What ITR-6 Is and Which Companies Must File It

ITR-6 is the income tax return form for companies. For AY 2026-27, it applies to every company other than a company claiming exemption under Section 11, which covers income from property held for charitable or religious purposes. Those companies file ITR-7 instead.

In practice, ITR-6 covers almost every company a director is likely to run:

• Private limited companies, from two-person startups to large family businesses.
• Public limited companies, whether listed or unlisted.
• One person companies (OPCs). Although an OPC has a single member, it is a company in law, so it files ITR-6 rather than an individual return.
• Foreign companies earning income taxable in India, including those operating through a branch or project office.
• Section 8 companies that do not claim exemption under Section 11.

Importantly, unlike individuals, a company does not choose its return form based on the type of income it earns. The legal form decides the return. As a result, ITR-6 filing is a fixed annual obligation from the year of incorporation onward.

Does a dormant or loss-making company still file?

Yes. Section 139(1) requires every company to file a return of its income or loss for each year, regardless of whether it earned anything. A company with no revenue, a company in its first year, or a company that made a heavy loss must still complete ITR-6 filing on time. In fact, a loss-making company has the strongest reason to file early, as you will see in the section on due dates.

Foreign companies and Indian branches

A foreign company with income taxable in India, for example through a branch, a project office or a permanent establishment, also uses ITR-6. For AY 2026-27, a foreign company is taxed at a base rate of 35%, with surcharge of 2% where income exceeds ₹1 crore and 5% where it exceeds ₹10 crore, plus cess. Because such companies almost always deal with their head office or group entities, ITR-6 filing for them usually runs on the transfer pricing calendar, with the return due by 30 November 2026. Where a non-resident company has no director available in India, the return can be verified by a person holding a valid power of attorney.

How ITR-6 fits with the rest of the annual cycle

For a company, the return is the last major step in a chain. The statutory audit comes first, then the tax audit where it applies, then board and shareholder approvals, and finally the return. If your company crossed the tax audit limits, our guide to tax audit for companies explains the Form 3CA and Form 3CD stage that feeds directly into ITR-6.

ITR-6 Filing Due Dates for AY 2026-27

AY 2026-27 relates to income earned in FY 2025-26, that is, 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026. Although the Income-tax Act, 2025 came into force on 1 April 2026, this return is still governed by the Income-tax Act, 1961, because the income belongs to a year that closed before the new law began. The ITR-6 forms for AY 2026-27 were notified on 30 March 2026, and the Income Tax Department released the ITR-6 Excel utility on the e-filing portal in August 2026.

Why 31 October applies even without a tax audit

Many directors assume that a small company below the tax audit limit gets the earlier July or August deadline that applies to non-audit businesses. It does not. The Income-tax Act places every company in the 31 October category, because every company’s accounts are audited under the Companies Act. Consequently, a company with ₹60 lakh turnover and no tax audit still has 31 October 2026 as its ITR-6 filing deadline.

The loss carry-forward trap

This is the single most expensive date-related rule for companies. Under Section 80, a business loss or capital loss can be carried forward only if the return for the loss year is filed by the due date under Section 139(1). A belated return filed on 1 November 2026 still counts as a valid return, but the company permanently loses the right to carry forward that year’s business loss.

There is one exception worth knowing. Unabsorbed depreciation is not a “loss” under these rules, so it can still be carried forward from a belated return. However, for a startup or a company in a downturn, the business loss is usually the larger number, so a late filing can wipe out years of future tax shields.

Belated and revised returns

If the company misses the due date, it can still file a belated return under Section 139(4) by 31 December 2026, with a late fee of ₹5,000 under Section 234F and interest under Section 234A on any unpaid tax. Similarly, if the company discovers an error after filing on time, it can file a revised return under Section 139(5) by the same date, provided the assessment has not already been completed. After 31 December 2026, the remaining route is the updated return, explained in our guide to ITR-U and the 48-month window.

Choosing Your Tax Regime Before ITR-6 Filing: Normal, 115BAA or MAT

For most directors, the most consequential decision in ITR-6 filing is the tax regime. It changes the rate, the surcharge, the deductions available and whether MAT applies. Therefore, the regime question deserves a real computation every year rather than a default.

