If you miss the due date for filing your Income Tax Return, Section 234F of the Income Tax Act imposes a late filing fee — separate from any interest you may owe under Section 234A for the delay itself. This fee applies regardless of whether you owe any additional tax, as long as you were required to file a return.
The late fee structure is straightforward: if your total income exceeds the basic exemption limit but is up to ₹5 lakh, the fee is capped at ₹1,000. If your total income exceeds ₹5 lakh, the fee is ₹5,000. If your total income is below the basic exemption limit, no late fee applies even if you file after the due date, though this depends on whether filing was otherwise mandatory for you (for instance, due to specific transactions requiring mandatory filing).
This calculator estimates your applicable late fee based on your total income — but remember that filing late can also mean losing the ability to carry forward certain losses and delayed refunds, so it's always best to file on time even when the fee itself seems small.
If you were required to file a return (based on income or other mandatory-filing triggers) and file it late, the Section 234F fee generally applies regardless of whether tax is payable, unless your income is below the basic exemption limit.
Yes, a belated return can be revised, similar to a return filed on time, as long as it is done within the applicable revision deadline.
You may lose the ability to carry forward certain business or capital losses to future years, and any refund due to you will also be delayed.
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