TDS Return Filing Guide under Income-tax Act, 2025

The Income-tax Act, 2025, effective from 1 April 2026, introduces new form numbers for TDS and TCS reporting while retaining the broad quarterly compliance framework.

Businesses, employers, firms, companies, LLPs, professionals and other deductors should update their accounting, payroll and TDS systems to use the new form numbers and new section references applicable from Tax Year 2026-27.

New TDS Return Forms under Income-tax Act, 2025

Nature of TDS/TCS Statement	New Form under Income-tax Act, 2025	Earlier Form
TDS on Salary	Form 138	Form 24Q
TDS on payments other than salary to residents	Form 140	Form 26Q
PAN-based specified TDS transactions	Form 141	Forms 26QB, 26QC, 26QD and 26QE
Statement by specified VDA Exchange	Form 142	Form 26QF
TCS Return	Form 143	Form 27EQ
TDS on payments to Non-Residents	Form 144	Form 27Q

The Income Tax Department has officially mapped Forms 24Q, 26Q and 27Q to new Forms 138, 140 and 144 respectively.

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Form 138 – TDS Return on Salary

Form 138 replaces the earlier Form 24Q.

It is generally applicable to employers and other specified deductors reporting tax deducted from:

• Salary

• Employment income

• Pension in applicable cases

• Specified interest payments by eligible banks

Employers should report employee-wise salary and TDS information through Form 138 for each applicable quarter.

Form 138 Due Dates

Quarter	Period	Due Date
Q1	April to June	31 July
Q2	July to September	31 October
Q3	October to December	31 January
Q4	January to March	31 May of the following year

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Form 140 – TDS Return for Resident Payments

Form 140 replaces the earlier Form 26Q.

It is the principal quarterly TDS statement for payments other than salary made to resident persons.

It may cover payments such as:

• Contractor payments

• Sub-contractor payments

• Professional fees

• Technical fees

• Commission

• Brokerage

• Rent

• Interest

• Director-related payments

• Purchase-related TDS wherever applicable

• Other payments to residents on which TDS is required

Form 140 is therefore one of the most frequently used TDS returns for companies, LLPs, firms and businesses.

Form 140 Due Dates

Quarter	Period	Due Date
Q1	April to June	31 July
Q2	July to September	31 October
Q3	October to December	31 January
Q4	January to March	31 May of the following year

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Form 144 – TDS Return for Payments to Non-Residents

Form 144 replaces the earlier Form 27Q.

It applies where TDS is deducted on payments, other than salary, made to:

• Non-resident individuals

• Foreign companies

• Overseas consultants

• Foreign service providers

• Foreign lenders

• Overseas vendors

• Other non-resident recipients

Examples of transactions may include:

• Interest

• Royalty

• Fees for technical services

• Professional fees

• Consultancy payments

• Software-related payments

• Commission

• Foreign contractor payments

• ECB interest

• Inter-company payments

• Other taxable remittances

The deductor must also separately examine the applicable TDS rate under domestic law and any relevant Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement.

Form 144 is required quarterly.

Form 144 Due Dates

Quarter	Period	Due Date
Q1	April to June	31 July
Q2	July to September	31 October
Q3	October to December	31 January
Q4	January to March	31 May of the following year

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Form 141 – Challan-cum-Statement for Specified TDS Transactions

Form 141 is an important new consolidated TDS form introduced under the Income-tax Act, 2025.

It replaces the earlier separate forms:

• Form 26QB

• Form 26QC

• Form 26QD

• Form 26QE

Accordingly, specified PAN-based TDS transactions occurring on or after 1 April 2026 are reported through a common Form 141.

Form 141 Covers

Schedule A – TDS on Rent

Applicable for specified rent payments by an Individual or HUF.

Earlier corresponding form:

Form 26QC

Schedule B – TDS on Purchase of Immovable Property

Applicable to specified property transactions where the buyer is required to deduct TDS.

Earlier corresponding form:

Form 26QB

Schedule C – Payment to Contractor or Professional by Individual/HUF

Applicable to specified commission, brokerage, contractual or professional payments by an Individual or HUF.

Earlier corresponding form:

Form 26QD

Schedule D – TDS on Virtual Digital Assets

Applicable to specified VDA transactions by eligible Individual/HUF deductors.

Earlier corresponding form:

Form 26QE

The Income Tax Department confirms that these four earlier forms have been consolidated into Form 141 under the new Act.

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Form 142 – TDS Statement for VDA Exchanges

Form 142 is a specialised quarterly statement relating to Virtual Digital Asset transactions.

It applies to qualifying VDA exchanges that have agreed, under the applicable framework, to deposit tax in respect of specified VDA transactions.

This form is not a general TDS return for ordinary businesses.

