Income Tax Dept reminds non-audit taxpayers to file ITR by Aug 31
2 min read
On Monday, the Income Tax Department reminded taxpayers earning business or professional income and not liable for tax audit that the last date to file their income tax returns for FY 2026‑27 is 31 August 2026.
Key Takeaways
- The Income Tax Department reminded non-audit taxpayers with business or professional income to file ITRs for FY 2026-27 by August 31, 2026.
- Over 20 million ITR-3 and ITR-4 returns were filed by August 20, pushing total AY 2026-27 filings past 65 million.
- More than 59 million ITR-1 and ITR-2 returns had already been filed by the July 31 cutoff.
- The department urged eligible taxpayers to use the e-filing portal to complete filing before the deadline.
Through a post on X, the department encouraged all eligible taxpayers to submit their returns promptly and to use the e‑filing portal to finish the process before the deadline.
“The deadline for filing ITRs for assessment year 2026‑27 for those with business or professional income and no audit requirement is 31 August 2026,” the department stated.
“Act as a responsible taxpayer—file on time. Log into the e‑filing portal and submit your return today,” the Income Tax Department added.
According to the department, over 20 million ITR‑3 and ITR‑4 returns had been uploaded to the e‑filing portal by 20 August, pushing the overall count of returns for AY 2026‑27 past 65 million.
It also noted that more than 59 million ITR‑1 and ITR‑2 returns had been filed by the 31 July cut‑off.
“The due date for filing ITRs for AY 2026‑27 for taxpayers with business or professional income who are not under audit is 31 August 2026,” the department said in an X post, urging eligible taxpayers to meet the deadline.
Taxpayers in the non‑audit group should select the return form that matches their income type and source; the options are ITR‑3, ITR‑4, ITR‑5 and ITR‑7.
ITR‑3 is meant for individuals and Hindu Undivided Families (HUFs) earning income from a proprietary business or profession. ITR‑4 is a simplified form designed for certain small and medium taxpayers satisfying the eligibility criteria.
ITR‑5 applies to entities like firms, LLPs and cooperative societies, whereas ITR‑7 is used by trusts, charitable organisations and other bodies that must file returns under specific sections of the Income Tax Act.
The department continues to urge taxpayers to finish their filings before the deadline to prevent portal congestion and avoid any penalties for late submission.
