If you deduct or collect tax at source, the return form you've filed for years just got a new number. Under the Income-tax Rules, 2026, every TDS and TCS return form has been renumbered for FY 2026-27 — and the first return under the new numbering, for the April-June quarter, is due 31 July 2026.
The old-to-new form mapping
The forms themselves haven't changed in substance — only the numbers have:
| Old form | New form | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Form 24Q | Form 138 | TDS on salary payments |
| Form 26Q | Form 140 | TDS on non-salary payments to residents |
| Form 27Q | Form 144 | TDS on payments to non-residents |
| Form 27EQ | Form 143 | TCS (tax collected at source) returns |
Which transactions use which form
Old form numbers still apply to transactions completed up to 31 March 2026. For any transaction from 1 April 2026 onward — which includes the whole of Q1 FY 2026-27 — you must use the new form number. If your accountant or payroll software is still generating a return labeled 24Q or 26Q for this quarter, it will get rejected on the TRACES/NSDL portal.
The deadline: due dates are unchanged, only the form numbers moved
The filing calendar itself hasn't shifted — it's the same schedule as before, just under the new form numbers:
- Q1 (Apr-Jun 2026): due 31 July 2026
- Q2 (Jul-Sep 2026): due 31 October 2026
- Q3 (Oct-Dec 2026): due 31 January 2027
- Q4 (Jan-Mar 2027): due 31 May 2027
What it costs to miss the deadline
Two separate penalties apply for a late TDS/TCS return, and both come from the Income Tax Act rather than the new rules:
- Section 234E late fee:₹200 for every day the return is late, capped at the total TDS/TCS amount for that quarter. This fee is mandatory — it can't be waived, and it must be paid before the return can even be submitted.
- Section 271H penalty: a separate penalty of ₹10,000 to ₹1,00,000 that the assessing officer can levy on top of the late fee, for failing to file within the due date.
Who this affects most
If you're an employer deducting TDS on salaries, this is your Form 138 (formerly 24Q) — the most common of the four for salaried workplaces. Businesses paying contractors, professionals, or rent above the TDS threshold file Form 140 (formerly 26Q). Both are due for Q1 by 31 July 2026, alongside the other two forms if applicable.
Check your salary TDS
Before your employer's Q1 return goes in, use the TDS Calculatorto check that the monthly TDS being deducted from your salary lines up with what you'd actually owe — mismatches are easier to fix before a return is filed than after.