It is primarily relevant to:

• Cryptocurrency exchanges

• Virtual Digital Asset platforms

• Eligible VDA intermediaries falling within the prescribed mechanism

Form 142 is filed electronically through the Income Tax e-Filing portal.

Form 142 Due Dates

Quarter	Due Date
April–June	31 July
July–September	31 October
October–December	31 January
January–March	31 May

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Form 143 – TCS Return

Although Form 143 is technically a TCS statement rather than a TDS return, businesses handling tax deduction and collection compliance should be aware of it.

Form 143 replaces the earlier Form 27EQ.

It applies to persons responsible for collecting tax at source on specified transactions.

Depending on the applicable provisions, it may cover transactions relating to:

• Scrap

• Tendu leaves

• Specified forest produce

• Liquor

• Parking lots

• Toll plazas

• Mining and quarrying

• Specified overseas remittances

• Overseas tour packages

• Other prescribed TCS transactions

Form 143 is filed quarterly.

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Old TDS Forms vs New TDS Forms

A simple transition chart is as follows:

Up to 31 March 2026	From 1 April 2026
Form 24Q	Form 138
Form 26Q	Form 140
Form 26QB	Form 141
Form 26QC	Form 141
Form 26QD	Form 141
Form 26QE	Form 141
Form 26QF	Form 142
Form 27EQ	Form 143
Form 27Q	Form 144

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Which TDS Form Should You File?

Use the following practical guide:

Salary Payment

File:

Form 138

Professional Fees Paid to Resident

File:

Form 140

Contractor Payment to Resident

File:

Form 140

Rent Paid by Business where Regular TDS Applies

File:

Form 140

Interest Paid to Resident

File:

Form 140

Payment to Foreign Company or Non-Resident

File:

Form 144

Purchase of Immovable Property by Individual

File:

Form 141 – Schedule B

Specified Rent Payment by Individual/HUF

File:

Form 141 – Schedule A

Individual/HUF Paying Specified Professional or Contractor Fees

File:

Form 141 – Schedule C

Specified VDA Transaction by Individual/HUF

File:

Form 141 – Schedule D

VDA Exchange Reporting

File:

Form 142

TCS Transactions

File:

Form 143

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TDS Return Filing Process under Income-tax Act, 2025

The general filing process for regular quarterly TDS returns such as Forms 138, 140 and 144 is as follows:

Step 1 – Verify TAN

The deductor should have a valid TAN registered on the Income Tax e-Filing portal.

Step 2 – Reconcile TDS Transactions

Reconcile:

• Expense ledger

• Salary register

• Vendor ledger

• TDS payable ledger

• Challans

• PAN details

• Deductee details

• Payment dates

• Credit dates

• Applicable TDS rates

Step 3 – Deposit TDS

Ensure that tax deducted has been deposited against the correct:

• TAN

• Tax year

• Nature of payment

• Challan

• Amount

Step 4 – Download Latest RPU

Use the latest applicable Return Preparation Utility made available through the prescribed TDS filing system.

Step 5 – Prepare the Return

Enter:

• Deductor details

• Challan details

• Deductee details

• Payment amount

• TDS amount

• Applicable section/table reference

• Deduction date

• Deposit details

Step 6 – Generate FVU File

Validate the return through the latest File Validation Utility.

Generate the validated FVU file and required ZIP file.

Step 7 – Login to Income Tax Portal

Login using the deductor’s TAN.

Navigate to:

e-File → Income Tax Forms → File Income Tax Forms

Select:

Forms as per Income Tax Act, 2025 → Deduction and Collection at Source

Step 8 – Select Applicable Form

Choose the appropriate return:

• Form 138

• Form 140

• Form 143

• Form 144

Select:

• Tax Year

• Quarter

• Regular or Correction statement

Step 9 – Upload FVU

Upload the validated ZIP/FVU file.

Step 10 – E-Verify

Complete verification through the prescribed electronic verification mechanism or DSC, as applicable.

Step 11 – Check Processing Status

The return may show as:

• Submitted

• Under processing

• Accepted

• Rejected

A rejected return should be corrected and uploaded again after rectifying the validation error.

The Income Tax Department confirms this filing workflow for Forms 138, 140 and 144.

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Common Reasons for TDS Return Rejection

TDS statements may be rejected because of:

• Incorrect Tax Year

• Wrong quarter selected

• Wrong form selected

• Invalid FVU file

• Outdated FVU version

• TAN mismatch

• Regular return uploaded as correction return

• Correction return uploaded as regular return

• Incorrect receipt/reference number in correction statement

• Invalid deductee data

• Incorrect challan mapping

The FVU and portal versions should therefore be checked before filing.

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Correction of TDS Returns

Errors in a filed TDS return may require a correction statement.