In every case, a 4% health and education cess applies on tax plus surcharge. Marginal relief also applies where income only slightly exceeds ₹1 crore or ₹10 crore, so that the extra surcharge never exceeds the extra income.

A worked example: when 115BAA wins and when it does not

Consider a manufacturing company with FY 2025-26 taxable income of ₹2.40 crore under the normal regime. Its turnover in FY 2023-24 was below ₹400 crore, so its normal base rate is 25%.

• Normal regime: tax of ₹60.00 lakh, surcharge at 7% of ₹4.20 lakh and cess of ₹2.57 lakh give a total of ₹66.77 lakh.
• Section 115BAA: on the same income, tax of ₹52.80 lakh, surcharge at 10% of ₹5.28 lakh and cess of ₹2.32 lakh give ₹60.40 lakh.

At first glance, 115BAA saves about ₹6.4 lakh. However, the concessional regime removes most deductions and incentives, including additional depreciation. Suppose the company had claimed ₹30 lakh of additional depreciation under the normal regime. Under 115BAA, its taxable income becomes ₹2.70 crore, and its tax rises to ₹67.95 lakh, which is more than the normal regime. In this example, the break-even point is about ₹25 lakh of lost deductions.

MAT and MAT credit

Under the normal regime, Minimum Alternate Tax under Section 115JB applies when the company’s normal tax is less than 15% of its book profit. In that case, the company pays 15% of book profit, plus surcharge and cess, and a chartered accountant certifies the book profit computation in Form 29B. In the example above, a book profit of ₹2.60 crore gives MAT of about ₹43.40 lakh, which is lower than the normal tax of ₹66.77 lakh, so MAT does not bite.

MAT usually matters for companies with large tax incentives, such as an eligible startup claiming the Section 80-IAC deduction. The excess of MAT over normal tax becomes MAT credit, which can be carried forward for up to 15 assessment years and set off when normal tax exceeds MAT. However, a company that opts for Section 115BAA can no longer use any MAT credit it has built up. For that reason, companies with a large MAT credit balance often delay switching until the credit is used.

Form 10-IC: the option has its own deadline

To opt for Section 115BAA, the company must file Form 10-IC on or before the due date of the return for the first year it wants the concessional rate. Once exercised, the option applies for all later years and cannot be withdrawn. Accordingly, if your company intends to move to 115BAA for FY 2025-26, Form 10-IC must be filed by 31 October 2026, or 30 November 2026 for transfer pricing companies. A late Form 10-IC generally means the company stays on the normal regime for that year.

Section 115BAB for new manufacturers

Section 115BAB offered a 15% base rate to domestic companies set up on or after 1 October 2019 that began manufacturing by 31 March 2024. Since that start-of-production window has closed, no new company can now enter the scheme. However, companies that qualified and exercised the option through Form 10-ID continue to use it, and their ITR-6 filing must show the regime correctly. Income that is not derived from the eligible manufacturing business is taxed at 22% rather than 15%, so these companies should separate manufacturing income from other income, such as interest on surplus funds, in their computation.

Section 80M and the dividend timing rule

If your company receives dividends from other companies and also pays dividends to its own shareholders, Section 80M can remove double taxation. The deduction is limited to the dividends the company distributes at least one month before the due date of the return. For a company with a 31 October due date, that means distributing by 30 September 2026. Directors planning an interim or final dividend should keep this date in mind.

Inside ITR-6: The Parts and Schedules Directors Should Understand

ITR-6 is one of the longest forms on the e-filing portal. Nevertheless, its structure is logical once you see it as three layers: company data, income schedules and the tax computation.

Part A: who the company is and what its accounts say

Part A-GEN captures the company’s identity, the regime it follows, audit details and other general information. Then come the financial statements. Companies following Ind AS use the Ind AS versions of the balance sheet and profit and loss schedules, while others use the standard versions. Part A-OI collects other information, such as the method of accounting and disallowances, and Part A-QD holds quantitative details for trading and manufacturing companies.

