March 2026 Compliance Calendar: Key Income Tax, TDS and Advance Tax Due Dates You Can’t Afford to Miss

As we have just stepped into a new month of March. Every taxpayer, tax professional, and business in India needs to be aware of the updated key compliance due dates of this month. These dates relate to advance tax payment, challan-cum-statement, income tax, TDS, etc. Taxpayers are advised not to miss these due dates, as missing them can result in penalties and legal action. Here is a list of all key compliance dates falling in March 2026:

March 02, 2026:

1. Due date for filing of challan-cum-statement in respect of tax deducted under section 194M in January 2026

• Note: Section 194M applies when individuals/HUFs (not liable to tax audit) make payments exceeding Rs. 50 lakh in a year to contractors or professionals.

March 15, 2026:

1. Due date for making the fourth instalment of advance tax for the assessment year 2026-27 (financial year 2027-28).

• Note: If your total tax liability exceeds the limit of Rs. 10,000 in a financial year (after TDS/TCS), then you becomes liable to pay advance tax in instalments.

2. Due date for payment of complete amount of advance tax in respect of assessment year 2026-27 for assessee covered under Section 44AD (business presumptive scheme) / Section 44AD (business presumptive scheme). By this date, individuals are required to pay the full (100%) amount of their advance tax by March 15, 2026, in a single instalment.

3. The Office of the Government where TDS/TCS for February 2026 has been paid without the production of a Challan, must file Section 44AD (business presumptive scheme).

March 17, 2026:

If tax has been deducted in the month of January, 2026, under the following sections, then the TDS Certificate must be issued by March 17, 2026:

• Section 194IA: TDS on purchase of immovable property
• Section 194IB: TDS on rent by individuals/HUF
• Section 194M: TDS by individuals/HUF on contractor/professional payments
• Section 194S: TDS on transfer of virtual digital assets (crypto etc.)

March 30, 2026:

If tax has been deducted under the following sections in the month of February, 2026, then you are required to furnish a challan-cum-statement by March 30, 2026:

• Section 194IA
• Section 194IB
• Section 194M
• Section 194S

March 31, 2026:

1. Country-By-Country Report in Form No. 3CEAD for the previous year 2024-25 by a parent entity or the alternate reporting entity, resident in India, in respect of the international group of which it is a constituent of such group.

2. Country-By-Country Report in Form No. 3CEAD for a reporting accounting year (assuming reporting accounting year is April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025) by a constituent entity, resident in India, in respect of the international group of which it is a constituent if the parent entity is not obliged to file report under section 286(2) or the parent entity is resident of a country with which India does not have an agreement for exchange of the report, etc.

3. Uploading of statement [Form 67] of foreign income offered to tax and tax deducted or paid on such income in the previous year 2024-25, to claim foreign tax credit [if return of income has been furnished within the time specified under section 139(1) or section 139(4)].

4. Due date to file an updated income tax return (ITR) for the Assessment Year 2021-22. If you made some mistakes while furnishing your initial return, you still have a chance to correct those mistakes by paying additional tax.