Corrections may be required for:

• Wrong PAN

• Incorrect amount

• Incorrect TDS amount

• Incorrect challan

• Wrong section

• Wrong deductee details

• Missing deductee entry

• Incorrect payment date

• Incorrect transaction classification

For periods governed by the Income-tax Act, 1961, corrections continue to be filed using the old Act’s relevant form and format even if the correction is filed after 1 April 2026.

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Important Transition Rule from 1961 Act to 2025 Act

The applicable Act is determined by the TDS triggering event.

For most payments, this generally depends on the earlier of credit or payment.

Example 1

Professional fees are credited on:

31 March 2026

Payment is made on:

10 April 2026

The Income-tax Act, 1961 applies because the credit occurred before 1 April 2026.

Example 2

Professional fees are credited and paid in:

April 2026

The Income-tax Act, 2025 applies.

The Income Tax Department specifically confirms this transition principle.

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Have TDS Rates Changed under the Income-tax Act, 2025?

The Income Tax Department states that the transition to the Income-tax Act, 2025 did not itself change the TDS rates and monetary thresholds. The provisions have principally been reorganised and renumbered under the new Act.

Businesses should, however, always verify the applicable Finance Act and current rules for the relevant Tax Year before deducting tax.

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New TDS Section Framework

Under the Income-tax Act, 2025, many TDS provisions have been consolidated principally under Section 393, while salary TDS is dealt with under the relevant new salary-TDS provision.

Old section numbers such as:

• Section 194C

• Section 194J

• Section 194I

• Section 194IA

• Section 194IB

• Section 194M

• Section 194S

should not automatically be used for post-1 April 2026 reporting.

Accounting software, ERP systems, payroll systems and TDS utilities should therefore be updated for the new statutory references.

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Documents Required for TDS Return Filing

Depending on the return, commonly required information includes:

• TAN

• PAN of deductor

• PAN of deductees

• Deductor address

• Deductee master

• Salary register

• Expense ledger

• Vendor ledger

• TDS payable ledger

• Bank payment details

• Challans

• Payment dates

• Credit dates

• Nature of payments

• TDS rates

• Previous return acknowledgement

• Previous correction details

• Agreements/invoices where required

• Non-resident documentation for Form 144

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TDS Return Review Checklist

Before filing, verify:

1. Correct TAN

2. Correct Tax Year

3. Correct quarter

4. Correct TDS form

5. Correct deductee PAN

6. Correct payment amount

7. Correct TDS rate

8. Correct statutory reference

9. Correct deduction date

10. Correct challan mapping

11. Challan amount fully reconciled

12. No duplicated deductees

13. No missing transactions

14. Correct resident/non-resident classification

15. Latest RPU/FVU used

16. Correct regular/correction return selected

17. Filed return status checked after submission

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TDS Return Filing Services

Professional TDS return assistance may include:

• Form 138 filing

• Form 140 filing

• Form 141 filing

• Form 142 assistance

• Form 143 TCS return filing

• Form 144 filing

• TDS challan preparation

• TDS reconciliation

• TDS correction return

• PAN correction

• Challan correction

• TDS default resolution

• Resident payment TDS

• Salary TDS

• Non-resident TDS

• Foreign remittance TDS

• Property TDS

• Rent TDS

• Professional-fee TDS

• Contractor-payment TDS

• VDA TDS

• TCS compliance

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the new form for Form 24Q?

From the Income-tax Act, 2025 framework, Form 138 corresponds to the earlier Form 24Q.

What is the new form for Form 26Q?

Form 140 corresponds to the earlier Form 26Q.

What is the new form for Form 27Q?

Form 144 corresponds to the earlier Form 27Q.

What replaces Form 26QB?

For applicable transactions on or after 1 April 2026, property-related challan-cum-statement reporting is made through Form 141, Schedule B.

What replaces Form 26QC?

Applicable rent transactions are reported through Form 141, Schedule A.

What replaces Form 26QD?

Applicable payments by an Individual/HUF to contractors or professionals are reported through Form 141, Schedule C.

What replaces Form 26QE?

Applicable VDA transactions are reported through Form 141, Schedule D.

What is Form 143?

Form 143 is the quarterly TCS statement corresponding to the earlier Form 27EQ.

When does the Income-tax Act, 2025 apply to TDS?

It applies to TDS obligations triggered on or after 1 April 2026. For most non-salary transactions, the earlier of credit or payment determines the applicable law.

Are TDS return due dates changed under the new Act?

For the principal quarterly forms described above, the current due-date structure continues as:

Q1 – 31 July
Q2 – 31 October
Q3 – 31 January
Q4 – 31 May

Can an old TDS return be corrected after 1 April 2026?

Yes. A return relating to a period governed by the Income-tax Act, 1961 continues to be corrected under the old form and framework even if the correction is filed after the new Act comes into force.