Mumbai: Many taxpayers believe July 31 is the final date for filing an income-tax return. However, the deadline is not the same for everyone.
The applicable date depends on the taxpayer’s sources of income,
the ITR form required and whether the accounts must be audited.
Under the rules applicable to Assessment Year 2026–27, taxpayers filing ITR-1 or ITR-2 generally have until July 31, 2026. Eligible taxpayers filing ITR-3 or ITR-4 without a tax-audit requirement have until August 31, 2026.
July Deadline
The July 31 deadline generally applies to individuals whose income comes from salary, pension, house property, capital gains, interest or other investments.
It can also cover taxpayers reporting income from virtual digital assets held as investments or income from foreign sources, provided they do not have business or professional income requiring another return form.
The correct form must be selected according to the person’s income profile and eligibility conditions.
Extra Month
The August 31 deadline applies to eligible individuals earning business or professional income whose accounts do not require a tax audit.
This category may include freelancers, consultants, futures and options traders, intraday traders and taxpayers using presumptive taxation provisions under Sections 44AD, 44ADA or 44AE.
The Income Tax Department’s guidance specifically states that the due date for filing ITR-4 for AY 2026–27 is August 31, 2026. Income Tax Department
Salary Confusion
Receiving a salary does not automatically make July 31 the final deadline.
If a salaried person also earns business or professional income and must file ITR-3, a later deadline may apply. The position could change further if that person’s accounts require a tax audit.
A salaried individual who is a partner in a firm subject to tax audit may also qualify for the deadline applicable to audit-linked cases.
Check Carefully
Taxpayers should review every source of income, identify the correct ITR form and check whether audit rules apply before filing.
Choosing the wrong deadline could result in late fees, interest or other difficulties. Therefore, taxpayers should confirm their individual filing date instead of assuming that July 31 applies universally.
