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Indian SME Compliance Calendar 2026: GST, TDS, ROC & More

May 26, 2026

Indian SME Compliance Calendar 2026: GST, TDS, ROC & More

Q: What is Section 43B(h) of the Income Tax Act in simple terms?

Section 43B(h) says any payment owed to a registered Micro or Small enterprise must be made within 15 days (no written agreement) or 45 days (written agreement) of acceptance of goods/services. Miss the window, and the expense is disallowed in that FY - you only get the deduction in the year you actually pay. Effective for FY 2023-24 onwards.

Q: When is GSTR-3B due in 2026 for an SME?

If your turnover is above ₹5 crore or you've opted for monthly filing, GSTR-3B is due on the 20th of the following month. Under the QRMP scheme available to taxpayers up to ₹5 crore turnover, GSTR-3B is filed quarterly on the 22nd (Category X states) or 24th (Category Y states) of the month following the quarter.

Q: What is the advance tax due date schedule for FY 2026-27?

15 June 2026 - 15% cumulative. 15 September 2026 - 45% cumulative. 15 December 2026 - 75% cumulative. 15 March 2027 - 100% cumulative. Applies if your estimated tax liability exceeds ₹10,000 in a financial year. Senior citizens (60+) with no business income are exempt.

Q: What happens if I miss the EPF/ESI payment date?

For EPF, you owe damages of 5% to 25% under Section 14B of the EPF Act plus 12% p.a. simple interest under Section 7Q. For ESI, late payment triggers 12% interest. Both are also a criminal offence in repeat cases. Always deposit by the 15th of the following month.

Q: Do I need to file ITR if my SME made losses?

Yes - and you should. Filing a loss return within the original due date (31 July or 31 October 2026 depending on audit applicability) lets you carry forward business losses for 8 years to set off against future profits. Miss the original due date and that carry-forward is permanently lost.

Q: Is e-invoicing mandatory for my SME in 2026?

E-invoicing under GST is mandatory for businesses with aggregate annual turnover above ₹5 crore in any preceding FY since 2017-18. Below that threshold it's optional. Check your historic turnover, not just current year - once you cross, e-invoicing applies permanently.

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Indian SME Compliance Calendar 2026: Every Tax, Bill Payment & Filing Due Date in One Place

📖 14-min read · Updated 26 May 2026 · For Indian SMEs, founders, finance heads & accountants

Missing one return doesn't just cost you a late fee. It can lock your input tax credit, attract 18% interest, block your e-way bills, and - under Section 43B(h) - make the very bills you owe to MSME vendors disallowed as a business expense until you actually pay them. For a profitable SME, that can mean lakhs of extra tax in a single assessment year.

This calendar lists every recurring and one-time compliance deadline an Indian SME has to hit during the 2026 calendar year - GST, TDS/TCS, advance tax, EPF, ESI, MSME bill payments, ROC filings and annual returns - month by month, with the penalty for missing each one.

👉 Download the one-page printable PDF (free, no email required) - pin it next to your CA's desk and forward it to your accountant on WhatsApp.

The Monthly Rhythm Every Indian SME Must Memorise

Before the month-by-month list, internalise the recurring dates that hit every single month. If you only remember these seven days, you'll already avoid 80% of routine penalties.

Day of the Month	What's Due	Who It Applies To
7th	TDS & TCS deposit for the previous month	Every business that deducts/collects tax at source
11th	GSTR-1 (outward supplies)	Monthly GST filers (turnover > ₹5 crore)
13th	GSTR-1 IFF (optional)	QRMP scheme filers (turnover ≤ ₹5 crore)
15th	EPF (Provident Fund) + ESI contribution + ESI return	Every employer covered under EPFO/ESIC
20th	GSTR-3B (summary return + tax payment)	Monthly GST filers
22nd / 24th	GSTR-3B for QRMP filers (state-wise)	QRMP scheme filers - 22nd for Category X states, 24th for Category Y
End of month	Run vendor MSME-payment audit (43B(h))	Every business paying registered MSME vendors

QRMP state categories: Category X (South & West India) - 22nd. Category Y (North, East & Central India) - 24th. Check your state's category on the GST portal.

The Bill Payment Rule That Catches Most SMEs Off-Guard - Section 43B(h)

Section 43B(h) of the Income Tax Act (inserted by Finance Act 2023, fully effective from AY 2024-25 onwards) is the single most important "bill payment" compliance change Indian SMEs have faced in a decade. Yet most founders still don't have a process for it.

