The tax compliance calendar for FY 2026-27 (Assessment Year 2027-28) covers critical recurring deadlines across GST, Income Tax, TDS/TCS, and MCA corporate laws in India. Failure to deposit taxes or file statutory returns within these deadlines attracts severe late fees, interest penalties under Section 50 of the GST Act and Section 201(1A)/234A/B/C of the Income-tax Act, and suspension of digital portal accesses.
Monthly Recurring Compliance Deadlines
Every business entity in India must adhere to monthly payment and reporting schedules. Mark these recurring days in your accounting calendar:
| Due Date | Compliance Under Law | Return Form / Action Required |
|---|---|---|
| 7th of Every Month | Income Tax (TDS / TCS) | Deposit of TDS/TCS deducted in the preceding month using Challan ITNS 281. (Note: March deductions are due by April 30th). |
| 10th of Every Month | Goods and Services Tax (GST) | Filing of Form GSTR-7 (by TDS deductors) and Form GSTR-8 (TCS statement by e-commerce operators). |
| 11th of Every Month | Goods and Services Tax (GST) | Filing of Form GSTR-1 (statement of outward supplies) for monthly taxpayers. |
| 13th of Every Month | Goods and Services Tax (GST) | Filing of Invoice Furnishing Facility (IFF) for QRMP taxpayers (Q1/Q2/Q3 months), and GSTR-6 return by Input Service Distributors. |
| 15th of Every Month | Labor Laws (PF & ESI) | Deposit of Provident Fund (PF) and Employee State Insurance (ESI) contributions collected from employee salaries. |
| 20th of Every Month | Goods and Services Tax (GST) | Filing of Form GSTR-3B (monthly summary return and payment) for regular taxpayers. GSTR-5 (Non-resident taxable persons) and GSTR-5A (OIDAR services). |
| 22nd / 24th of Quarter-End | Goods and Services Tax (GST) | Filing of quarterly GSTR-3B for taxpayers under the QRMP scheme, depending on the state of registration. |
Quarterly Compliance Timelines (Advance Tax & TDS/TCS Returns)
Quarterly compliance focuses on advance tax instalments and detailed reporting of tax deductions at source (TDS) and collection at source (TCS):
1. Advance Tax Instalments (FY 2026-27 / AY 2027-28)
Under Section 208, every taxpayer whose estimated net tax liability for the year exceeds Rs. 10,000 must pay advance tax in four instalments:
- 15 June 2026: First instalment (15% of estimated tax).
- 15 September 2026: Second instalment (45% of estimated tax, cumulative).
- 15 December 2026: Third instalment (75% of estimated tax, cumulative).
- 15 March 2027: Fourth instalment (100% of estimated tax, cumulative). (Note: Taxpayers opting for presumptive taxation under Section 44AD/44ADA can pay 100% advance tax in a single instalment by 15 March).
2. Quarterly TDS & TCS Return Filing Deadlines
Deductors must file quarterly returns matching tax deposits against deductee PAN details. The due date is the last day of the month following the quarter-end:
- Quarter 1 (Apr - Jun): 31 July 2026 (Forms 24Q, 26Q, 27Q, 27EQ).
- Quarter 2 (Jul - Sep): 31 October 2026 (Forms 24Q, 26Q, 27Q, 27EQ).
- Quarter 3 (Oct - Dec): 31 January 2027 (Forms 24Q, 26Q, 27Q, 27EQ).
- Quarter 4 (Jan - Mar): 31 May 2027 (Forms 24Q, 26Q, 27Q, 27EQ).
Annual Compliance Deadlines (ITR, GST Audit, and MCA Filing)
The second half of the financial year is dominated by annual filings. Mark these non-recurring deadlines to avoid corporate penalties:
| Filing Window / Deadline | Governing Law | Forms & Compliance Actions Required |
|---|---|---|
| 31 July 2026 | Direct Tax / ITR | Filing of Income Tax Returns (ITR-1, ITR-2, ITR-4) for individuals, HUFs, and firms not liable for tax audit. |
| 30 September 2026 | Direct Tax / Audit | Filing of Tax Audit Report (Form 3CD) and Transfer Pricing Report (Form 3CEB) by Chartered Accountants for eligible taxpayers. |
| 31 October 2026 | Direct Tax / ITR | Filing of Income Tax Returns (ITR-3, ITR-5, ITR-6) for corporate entities and taxpayers liable for tax audit. |
| 30 November 2026 | Direct Tax / TP | Filing of Income Tax Returns for taxpayers engaged in international or specified domestic transactions requiring transfer pricing study. |
| 31 December 2026 | GST Annual Return | Filing of GST Annual Return (Form GSTR-9) and Reconciliation Statement (Form GSTR-9C) for FY 2025-26. |
MCA Corporate and ROC Compliance Calendar
Companies and LLPs registered under the Companies Act 2013 must file annual financial reports and KYC verification forms with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA):
- 30 May 2026: LLP Annual Return (Form 11) for FY 2025-26.
- 30 June 2026: Return of Deposits (Form DPT-3) disclosing outstanding loans and deposits.
- 30 September 2026: Director KYC verification (Form DIR-3 KYC) for all active DIN holders.
- 30 October 2026: LLP Statement of Account & Solvency (Form 8) for FY 2025-26.
- AGM Timelines: Companies must hold their Annual General Meeting (AGM) within 6 months of the close of the financial year (typically by 30 September).
- 30 Days of AGM: File Company Financial Statements (Form AOC-4 / AOC-4 XBRL).
- 60 Days of AGM: File Company Annual Return (Form MGT-7 / MGT-7A).
Consequences of Delay and Interest Mathematics
Missing deadlines initiates automatic system alerts, blocking business operations and imposing compounding financial charges:
- GST Late Fees: Delay in filing GSTR-1 or GSTR-3B attracts a late fee of Rs. 50 per day (Rs. 20 for nil returns), capped at statutory limits based on turnover.
- GST Interest (Section 50): Delayed payment of tax attracts interest at 18% per annum, calculated on the net cash liability (tax paid through cash ledger after ITC utilization).
- ITR Late Fee (Section 234F): Filing ITR after July 31st/October 31st attracts an automatic fee of Rs. 5,000 (Rs. 1,000 if total income is under Rs. 5 lakh).
- Income Tax Interest (Section 234A/B/C): Delayed filing attracts 1% per month interest under 234A. Shortfall in advance tax payment attracts 1% per month interest under 234B and 234C.
- TDS Late Fee (Section 234E): Delay in filing TDS returns attracts a fee of Rs. 200 per day, capped at the total amount of TDS deducted.
- MCA Filing Penalty: Delayed ROC filings attract additional fees ranging from 2x to 12x of normal fees, along with personal prosecution risks for directors.
Key Takeaways for Compliance Officers
- Mark the 7th (TDS deposit), 11th (GSTR-1), 15th (PF/ESI), and 20th (GSTR-3B) in your recurring monthly workflow.
- Monitor Advance Tax instalments quarterly (June 15, Sept 15, Dec 15, Mar 15) to avoid compounding interest under Section 234B/C.
- Ensure the Tax Audit Report (3CD) is uploaded by 30 September, a month before the corporate ITR deadline of 31 October.
- File the GST annual returns GSTR-9 and GSTR-9C before the hard stop of 31 December to avoid massive portal late fees.