31 Dec 2026
Section 234F · AY 2026-27
Missed the ITR deadline? Here's your late fee
The fee under Section 234F is fixed by your total income — not by the tax you owe. It applies even when your final tax is nil.
File your income tax return after the due date and a late fee applies: ₹1,000 if your total income is up to ₹5 lakh, and ₹5,000 if it crosses ₹5 lakh. Because the fee tracks total income rather than tax payable, it can land even when you owe nothing.
01ITR due dates for AY 2026-27
For FY 2025-26, due dates are staggered by return type. Miss yours and you move into belated-return territory, where Section 234F begins.
- 31 Jul 2026ITR-1 & ITR-2Salaried and most individual taxpayers
- 31 Aug 2026ITR-3 & ITR-4 (non-audit)Business and professional income
- 31 Oct 2026Audit casesAudit report due 30 Sep 2026
- 31 Dec 2026Belated return — Sec 139(4)Final window to file with a late fee
02How much is the late fee?
The fee depends on your basic exemption limit and total income. Under the new regime (Section 115BAC, now the default) the exemption for AY 2026-27 is ₹4 lakh; under the old regime it is ₹2.5 lakh for individuals below 60.
*No fee applies only if you are not otherwise required to file. If you must file despite low income — foreign assets, a current-account deposit of ₹1 crore or more, foreign travel spend above ₹2 lakh, or a TDS refund claim — the ₹1,000 fee still applies on late filing.
03Do I still pay if my tax is nil?
Common misconception
Yes. Section 234F is triggered by total income crossing the threshold, not by tax payable. The Section 87A rebate makes income up to ₹12 lakh tax-free under the new regime — but it does not touch the late fee.
Worked example — Priya
Priya, salaried, has a total income of ₹8,50,000 under the new regime. After the 87A rebate her tax is nil, and TDS is already deducted. She files on 10 August 2026 instead of 31 July 2026.
Total income = ₹8,50,000 (> ₹5 lakh)
Tax payable = ₹0 (87A rebate + TDS)
Sec 234F fee = ₹5,000 — payable anyway
04What else does late filing cost?
- Interest under Section 234A1% per month (or part month) on any unpaid tax, from the due date until you file.
- Loss of carry-forwardBusiness and capital losses can't be carried forward on a belated return. House-property loss and unabsorbed depreciation are exceptions.
- Regime lock-inA belated return generally can't be filed under the old regime — you may be restricted to the new regime for that year.
05Frequently asked questions
Can I still file after 31 December 2026?
The belated window closes on 31 December 2026. After that an updated return (ITR-U) may be possible within the extended limit, but it carries additional tax over and above the 234F fee.
Is the late fee a penalty?
No — it's a fee, so it's charged automatically without a separate notice or hearing. You pay it as part of self-assessment tax while filing.
My income is below ₹4 lakh — am I safe?
Only if you're not otherwise obliged to file. Check the mandatory-filing triggers (foreign assets, high-value deposits, refund claims and others) before assuming no fee applies.
File it right — with efiletax
Missed a deadline, or want your belated return filed accurately with losses, regime choice and interest all computed correctly? We'll handle it.
Statutory references: Sections 139(1), 139(4), 234F, 234A and 115BAC of the Income-tax Act, 1961.