# ITR Late Fee & Interest Calculator

> Filing your income tax return after the due date costs a late fee of ₹5,000 under Section 234F — ₹1,000 if total income doesn't exceed ₹5 lakh — plus simple interest of 1% for every month or part of a month under Section 234A on tax still unpaid. For FY 2025-26, the non-audit due date was 31 July 2026 and belated returns can be filed until 31 December 2026; after that, only an updated return (ITR-U) with additional tax is possible.

Interactive calculator: https://www.industax.com/calculators/itr-late-fee

- **Late fee (234F):** ₹5,000 / ₹1,000
- **Interest (234A):** 1% per month
- **Belated return deadline:** 31 December 2026

## Costs of filing late

| Consequence | Detail |
| --- | --- |
| Late fee (234F) | ₹5,000; ₹1,000 if total income ≤ ₹5 lakh |
| Interest (234A) | 1% per month or part on unpaid tax from the day after the due date |
| Losses | Business and capital losses of the year can't be carried forward |
| Regime | The old regime can be chosen only in a return filed by the due date — belated returns use the new regime |
| Refund | Delayed; no interest on refund for the period of delay attributable to you |

## After 31 December: updated return (ITR-U)

An updated return can be filed within 48 months from the end of the assessment year, but only to declare additional income, with additional tax of 25%, 50%, 60% or 70% of the tax and interest depending on how late it is filed. It can't be used to claim a refund or report a loss.

## Worked example: salaried taxpayer filing in October

1. Total income ₹9,00,000; tax unpaid after TDS ₹25,000.
2. Due date 31 July 2026; filed 15 October 2026 — August, September and part of October = 3 months.
3. Late fee = ₹5,000. Interest = 1% × ₹25,000 × 3 = ₹750.

**Result:** Extra cost ≈ ₹5,750, plus any 234B/234C interest for short advance tax.

## FAQs

### Is the late fee payable if no tax is due?

The fee applies when a return required to be filed is filed late. If your income is below the basic exemption limit and you weren't required to file, no fee applies.

### Was the ITR due date for AY 2026-27 extended?

The non-audit due date of 31 July 2026 wasn't extended. The tax audit report and audit-case ITR dates were extended to 21 October and 21 November 2026 by CBDT Circular 07/2026.

### Can the late fee be waived?

No general waiver exists; the fee is statutory and must be paid before the belated return is filed.

## Official sources

- Income Tax e-Filing portal: https://www.incometax.gov.in/

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Canonical page: https://www.industax.com/calculators/itr-late-fee
Publisher: Indus Tax — CA-led tax and compliance firm (https://www.industax.com). Contact: info@industax.com, 9059139258.
This is general information, not advice for your specific facts.