Form No. 138 (earlier 24Q) is due 31 July (Q1), 31 October (Q2), 31 January (Q3) and 31 May after the year (Q4). Filing late costs a fee of ₹200 for every day of delay under section 427 (earlier 234E), capped at the TDS amount and payable before filing. Under section 461 (earlier 271H) the Assessing Officer may levy a penalty of ₹10,000 to ₹1,00,000 for not filing or for incorrect information, but none for delay if the tax, fee and interest are paid and the statement is filed within one month of the due date.
Due dates for tax year 2026-27
| Quarter | Period | Due date |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | April to June 2026 | 31 July 2026 |
| Q2 | July to September 2026 | 31 October 2026 |
| Q3 | October to December 2026 | 31 January 2027 |
| Q4 | January to March 2027 | 31 May 2027 |
Worked example: late fee
A shop deducted ₹18,000 of salary TDS in Q2 2026-27 and files Form No. 138 on 30 November 2026, 30 days after the 31 October due date.
| Item | Working | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Late fee, section 427 | 30 days × ₹200 | ₹6,000 |
| Cap | Not more than TDS of ₹18,000 | ₹6,000 payable |
| Penalty, section 461 | Filed within one month of due date, with tax and fee paid | Nil |
Had it been filed in April 2027, the fee would have reached the ₹18,000 cap, and a penalty of ₹10,000 to ₹1,00,000 could follow.
Filing well
- Match every challan (BSR code, date, serial) to the deductee rows before upload.
- Use correct PANs; a wrong PAN means the employee loses credit.
- Corrections can be filed within two years from the end of the tax year in which the statement was due.
- Interest for late payment of TDS (section 398(3)) must be paid before filing.
FundRaksha HR produces quarter-wise salary and TDS data with PANs, so your TDS filer has what Form No. 138 needs. See TDS deposit due dates.
Sources
Last reviewed: 2026-10-21. Information for Indian businesses; not legal advice.