The Income Tax Department has extended the deadline to file Income Tax Returns (ITRs) for the assessment year 2025–26 from July 31 to September 15, 2025.
This extension in the deadline to file tax returns will provide more time to taxpayers for collecting documents and aligning with changes in guidelines and compliance norms.
“There have been many significant revisions in ITR forms, system development needs, and TDS credit reflections. This ensures a smoother and more accurate filing experience for everyone. Formal notification will follow,” the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) said in a social media post on ‘X’.
https://x.com/IncomeTaxIndia/status/1927323353251012645
The notified ITRs for AY 2025-26 have undergone structural and content revisions aimed at simplifying compliance, enhancing transparency, and enabling accurate reporting, the tax department said in a release.
The government acknowledged the changes that have necessitated additional time for system development, integration, and testing of the corresponding utilities.
“Furthermore, credits arising from TDS statements, due for filing by 31st May 2025, are expected to begin reflecting in early June, limiting the effective window for return filing in the absence of such extension,” the CBDT said.
The government has released ITR Forms (1-7) to facilitate income tax return filing. However, the corresponding utilities are yet to be updated on the tax department’s e-filing website. Besides, there are several changes introduced in some of the ITR forms to align with major announcements in the Union Budget last year.
In view of the extensive changes introduced in the notified ITRs and considering the time required for system readiness and rollout of Income Tax Return (ITR) utilities for Assessment Year (AY) 2025-26, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has decided to extend the due date for filing returns, the release said.
Accordingly, to facilitate a smooth and convenient filing experience for taxpayers, it has been decided that the due date for filing of ITRs, originally due on 31st July 2025, is extended to 15th September 2025. A formal notification to this effect is being issued separately, the CBDT said.
The tax department believes that this extension will mitigate the concerns raised by stakeholders and provide adequate time for compliance, thereby ensuring the integrity and accuracy of the return filing process.
Vivek Jalan, Partner – Tax Connect Advisory Services LLP, said, “The timeline of 31st July of filing ITRs for taxpayers are a big hardship every year. Every year there are changes in ITRs structure which means utilities take time to be published. Every year TDS/TCS credits are reflected by 15th June, which means effectively only 1.5 months are available for filing such ITRs. It is a welcome move of extending the due date to 15th September this year.”
However, it is a long-standing demand of taxpayers that permanently the due date of filing ITRs for such taxpayers be extended to 31st August at least. It is also proposed by taxpayers that in the New Income Tax Bill 2025 which will see light of day from 1st April 2026, this new date be inserted ab-initio itself.”