Every figure here must match your audited financial statements. Where a tax audit applies, the figures should also agree with Form 3CD. The processing systems compare these sources, and differences often lead to adjustments or queries.

Shareholding and asset schedules for unlisted companies

For ITR-6 filing by unlisted companies, two extra schedules apply. They complete Schedule SH-1, which lists shareholders and their holdings, and Schedule AL-1, which reports the company’s assets and liabilities at year end in specified categories. Start-ups recognised by DPIIT use the parallel schedules SH-2 and AL-2 instead. These schedules often take longer than directors expect, because they need data from the share register and the fixed asset register that finance teams do not always keep in a return-ready format.

Income and deduction schedules

The heart of the return is the income computation. Schedule BP converts accounting profit into taxable business income by adding back disallowances, such as unpaid MSME dues under Section 43B(h) or expenses on which TDS was not deducted, and deducting tax allowances. The depreciation schedules apply income-tax rates to each block of assets. Other schedules cover capital gains, other sources, set-off of current and past losses, unabsorbed depreciation, Chapter VI-A deductions and donations under Section 80G.

Two company-specific schedules deserve attention. Schedule MAT computes book profit under Section 115JB, and Schedule MATC tracks MAT credit brought forward, used and carried forward. In addition, Schedule GST asks for turnover reported under GST, which the department can compare with revenue in your accounts.

Part B: the tax computation

Part B-TI totals the income, and Part B-TTI computes tax, surcharge, cess and interest under Sections 234A, 234B and 234C. The return then subtracts advance tax, self-assessment tax, TDS and TCS to arrive at a refund or a balance payable. For AY 2026-27, the revised ITR-6 also asks for more granular disclosures in several areas, so allow extra time if you are using the form for the first time this year.

Documents and Data to Collect Before ITR-6 Filing

ITR-6 filing goes smoothly when the data is ready before anyone opens the utility. Use the following checklist with your finance team or accountant.

• Audited financial statements with notes, the statutory auditor’s report, and the board-approved directors’ report.
• Tax audit report in Form 3CA and Form 3CD, where applicable, plus the acknowledgement of the company’s acceptance on the portal.
• Form 29B for MAT and Form 3CEB for transfer pricing, where applicable.
• Form 26AS and the Annual Information Statement, downloaded close to the filing date, to reconcile TDS and TCS credits.
• Challans for advance tax and any self-assessment tax paid.
• Fixed asset register with income-tax depreciation blocks, additions, and the dates assets were put to use.
• Share register and cap table for Schedule SH-1 or SH-2, including any transfers during the year.
• Loss and MAT credit history from earlier returns, so that brought-forward amounts carry correctly.
• Form 10-IC acknowledgement if the company has opted for Section 115BAA in an earlier year or intends to this year.
• GST returns summary for the year, to support Schedule GST.
• Active Class 3 DSC of the managing director, or another director, registered on the e-filing portal against the company’s login.

Who signs the return, and why it matters

Under Section 140, the return of a company is verified by its managing director. Where there is no managing director, or where the managing director is unable to verify it for an unavoidable reason, any director can sign. Special rules apply to companies under liquidation and to non-resident companies. In practice, this means the signing director is personally attesting that the return is correct and complete. Therefore, the signing director should see the computation summary, the regime decision and the loss and MAT credit position before applying the DSC, rather than signing a file prepared entirely by others.

How ITR-6 Filing Works: A Step-by-Step Process

Although a chartered accountant or in-house team usually prepares the return, directors sign it and remain responsible for it. The process below shows what happens and where the board’s input matters.