The rule, in one sentence: Any payment owed to a registered Micro or Small enterprise (MSE) under the MSMED Act must be made within 15 days (if there is no written agreement) or 45 days (if there is a written agreement). If you miss the window, the expense is disallowed for that financial year and you only get the deduction in the year you actually pay.

The cash impact: An SME with ₹1 crore of unpaid MSE vendor bills at year-end, sitting at a 25% effective tax rate, could see an extra ₹25 lakh of tax added in that AY - until the payment is made. That's working capital frozen, sometimes for an entire year.

Practical action: Run a vendor-by-vendor 43B(h) audit on the 28th of every month. Flag any MSE invoice older than 15/45 days. Pay before month-end or lose the deduction for FY 2025-26 (filing due 31 July / 31 October 2026 depending on audit applicability).

Peko's accounting & payments module tags every vendor with their MSME status from Udyam, ages each bill, and warns you 7 days before the 43B(h) clock runs out - automatically.

👉 Grab the printable PDF version to keep this month's MSE payment window visible at all times.

Month-by-Month Compliance Calendar 2026

Every date below is the statutory due date as notified under the relevant Act. Sources are linked at the end of the article. Where the date falls on a Sunday or public holiday, payment/filing is typically accepted on the next working day - but don't rely on that as a planning buffer.

January 2026 - Closing Q3 of FY 2025-26

7 Jan - TDS / TCS deposit for December 2025.
11 Jan - GSTR-1 for December 2025 (monthly filers).
13 Jan - GSTR-1 quarterly under QRMP (Oct–Dec 2025).
15 Jan - EPF + ESI for December 2025. TCS quarterly return (Form 27EQ) for Q3.
18 Jan - CMP-08 for Composition dealers (Oct–Dec 2025).
20 Jan - GSTR-3B for December 2025 (monthly).
22 / 24 Jan - GSTR-3B for Q3 (QRMP, state-wise).
31 Jan - TDS quarterly return (Form 24Q / 26Q / 27Q) for Q3.

February 2026

7 Feb - TDS/TCS deposit for January 2026.
11 Feb - GSTR-1 for January.
15 Feb - EPF + ESI for January. TDS certificate Form 16A for Q3 issued.
20 Feb - GSTR-3B for January.
Throughout the month - Union Budget 2026-27 is delivered on 1 February. Review any changes to thresholds, slab rates, MSME definitions, GST notifications.

March 2026 - Financial Year Close

7 Mar - TDS/TCS for February.
11 Mar - GSTR-1 for February.
15 Mar - Final advance tax instalment - 100% cumulative. EPF + ESI for February.
20 Mar - GSTR-3B for February.
31 Mar - Last day of FY 2025-26. LUT renewal for exporters (Form RFD-11) for FY 2026-27. Close books, run physical stock verification, settle MSE vendor bills to avoid 43B(h) disallowance, file belated/revised ITR for AY 2024-25.

April 2026 - New Financial Year Begins

7 Apr - TCS deposit for March.
11 Apr - GSTR-1 for March.
13 Apr - GSTR-1 quarterly under QRMP (Jan–Mar).
15 Apr - EPF + ESI for March.
18 Apr - CMP-08 for Q4 (Jan–Mar) Composition dealers.
20 Apr - GSTR-3B for March (monthly).
22 / 24 Apr - GSTR-3B for Q4 (QRMP, state-wise).
30 Apr - TDS deposit for March (special extended date). MSME Form-1 (H2: Oct'25–Mar'26): companies with dues outstanding to MSEs for >45 days. GSTR-4 annual return for Composition dealers (FY 2025-26).

May 2026 - Q4 Returns & Annual Statements

7 May - TDS/TCS for April.
11 May - GSTR-1 for April.
15 May - EPF + ESI for April. TCS quarterly return (27EQ) for Q4.
20 May - GSTR-3B for April.
30 May - Form 11 (LLP Annual Return) for FY 2025-26.
31 May - TDS quarterly return Q4 (24Q / 26Q / 27Q) for FY 2025-26. Form 61A (Statement of Financial Transactions) for FY 2025-26.

June 2026 - Form 16 Hits & DPT-3 Falls Due

7 Jun - TDS/TCS for May.
11 Jun - GSTR-1 for May.
15 Jun - First advance tax instalment - 15% cumulative. Form 16 issued to all employees (TDS certificate Q4 Form 24Q). EPF + ESI for May. TDS certificate Form 16A for Q4 issued.
20 Jun - GSTR-3B for May.
30 Jun - DPT-3 annual return of deposits / outstanding loans for companies. GSTR-4 final extended window (if extended via CBIC notification).

