FreeComplianceTax audit for companies: applicability and due date
Every company has a statutory audit under the Companies Act. A company whose turnover crosses the income-tax limit also needs a tax audit, where a Chartered Accountant reports on tax-specific matters in a prescribed form.
When it applies
| Situation | Tax audit needed if turnover exceeds |
|---|---|
| Business, general | ₹1 crore |
| Business, with cash receipts and payments each not more than 5% | ₹10 crore |
| Profession | Gross receipts of ₹50 lakh |
Forms and due date
From tax year 2026-27, the tax audit is under Section 63 of the Income-tax Act, 2025, and the report is filed in a single Form 26. Audits for FY 2025-26 still use the old Form 3CA and Form 3CD, even if filed after 1 April 2026.
The report is due one month before the income-tax return due date, typically 30 September (31 October for transfer pricing cases).
Penalty for not getting a tax audit is 0.5% of turnover, up to ₹1.5 lakh.
Frequently asked questions
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Government fees and procedures change; confirm current figures before you file.
- ITR-6: filing a company's income-tax return
Who files ITR-6, due dates, what information it needs, digital signature requirement, and consequences of late filing.
- Appointment of the first auditor of a company
How the first statutory auditor is appointed within 30 days under Section 139(6), who can be appointed, and whether ADT-1 is needed.
- Annual compliance checklist for a private limited company
The yearly filings a private limited company in India must make: AOC-4, MGT-7, ADT-1, DPT-3, MSME-1, ITR, plus DIR-3 KYC every three years.