August 31, 2026, is the deadline for filing an income tax return (ITR) for taxpayers with business income who aren’t required to undergo a tax audit. If you have a business income and need a tax audit, the ITR filing deadline is October 31, 2026. , while the tax audit itself is due by September 30, 2026.
So, if you are a non-tax audit taxpayer eligible to file ITR-3 (business income) or ITR-4 (presumptive taxation) for AY 2026–27, make sure to file your return by August 31, 2026 to dodge any late-filing penalties and keep your tax-regime options intact.
Some important aspects to know about ITR-3 filing
ITR-3 is typically for individuals and Hindu Undivided Families (HUFs) earning income from business or profession who don’t qualify for filing ITR-1, ITR-2 or ITR-4.
Chartered Accountant Abhishek Soni, co-founder, Tax2Win, says that ITR-3 may apply to taxpayers such as freelancers, consultants, doctors, lawyers, traders, professionals and proprietors, depending on their income sources and other eligibility conditions.
Soni shares some notable changes in ITR-3 for AY 2026–27:
- Section 44BBD: New reporting requirements have been introduced for specified non-residents covered by the presumptive taxation provisions.
- Share buyback: A new provision has been introduced for reporting losses arising from share buybacks, where applicable.
- Capital gains reporting: The earlier bifurcation of capital gains based on whether the transfer took place before or after 23 July 2024 has been removed.
- Section 80GGC: Taxpayers claiming deductions for political contributions are required to provide the relevant political party's name and PAN.
- Section 89A: The earlier reporting requirement relating to relief under Section 89A has been removed.
- Section 80G: Additional details such as IFSC and transaction reference number are required in applicable cases.
- Address details: An option to provide a secondary address has been added.