July 2026 - The ITR Month for Non-Audit SMEs

7 Jul - TDS/TCS for June.
11 Jul - GSTR-1 for June.
13 Jul - GSTR-1 quarterly under QRMP (Apr–Jun).
15 Jul - EPF + ESI for June. TCS quarterly return (27EQ) for Q1 FY 2026-27.
18 Jul - CMP-08 for Composition dealers (Apr–Jun).
20 Jul - GSTR-3B for June (monthly).
22 / 24 Jul - GSTR-3B for Q1 (QRMP).
31 Jul - ITR filing due date for non-audit assessees filing ITR-1 or ITR-2 (individuals, HUFs, firms not subject to audit) for AY 2026-27. TDS quarterly return Q1 (24Q / 26Q / 27Q).
31 Aug - Extended ITR filing date for non-audit assessees filing ITR-3 or ITR-4 (business income, presumptive scheme), per recent CBDT notifications. Verify the latest notification on incometax.gov.in before filing.

August 2026

7 Aug - TDS/TCS for July.
11 Aug - GSTR-1 for July.
15 Aug - EPF + ESI for July. TDS certificate Form 16A for Q1 issued.
20 Aug - GSTR-3B for July.

September 2026 - Tax Audit & DIR-3 KYC Wall

7 Sep - TDS/TCS for August.
11 Sep - GSTR-1 for August.
15 Sep - Second advance tax instalment - 45% cumulative. EPF + ESI for August.
20 Sep - GSTR-3B for August.
30 Sep - Tax Audit Report (Form 3CA/3CB-3CD) for assessees subject to audit. DIR-3 KYC for every director with an active DIN (₹5,000 fine if missed). AGM cut-off for most companies.

October 2026 - Audit ITR & Half-Yearly MSME Reporting

7 Oct - TDS/TCS for September.
11 Oct - GSTR-1 for September.
13 Oct - GSTR-1 quarterly under QRMP (Jul–Sep).
15 Oct - EPF + ESI for September. TCS quarterly return for Q2.
18 Oct - CMP-08 for Composition dealers (Jul–Sep).
20 Oct - GSTR-3B for September (monthly).
22 / 24 Oct - GSTR-3B for Q2 (QRMP).
29-30 Oct - AOC-4 (financial statements) within 30 days of AGM.
31 Oct - ITR filing for audit assessees (companies, partners of audit firms) for AY 2026-27. MSME Form-1 (H1: Apr–Sep 2026). TDS quarterly return Q2.

November 2026 - Transfer Pricing & MGT-7

7 Nov - TDS/TCS for October.
11 Nov - GSTR-1 for October.
15 Nov - EPF + ESI for October. TDS certificate Form 16A for Q2 issued.
20 Nov - GSTR-3B for October.
28-29 Nov - MGT-7 / MGT-7A annual return filed with ROC, within 60 days of AGM.
30 Nov - ITR filing for assessees with international / specified domestic transactions (transfer pricing - Form 3CEB applicable).

December 2026 - Annual GST Return & Year-End Cash Push

7 Dec - TDS/TCS for November.
11 Dec - GSTR-1 for November.
15 Dec - Third advance tax instalment - 75% cumulative. EPF + ESI for November.
20 Dec - GSTR-3B for November.
31 Dec - GSTR-9 (annual return) for FY 2025-26 - mandatory if aggregate turnover exceeded ₹2 crore. GSTR-9C (reconciliation statement) - mandatory if turnover exceeded ₹5 crore. Final window to file belated/revised ITR for AY 2026-27 under Section 139(4)/(5).

The Real Cost of Missing a Deadline - A Penalty Snapshot

Filing / Payment	Late Fee	Interest
GSTR-1 (turnover > ₹1.5 cr)	₹50/day (₹20/day for NIL), capped	-
GSTR-3B	₹50/day (₹20/day for NIL), capped at ₹5,000	18% p.a. on tax outstanding
TDS deposit (late)	-	1.5% per month under Section 201(1A)
TDS return (late filing)	₹200/day under Section 234E (capped at TDS amount)	-
EPF (late deposit)	5% – 25% damages under Section 14B	12% p.a. simple interest under Section 7Q
ITR (late)	₹5,000 under Section 234F (₹1,000 if income < ₹5L)	1% per month on tax payable
ROC filings (AOC-4, MGT-7)	₹100/day per form, no cap	-
DIR-3 KYC (late)	₹5,000 flat (DIN deactivated until paid)	-
Section 43B(h) MSE bill	-	Disallowance of entire expense until paid - direct hit to taxable profit

Most SMEs don't lose money to one big penalty. They lose it to a slow drip of late fees, blocked ITC, and disallowed expenses across the year. A ₹50/day late fee feels small until you realise 12 monthly filings × ₹500 average × 6 entities = ₹36,000 of pure penalty leakage in a year.

