the same day as payment.

Consequence of missing this date: Interest at 1.5% per month (or part thereof) from the date of deduction to the date of actual deposit, under Section 201(1A)(ii). Additionally, failure to deposit may attract prosecution under Section 276B in serious cases.

Deadline 2 — 14 September: TDS Certificate (Form 16A)

14 Sept Issue Form 16A (TDS certificate for non-salary payments) to deductees for Q1 (April–June 2026) and for July–August deductions as applicable.

Who must comply: All deductors who have filed their TDS returns for Q1 (April–June 2026). Form 16A must be downloaded from the TRACES portal and issued to the deductee — it cannot be self-prepared.

Note: Form 16 (for salary TDS) has a separate, later deadline. Form 16A specifically covers non-salary TDS — contractor payments, professional fees, rent (Section 194-I), interest (Section 194A), commission, etc.

Consequence of not issuing: Penalty of ₹100 per day per certificate under Section 272A(2)(g) for failure to issue TDS certificates, subject to a maximum of the TDS amount itself.

Deadline 3 — 15 September: Advance Tax 2nd Instalment

15 Sept Pay the second instalment of advance tax — at least 45% of estimated annual tax liability (less what was paid in June's 1st instalment).

Who Must Pay Advance Tax?

Every assessee — individual, HUF, firm, or company — whose estimated income tax liability for the year exceeds ₹10,000 must pay advance tax. The only exemption is for senior citizens (aged 60+) who do not have income from a business or profession.

The Four-Instalment Schedule

Instalment	Due Date	Cumulative Amount Required
1st	15 June 2026	≥ 15% of estimated annual tax
2nd	15 September 2026	≥ 45% of estimated annual tax
3rd	15 December 2026	≥ 75% of estimated annual tax
4th	15 March 2027	100% of estimated annual tax

Illustration: Ms Priya Sharma estimates her total income tax liability for FY 2025-26 at ₹1,20,000.

1st instalment paid on 10 June 2026: ₹18,000 (15%)
2nd instalment due by 15 September 2026: ₹54,000 − ₹18,000 = ₹36,000
She should pay ₹36,000 by 15 September via Challan ITNS 280.

Consequence of underpaying or missing: Interest at 1% per month under Section 234C for shortfall in each instalment — separately calculated for each instalment.

Tip for Businesses: If your income is uncertain, it is better to pay conservatively based on what you know so far and top up in December.

Deadline 4 — 30 September: Tax Audit Report (Section 44AB)

30 Sept Furnish the Tax Audit Report in Form 3CA/3CB + Form 3CD for AY 2026-27. Report must be uploaded by the Chartered Accountant on the IT portal and accepted by the assessee.

Who Is Required to Get Accounts Audited under Section 44AB?

Category	Turnover / Gross Receipts Threshold
Business (general)	Turnover exceeds ₹1 crore in FY 2025-26
Business (higher limit — if 95%+ transactions digital)	Turnover exceeds ₹10 crore in FY 2025-26
Profession (doctor, CA, lawyer, engineer, etc.)	Gross receipts exceed ₹50 lakh in FY 2025-26
Presumptive taxation opt-outs	Where income declared is below the prescribed presumptive rate

Forms Used

Form 3CA + 3CD: Where accounts are already required to be audited under another law.
Form 3CB + 3CD: Where accounts are audited solely for Section 44AB purposes.

The report is uploaded by the Chartered Accountant on the IT portal and must then be accepted by the assessee before the deadline.

Consequence of missing 30 September: Penalty equal to 0.5% of total sales / turnover / gross receipts under Section 271B, subject to a maximum of ₹1,50,000.

Quick Reference: What to Do This Week

By 7 September: Deposit all TDS/TCS deducted in August via Challan ITNS 281.
By 14 September: Download Form 16A from TRACES and issue it to all non-salary deductees for Q1 TDS.
By 15 September: Calculate 45% of estimated tax, deduct what you paid in June, and deposit the balance via Challan ITNS 280.
By 30 September: Ensure your CA has completed and uploaded the Tax Audit Report — and that you have accepted it under your login.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Depositing TDS to the wrong section code on Challan 281.
Waiting for the CA to "accept on your behalf". The assessee must log in and accept the Tax Audit Report.
Ignoring advance tax if you're a freelancer or consultant.
Assuming CBDT will extend the September 30 audit deadline as it has in past years.

FAQs

Q1. I am a salaried employee. Do I need to pay advance tax?

If TDS deducted by your employer fully covers your tax liability, no advance tax is needed. But if you have additional income such as interest, rent, capital gains or freelancing and the total additional tax exceeds ₹10,000, you must pay advance tax by the instalment dates.

Q2. Can I pay the 2nd advance tax instalment after 15 September and avoid interest?

No. Interest under Section 234C begins from 16 September at 1% per month on the shortfall from the required 45%.

Q3. My CA uploaded the audit report on 28 September, but I forgot to accept it. Is my filing late?

Yes — the audit report is legally filed only when the assessee accepts it on the portal. Log in immediately and accept.

Q4. Is the ₹10 crore digital-transaction threshold for tax audit a permanent provision?

Yes — the higher ₹10 crore threshold where 95%+ receipts and payments are via banking/digital channels was inserted by the Finance Act 2021 and is a permanent provision of Section 44AB.

Conclusion

September packs four separate Income Tax deadlines into one month — each with a different provision, different consequence, and a different set of assessees it targets. Mark all four dates now, delegate the CA-dependent tasks early, especially the tax audit acceptance workflow, and verify whether any CBDT extension has been notified before assuming the statutory date has moved.

Author

Siddhartha Raturi

INFLUENCER · YOUTUBER · EDUCATOR

Article prepared for SRC Classes Online. Readers should check the latest CBDT notifications and the Income Tax e-filing portal for any extension circulars before the statutory due date.