What filing your income tax return late actually costs — the ₹1,000 or ₹5,000 fee under section 234F, interest under 234A/B/C, the losses you forfeit, and the deadlines for belated and updated returns.
The late filing fee under section 234F is ₹5,000, reduced to ₹1,000 where total income does not exceed ₹5 lakh. Interest under section 234A runs at 1% per month on unpaid tax. There is no government fee for filing on time — only the professional fee you choose to pay.
| Charge | Rate | Applies when |
|---|---|---|
| Section 234F fee | ₹5,000 (₹1,000 if income ≤ ₹5 lakh) | Return filed after the due date |
| Section 234A interest | 1% per month on unpaid tax | Tax outstanding after due date |
| Section 234B interest | 1% per month | Advance tax paid is under 90% of liability |
| Section 234C interest | 1% per month | Advance tax instalments missed |
Section 234F applies even if your entire tax has already been deducted at source and you owe nothing. The fee is triggered by the date of filing, not by the balance due.
Where tax evaded exceeds ₹25,000, prosecution under section 276CC is legally available — rigorous imprisonment from three months to two years, plus fine. Rare in practice, but it is why persistent non-filing is never worth the saving.
| Filing type | Deadline | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Original return (non-audit) | 31 July | No statutory fee |
| Original return (audit cases) | 31 October | No statutory fee |
| Belated return | 31 December of the assessment year | 234F fee + interest |
| Revised return | 31 December of the assessment year | No additional fee |
| Updated return (ITR-U) | Up to 48 months from end of assessment year | 25–70% additional tax |
An updated return is the last resort, and it is priced to discourage you. Additional tax is 25% of the tax and interest if filed within 12 months of the end of the assessment year, 50% within 24 months, and higher slabs beyond that. An ITR-U also cannot be used to claim a refund or increase a loss.
| Return type | Government fee | Taxpex professional fee |
|---|---|---|
| Salary only | ₹0 | From ₹999 |
| Salary + capital gains | ₹0 | From ₹1,999 |
| Business / professional income | ₹0 | From ₹2,999 |
| Audit case | ₹0 | Quoted after review |
Reconcile Form 26AS and the Annual Information Statement before filing. Almost every 143(1) mismatch notice we handle traces back to income visible in AIS that was left out of the return.
No. It is a statutory fee, not a discretionary penalty, and the portal will not accept a belated return without it.
If your total income is below the basic exemption limit and you were not otherwise required to file, no 234F fee applies to a voluntary late return.
Yes, refunds can be claimed in a belated return filed by 31 December. Only ITR-U cannot be used to claim a refund.
Senior contributor at Taxpex Consultancy. Reviewed by a practising Chartered Accountant. Published on 19 September 2026 · Updated on 19 September 2026.
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Yes — we file belated returns and minimize Section 234F late fees.
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