How Peko Helps Indian SMEs Stay Compliant Without a CA on Speed-Dial

Peko India is built for the founder who'd rather close one more customer than chase one more deadline. The same all-in-one platform that handles your company registration (Peko Start from ₹2,999 + govt fees) also handles the operating rhythm afterwards:

Auto-tagged MSME vendors from Udyam - 43B(h) ageing dashboard built in.
GST-ready invoicing with HSN/SAC, IRN generation for e-invoicing, and direct GSTR-1 sync.
Payroll auto-deductions for EPF, ESI, TDS - challans generated, deposits scheduled before the 7th and 15th.
One-click bill payments via BBPS (see our guide to BBPS for Indian businesses) - vendor payments cleared and audit-trailed in the same window.
Sector-specific workflows for e-commerce sellers (TCS-194O, GSTR-8 reconciliation) and GeM vendors (PFMS, invoice approval, GST reverse charge).

Compare plans on the Peko India pricing page - most SMEs start on the SME tier and graduate as they scale.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Section 43B(h) of the Income Tax Act in simple terms?

Section 43B(h) says any payment owed to a registered Micro or Small enterprise must be made within 15 days (no written agreement) or 45 days (written agreement) of acceptance of goods/services. Miss the window, and the expense is disallowed in that FY, you only get the deduction in the year you actually pay. Effective for FY 2023-24 onwards.

When is GSTR-3B due in 2026 for an SME?

If your turnover is above ₹5 crore or you've opted for monthly filing, GSTR-3B is due on the 20th of the following month. Under the QRMP (Quarterly Return, Monthly Payment) scheme available to taxpayers up to ₹5 crore turnover, GSTR-3B is filed quarterly on the 22nd (Category X states) or 24th (Category Y states) of the month following the quarter.

What is the advance tax due date schedule for FY 2026-27?

15 June 2026: 15% cumulative. 15 September 2026: 45% cumulative. 15 December 2026: 75% cumulative. 15 March 2027: 100% cumulative. Applies if your estimated tax liability exceeds ₹10,000 in a financial year. Senior citizens (60+) with no business income are exempt.

What happens if I miss the EPF/ESI payment date?

For EPF, you owe damages of 5% to 25% under Section 14B of the EPF Act plus 12% p.a. simple interest under Section 7Q. For ESI, late payment triggers 12% interest. Both are also a criminal offence in repeat cases. Always deposit by the 15th of the following month.

Do I need to file ITR if my SME made losses?

Yes, and you should. Filing a loss return within the original due date (31 July or 31 October 2026 depending on audit applicability) lets you carry forward business losses for 8 years to set off against future profits. Miss the original due date and that carry-forward is permanently lost.

Is e-invoicing mandatory for my SME in 2026?

E-invoicing under GST is mandatory for businesses with aggregate annual turnover above ₹5 crore in any preceding FY since 2017-18. Below that threshold it's optional. Check your historic turnover, not just current year, once you cross, e-invoicing applies permanently.

Where can I download the printable PDF version of this calendar?

👉 Download the 2026 Compliance Calendar (PDF), one page, printable, no email required. Designed to pin above your accountant's desk.

Sources & Official References

Income Tax Department, Government of India - TDS/TCS, advance tax, ITR due dates.
Goods and Services Tax Network (GSTN) - GSTR-1, GSTR-3B, GSTR-9/9C, CMP-08 deadlines.
Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) - DPT-3, DIR-3 KYC, AOC-4, MGT-7, MSME-1.
EPFO (Employees' Provident Fund Organisation) - PF contribution & return due dates.
ESIC (Employees' State Insurance Corporation) - ESI contribution due dates.
Ministry of MSME - Section 43B(h), MSMED Act payment timelines.
Section 43B(h), Income Tax Act 1961 (inserted by Finance Act 2023). Section 234E, Section 234F, Section 201(1A) of the Income Tax Act.

This calendar is an editorial reference for Indian SMEs and not a substitute for advice from a qualified Chartered Accountant or Company Secretary. Verify every date against the relevant government portal before relying on it for filing. Peko is not liable for any penalty arising from a missed deadline - but our platform will do its best to make sure you never miss one in the first place.

👉 Download the 2026 SME Compliance Calendar PDF - free, printable, pinned-on-the-wall ready.