1. Introduction
Company tax e-filing is the mandatory annual submission of a corporate entity's Income Tax Return, filed in Form ITR-6 for every company other than one claiming exemption under Sections 11/12 for charitable or religious purposes (which instead files ITR-7).
ITR-6 applies equally to domestic companies incorporated under the Companies Act, 2013 (or the earlier 1956 Act) and to foreign companies with taxable income in India — whether from a permanent establishment, business connection, property, investments, or other Indian sources — and must be filed regardless of whether the company made a profit or a loss during the year.
For Assessment Year (AY) 2026-27 — covering income earned during Financial Year (FY) 2025-26 — the return is prepared and filed under the Income Tax Act, 1961, even though the Income Tax Act, 2025 comes into force from 1 April 2026; the new Act governs only income earned from that date onwards (Tax Year 2026-27, first due for filing in 2027). Because every company is separately subject to a statutory audit under the Companies Act and, in most cases, a tax audit under the Income Tax Act, ITR-6 is among the most document- and disclosure-intensive of all ITR forms.
2. Salient Features
Mandatory for virtually every company
ITR-6 must be filed by every domestic and foreign company with taxable income or activity in India, whether profit-making or loss-making; only companies claiming exemption under Sections 11/12 (charitable or religious purposes) are excluded, and must file ITR-7 instead.
Mandatory DSC-based e-filing
Unlike some individual ITR forms, ITR-6 must be filed electronically and authenticated using a Digital Signature Certificate of an authorised signatory (typically a director); there is no paper filing or EVC-based alternative available for companies.
Staggered due dates based on audit status
For AY 2026-27, the due date for a company subject to a tax audit under Section 44AB is 31 October 2026; where a transfer pricing report (Form 3CEB) is also required for international or specified domestic transactions, the due date extends to 30 November 2026. Very few companies escape a tax audit given typical turnover levels, so 31 October is the effective standard deadline for most companies.
Statutory audit and tax audit are separate obligations
Every company is subject to a statutory audit under the Companies Act, 2013, regardless of turnover; a tax audit under Section 44AB of the Income Tax Act is triggered separately once business turnover exceeds ₹1 crore (₹10 crore where cash receipts and payments are each 5% or less of the total). Both audits typically apply in practice, and their reports feed into the ITR-6 filing.
Choice of corporate tax regime & Irrevocable Election
A domestic company can be taxed under the normal regime (25% for companies with turnover up to ₹400 crore in the relevant base year, or 30% for larger companies, both plus surcharge and cess), or opt into a concessional regime:
- Section 115BAA: Flat 22% base rate, available to any existing domestic company that forgoes specified exemptions/deductions. Concessional regime election is irrevocable once chosen via Form 10-IC.
- Section 115BAB: Flat 15% base rate, for new domestic manufacturing companies incorporated on or after 1 October 2019 that commenced production by 31 March 2024 (chosen via Form 10-ID).
MAT & Surcharge Rules
Companies opting for Section 115BAA or 115BAB are exempt from Minimum Alternate Tax (MAT) under Section 115JB altogether and pay a flat 10% surcharge regardless of income level. Companies remaining under the normal regime (or Section 115BA) remain subject to MAT at 15% of book profit (plus surcharge and cess), with any MAT credit carried forward up to 15 years, facing a progressive surcharge of 7% (income > ₹1cr) or 12% (income > ₹10cr). A 4% Health and Education Cess applies across all cases.
Compliance Schedules, Timelines, & Penalties
- Advance Tax obligations: Four installments (15% by 15 June, 45% by 15 September, 75% by 15 December, and 100% by 15 March) for tax liabilities of ₹10,000 or more. Shortfalls attract 1% monthly interest under Sections 234B and 234C.
- Extensive schedule structure: Captures business/professional income, capital gains (with a unified rate structure and removal of pre/post-23-July-2024 split reporting for AY 2026-27), house property income, foreign assets/income, buyback-related capital loss provisions, Schedule TP, MAT, and shareholding disclosures.
- Loss carry-forward: Requires timely filing within the applicable due date to preserve the carry-forward benefit for most loss categories and unabsorbed depreciation.
- Belated, Revised, and Updated Options: Belated returns can be filed up to 31 December 2026; revisions are permitted up to 31 March 2027; and an Updated Return (ITR-U) can be filed within 48 months from the end of the assessment year under specific conditions.
- Significant Penalty Exposure: Late filings incur fees under Section 234F and interest under Section 234A. Income concealment risks penalties up to 300% of the tax evaded, alongside potential prosecution.
3. Documents Required
ITR-6 draws on a wider set of statutory, financial, and compliance records than individual returns, reflecting the company's obligations under both the Companies Act and the Income Tax Act.
| Category |
Key Documents & Information Required |
| 3.1 Corporate & Statutory Documents |
• Certificate of Incorporation, PAN, and Corporate Identity Number (CIN).
• Audited financial statements (Balance Sheet, Profit & Loss Account, Cash Flow Statement) and Statutory Auditor's Report.
• Board Resolution authorising the director/signatory.
• Class 3 Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) of the authorised signatory.
• Details of directors, shareholding pattern, and related-party transactions.
|
| 3.2 Tax Audit & Computation Documents |
• Tax Audit Report in Form 3CD with Form 3CA/3CB issued by a practicing CA.
• Computation of total income (reconciling book profit with taxable income, additions/disallowances like Sec 43B, 40(a)(ia), 40A(3)).
• MAT computation under Section 115JB (Form 29B certified by a CA), along with MAT credit logs.
• Form 10-IC or Form 10-ID (for concessional tax regimes).
