IT Department Releases ITR-3 Excel Utility for AY 2026-27; Filing Begins with New Disclosure Requirements

The Income Tax Department has enabled ITR-3 filing for AY 2026-27 by releasing the Excel utility with new disclosure requirements for business taxpayers, professionals, and traders.

CBDT Activates ITR-3 Filing for AY 2026-27

Saloni Kumari | Jun 23, 2026 |

IT Department Releases ITR-3 Excel Utility for AY 2026-27; Filing Begins with New Disclosure Requirements

IT Department Releases ITR-3 Excel Utility for AY 2026-27; Filing Begins with New Disclosure Requirements

The Income Tax Department has released the Excel utility for ITR-3 for Assessment Year 2026-27 (Financial Year 2025-26). Taxpayers can now begin filing their Income Tax Returns (ITRs) using the ITR-3 form on the e-filing portal.

The ITR-3 form is specifically designed for individuals and Hindu Undivided Families (HUFs) earning income from a business or professional activities, including both audit and non-audit cases. This income is taxable under the head of “Profits and gains of business or profession”.

The form is usually used by taxpayers who maintain regular books of accounts and do not qualify to file simpler forms like ITR-1, ITR-2 or ITR-4. The form can also be used by individuals engaged in futures and options (F&O) trading, intraday trading, commodity trading and currency trading.

Additionally, Partners earning remuneration, commission, bonus or interest from partnership firms are also eligible to use ITR-3 for return filing. According to tax experts, the taxpayers who fulfil all criteria to file ITR-1, ITR-2 or ITR-4 should not use ITR-3. Taxpayers earning income from sources other than business or profession should not use the ITR-3 form to file their tax returns.

As per the latest updates, the tax department has introduced several changes to the ITR-3 utility for AY 2026-27. Taxpayers are now required to give a separate disclosure for futures and options trades, intraday equity transactions, commodity trades and currency trades.

The revised utility has also made easy certain auditor disclosure requirements. The action is aimed at reducing the burden on the heads of the taxpayers who are required to get their accounts audited. Additionally, the special function of providing secondary contact information, including an alternate address, mobile number and email ID, has now been enabled in the updated utility.

As per the information disclosed by the income tax department, the Excel-based utility and JSON schema were announced on June 18. Subsequently, after a few days, the filing facility was made available on the e-filing portal.

The due date to file ITR-3 for AY 2026-27 is August 31 for the taxpayers who are not required to get their accounts audited. Otherwise, the due date for audit cases is scheduled for October 31.

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