1. Confirm the due date and regime. Check whether the company has transfer pricing reporting, which moves the due date to 30 November 2026, and decide on the normal regime or Section 115BAA after a side-by-side computation.
2. Finalise the audits and reports. Make sure the statutory audit, tax audit, Form 29B and Form 3CEB, as applicable, are complete and accepted on the portal.
3. Reconcile tax credits. Match TDS, TCS, advance tax and self-assessment tax with Form 26AS and AIS, and follow up with deductors on any missing credits.
4. Prepare the return in the utility. Use the ITR-6 Excel utility or approved software, fill Part A from the audited accounts, complete the schedules, and let the utility compute tax and interest.
5. Pay any balance tax. Deposit self-assessment tax under Section 140A, with interest, before filing, and enter the challan details in the return.
6. Validate and review. Generate the JSON, fix all validation errors, and have a director or CFO review the computation summary, especially the regime, losses carried forward and MAT.
7. Upload and sign with DSC. Log in with the company’s PAN, upload the return, and verify it with the registered DSC of the managing director or another authorised director. Download the acknowledgement for your records.

The following walkthrough shows how a company return is prepared and filed in tax software. Portal screens and utilities change each year, so treat it as an orientation rather than a click-by-click manual.

Advance Tax, Self-Assessment Tax and Interest in ITR-6 Filing

Before ITR-6 filing, check how much tax has already been paid. Most companies pay the bulk of their tax as advance tax during the year, in four instalments: 15% by 15 June, 45% by 15 September, 75% by 15 December and 100% by 15 March. The balance, if any, is paid as self-assessment tax before ITR-6 filing.

When instalments fall short, the return computes interest automatically:

• Section 234C charges interest for deferring an instalment, at 1% per month for the relevant periods.
• Section 234B charges 1% per month from April where advance tax paid is less than 90% of the assessed tax.
• Section 234A charges 1% per month on unpaid tax if the return is filed after the due date.

For example, if a company’s final tax is ₹66.77 lakh but it paid only ₹50 lakh as advance tax, it faces interest under Section 234B on the shortfall from April until the date it pays, in addition to any Section 234C interest for late instalments. To estimate instalment shortfalls and interest before you pay, try the free advance tax interest calculator for Sections 234B and 234C.

Three Companies, Three ITR-6 Filing Outcomes

The following examples use illustrative figures to show how the rules affect real decisions.

Case 1: Shreeram Agro Foods Pvt Ltd tests 115BAA properly

Shreeram Agro Foods processes spices in Indore and has taxable income of ₹2.40 crore for FY 2025-26. A consultant suggested moving to Section 115BAA to save “about three percentage points.” Before filing Form 10-IC, the finance head recomputed income under both regimes.

The company had bought new plant during the year and claimed ₹30 lakh of additional depreciation under the normal regime. Under 115BAA, that deduction disappears, and the tax comes to ₹67.95 lakh against ₹66.77 lakh under the normal regime. The company therefore stayed on the normal regime for this year and plans to revisit the choice when its capital expenditure slows.

Case 2: Kiranmaya Tech Pvt Ltd discovers MAT

Kiranmaya Tech is a DPIIT-recognised startup eligible for the Section 80-IAC deduction. For FY 2025-26, the deduction reduces its taxable income to nil, and the founders expected a zero-tax return. However, its book profit was ₹90 lakh.

Because the company remains on the normal regime, MAT applies at 15% of book profit: ₹13.50 lakh plus cess of ₹0.54 lakh, or ₹14.04 lakh. The company paid this as self-assessment tax with interest, obtained Form 29B, and recorded the full amount as MAT credit, which it can set off in later years once the 80-IAC period ends. It also completed Schedules SH-2 and AL-2 as a recognised startup.

Case 3: Vetrivel Castings Pvt Ltd files eight days late

Vetrivel Castings had a difficult year, with a business loss of ₹48 lakh and unabsorbed depreciation of ₹22 lakh. Its accountant left in October, and the return was filed on 8 November 2026.

The late filing cost the company a ₹5,000 fee under Section 234F. Far more seriously, the ₹48 lakh business loss cannot be carried forward, because the return was not filed by the due date. The ₹22 lakh of unabsorbed depreciation still carries forward. At a 25% base rate, the lost loss represents future tax of roughly ₹12 lakh plus surcharge and cess. The board has since added the return deadline to its standing compliance calendar.

8 Costly Mistakes in ITR-6 Filing

In ITR-6 filing, the same errors appear every season. Most are avoidable with a little planning.