• Income Tax Act depreciation schedules (block of assets written-down values).
|
| 3.3 Income & Transaction-Specific |
• Capital gains computations, asset sale supportings, and buyback transaction details.
• GST returns (GSTR-1, GSTR-3B, GSTR-9) and TDS/TCS filings for turnover reconciliation.
• Complete FY bank statements for all accounts.
• Form 26AS and Annual Information Statement (AIS) from the e-filing portal.
• Transfer Pricing documentation and Form 3CEB (where international/specified domestic transactions exist).
• Details of foreign assets, foreign income, or overseas branches, plus DTAA relief proof.
• Challans for advance tax and self-assessment tax paid.
|
4. Process
Company tax filing typically runs through a defined internal sequence before the actual online submission, given the multiple audits and disclosures involved.
Step 1: Close Books & Statutory Audit
Finalise annual accounts and complete the Companies Act statutory audit, obtaining the Auditor's Report and audited financial statements.
Step 2: Determine & Complete Tax Audit
Assess turnover against Section 44AB thresholds. Engage a practicing CA to file Form 3CD (with Form 3CA/3CB) electronically by 30 September 2026 for AY 2026-27, ahead of the return deadline.
Step 3: Regime Choice & Data Computation
Finalise your tax regime (Normal vs Sec 115BAA/115BAB via Form 10-IC/10-ID). Prepare the computation of total income, reconcile book profit with taxable income, track disallowances, deductions, and compile Form 29B MAT data if applicable.
Step 4: Reconciliations & Portal Preparation
Cross-verify Form 26AS/AIS data against books for TDS and GST turnover mismatches. Complete transfer pricing Form 3CEB if required before the extended 30 November deadline. Log in to incometax.gov.in, select AY 2026-27, and input structured schedules in ITR-6.
Step 5: Tax Settlement, DSC Submission & Archival
Settle outstanding liability via self-assessment tax. Sign and submit the return mandatorily using the authorized director's Digital Signature Certificate (DSC). Save the final filing acknowledgement, audit reports, and records for future scrutiny protection.
4.1 Ongoing Compliance Through the Year
• Pay advance tax in four quarterly instalments (15 June, 15 September, 15 December, 15 March), calculating MAT alongside regular tax where applicable to avoid interest charges under Sec 234B/234C.
• Continually track and reconcile GST, TDS, and payroll compliance throughout the year, as ITR-6 dynamically cross-references these specific data ecosystem items.
5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Collapsible FAQs (or accordions) let visitors browse questions and click to expand answers, keeping pages uncluttered
Which companies are required to file ITR-6?
+
Every domestic company (incorporated under the Companies Act, 2013 or the earlier 1956 Act) and every foreign company with taxable income in India must file ITR-6, whether profitable or loss-making, except companies claiming exemption under Sections 11/12 for charitable or religious purposes, which file ITR-7 instead.
What is the due date for ITR-6 for AY 2026-27?
+
The due date is 31 October 2026 for companies subject to a tax audit under Section 44AB (which covers most companies in practice), and 30 November 2026 where a transfer pricing report (Form 3CEB) is additionally required for international or specified domestic transactions.
Can ITR-6 be filed without a Digital Signature Certificate?
+
No. ITR-6 must be filed electronically and authenticated using a valid Digital Signature Certificate of an authorised signatory; there is no paper filing or Electronic Verification Code (EVC) alternative available for companies.
What is the difference between Section 115BAA and Section 115BAB?
+
Section 115BAA offers a flat 22% base tax rate (effective rate around 25.17% with surcharge and cess) to any existing domestic company that forgoes specified exemptions and deductions. Section 115BAB offers a lower 15% base rate (effective rate around 17.16%), but only to new domestic manufacturing companies incorporated on or after 1 October 2019 that commenced production by 31 March 2024. Both options are entirely exempt from MAT and, once elected, cannot be withdrawn.
Is MAT applicable to every company?
+
No. Companies that opt for Section 115BAA or 115BAB are wholly exempt from Minimum Alternate Tax under Section 115JB. Companies remaining under the normal tax regime (25%/30%) or Section 115BA remain subject to MAT at 15% of book profit, with any resulting MAT credit carried forward for up to 15 years.
What happens if a company misses the ITR-6 due date?
+
A belated return can still be filed up to 31 December 2026, but the company loses the ability to carry forward most business losses and unabsorbed depreciation for that year, in addition to facing a late filing fee under Section 234F and interest under Sections 234A/234B/234C.
Once a company opts for Section 115BAA, can it later switch back to the normal regime?
+
No. The election under Section 115BAA (or 115BAB) is irrevocable once made through Form 10-IC (or Form 10-ID); the company also permanently forgoes carry-forward of certain past losses and deductions attributable to exemptions given up under the concessional regime.
Is a statutory audit under the Companies Act the same as a tax audit under the Income Tax Act?
+
No, they are separate obligations. Every company must undergo a statutory audit under the Companies Act, 2013 regardless of turnover, while a tax audit under Section 44AB of the Income Tax Act is triggered specifically once turnover crosses the prescribed threshold; in practice, most companies are subject to both, and both reports feed into the ITR-6 filing.
What additional filing is needed for companies with international transactions?
+
Companies with international transactions or specified domestic transactions with associated enterprises must prepare transfer pricing documentation and file Form 3CEB, certified by a Chartered Accountant; this extends the company's ITR-6 due date to 30 November 2026 for AY 2026-27.
Can a loss-making company skip filing ITR-6?
+
No. Every company, whether profit-making or loss-making, must file ITR-6 if it does not qualify for the Section 11/12 exemption; in fact, timely filing is essential for a loss-making company specifically because it is what preserves the right to carry forward the loss for set-off against future profits.
