The last date to file your Income Tax Return (ITR) for the Financial Year 2024-25 (Assessment Year 2025-26) is 15 September 2025. This means taxpayers have been given 46 extra days beyond the original deadline of 31 July.
Now, only about a month is left to file your ITR. Since the start of the filing process in May, around 2.93 crore returns have been submitted in the past 2.5 months. For non-audit taxpayers, only 33 days remain until the deadline. Last year, over 9 crore ITRs were filed.
Taxpayers are strongly advised not to wait till the last minute and not to expect that the Income Tax Department will extend the deadline again. Filing after 15 September can result in heavy penalties and interest under Sections 234F, 234A, 234B, and 234C.
ITR Deadlines and Categories
- Non-audit cases (Individuals, HUFs, etc.): Extended deadline – 15 September 2025.
- Audit cases (Section 44AB): Usually 31 October 2025 (may vary).
- Transfer Pricing (Form 3CEB): Usually 30 November 2025 (subject to CBDT updates).
- Late/Revised Return: Last date – 31 December 2025.
- ITR-U (Updated Return): Can be filed up to 48 months after the end of the relevant AY. For AY 2025-26, the window is 1 January 2026 to 31 March 2030.
Penalties and Interest
- Late Fee (234F):
- Income below ₹5 lakh – ₹1,000 penalty.
- Income ₹5 lakh or more – ₹5,000 penalty.
- Interest:
- 234A – 1% per month for late filing if tax is unpaid.
- 234B – 1% per month from 1 April if advance tax paid is less than 90% of total due.
- 234C – Interest for delay/non-payment of advance tax instalments.
Options if You Miss 15 September
- Late ITR (till 31 December): Penalty + interest apply; losses like capital/business loss cannot be carried forward.
- Revised ITR (till 31 December): To correct any mistakes in the original return.
- ITR-U (1 Jan 2026 – 31 Mar 2030): Limited scope; requires additional tax payment (25%-70%).
- CBDT Relief (Section 119(2)(b)): Only for exceptional refund or relief cases.
Also Read- Excel Utility for ITR-2 and ITR-3 Released, Making ITR Filing Easier for Taxpayers
Refund Impact (Section 244A)
Late filing can reduce the interest payable on your refund, as it is calculated from the date of filing, not from the due date.
Bottom line – Filing your ITR before 15 September 2025 is the cheapest, safest, and most beneficial option. Delay means penalties, interest, loss of benefits, and possible reduced refunds.