1. Missing 31 October. A late return costs a fee and, for loss-making companies, the right to carry forward business losses.
2. Choosing a regime by habit. The best regime can change as capital expenditure, incentives and MAT credit balances change. Recompute every year before filing.
3. Filing Form 10-IC late. The 115BAA option has to be exercised by the return due date. Filing the ITR on time but Form 10-IC late does not work.
4. Ignoring MAT. Companies claiming incentives often forget that book profit sets a floor on tax under the normal regime.
5. Unreconciled TDS credits. Claiming credit that does not appear in Form 26AS leads to a reduced refund or a demand.
6. Figures that differ from the audit report. Revenue, expenses and disallowances in ITR-6 should agree with the audited accounts and Form 3CD.
7. Paying dividends too late for Section 80M. Only dividends distributed one month before the due date count toward the deduction.
8. An expired or unregistered DSC. Without a valid, registered DSC, the return simply cannot be submitted.

After ITR-6 Filing: Processing, Notices and Revisions

ITR-6 filing does not end the process. Instead, it starts a sequence of checks, and directors should know what to expect.

Processing and intimation under Section 143(1)

The Centralised Processing Centre processes the return and sends an intimation under Section 143(1). It compares the return with Form 26AS, AIS, the tax audit report and other data, and it can make limited adjustments, such as arithmetical errors or disallowances reported in the tax audit. Returns can be processed within nine months from the end of the financial year in which they are filed. Read the intimation carefully, because any demand shown in it becomes payable unless you respond.

Refunds

Where the company has paid more tax than it owes, for instance because TDS on its receipts exceeded its final liability, the refund is issued after processing. The refund goes only to a bank account that has been pre-validated on the e-filing portal in the company’s name, so check this before ITR-6 filing. Interest on the refund is generally paid under Section 244A. A clean return, with credits that match Form 26AS and figures that match the audit report, is usually processed faster than one that triggers adjustments.

Defective return notices

If the return is incomplete, for instance because a required audit report was not furnished, the department can issue a notice under Section 139(9) treating it as defective. The company usually gets 15 days to fix the defect. If it does not respond, the return can be treated as never filed, which brings back the late-filing consequences.

Correcting mistakes

For errors the company discovers itself, a revised return is available until 31 December 2026. After that, the updated return route allows additional income to be reported within 48 months from the end of the assessment year, with additional tax. Meanwhile, for processing mistakes by the department, such as a missing TDS credit that appears in Form 26AS, a rectification request under Section 154 is usually the faster fix.

What Changes for ITR-6 Filing From Tax Year 2026-27

The Income-tax Act, 2025 applies to income earned from 1 April 2026. As a result, the return your company files in 2027 for Tax Year 2026-27 will be the first under the new law. The concept of “assessment year” gives way to “tax year”, and the return is furnished under Section 263(1) of the new Act rather than Section 139(1).

For companies, three practical points already stand out. First, the tax audit report moves to Form No. 26 under Section 63, with Part C replacing Form 3CA for companies, and the department intends to use Form 26 data to pre-fill and cross-check the return. Second, the timing logic stays the same: the tax audit report remains due one month before the return, so companies should still plan for 30 September and 31 October. Third, section references throughout the return will change, so finance teams should update their working papers and tax computation templates during the current year.

Key Takeaways

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion: Make ITR-6 Filing a Board Decision, Not a Formality

ITR-6 filing looks like a compliance form, but it carries real decisions: the tax regime, the MAT position, the dividend timing and the protection of losses for future years. Each of these can move the company’s tax bill by lakhs, and several of them cannot be undone once the due date has passed.

The companies that handle ITR-6 filing well treat it as a board item. They finish audits in September, compute both regimes in early October, check the director’s DSC and file comfortably before 31 October 2026. If you follow the same rhythm, the return becomes a confirmation of decisions already made rather than a last-minute scramble.

For the broader picture, explore our complete Income Tax Guide and the latest articles in our Income Tax topic hub. Before paying your final tax, estimate interest with the free Advance Tax Calculator.

For official references, see the Income Tax Department’s page on returns and forms for domestic companies for AY 2026-27, the domestic company tax rates page, and the department’s official penalties page.