TDS compliance has two entirely separate deadlines that people frequently conflate: depositing the tax you've deducted, and filing the quarterly return summarizing those deductions. Missing either one carries its own, separate financial consequence.
TDS Deposit Deadline
Tax deducted in any month from April to February must be deposited by the 7th of the following month. For deductions made in March, the deadline extends to April 30, giving businesses extra time to close out the financial year's TDS obligations. TDS on property purchase (Form 26QB) follows a different rule entirely: it must be filed within 30 days from the end of the month in which the deduction happened.
Quarterly Return Filing Deadlines
- Q1 (April to June): July 31
- Q2 (July to September): October 31
- Q3 (October to December): January 31
- Q4 (January to March): May 31
These deadlines apply to Form 24Q (salary) and 26Q (non-salary domestic payments). Form 27Q (non-resident payments) and 27EQ (TCS) follow the same quarterly schedule.
What Late Deposit Actually Costs You
Interest at 1.5% per month, or part of a month, is charged from the date of deduction to the date you actually deposit it, not from the due date. This means even depositing a single day into the next month can trigger a full month's interest charge under how the calculation is applied. On top of interest, a separate ₹200-per-day penalty under Section 234E applies for late filing of the return itself, capped at the TDS amount for that period.
A Different Rule for Government Deductors
Government deductors who pay TDS without using a challan must deposit it on the same day as the deduction, a materially tighter deadline than the standard 7th-of-the-next-month rule. Those paying via challan follow the same schedule as everyone else.
How to Use Our Free Calendar Tool
Enter the financial year and the tool lays out every deposit and filing deadline for that year in one place, deposit dates monthly, return filing dates quarterly, and the Form 26QB property TDS deadline separately. Bookmark it and check it monthly rather than trying to remember every date manually.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the TDS deposit deadline for March deductions?
April 30, an extended deadline compared to the standard 7th-of-the-next-month rule that applies to April through February deductions.
What is the due date for TDS on property purchase?
Form 26QB must be filed within 30 days from the end of the month in which the deduction happened. For example, a property purchase TDS deducted on March 15 must be filed by April 30.
Is the interest for late TDS deposit calculated from the due date or the deduction date?
From the date of deduction, not the due date, at 1.5% per month or part thereof. This is a stricter calculation than most people assume, even a short delay can trigger a full month's interest.
Check every TDS deadline for the year with the TDS Due Date Calendar.
