A compliance calendar is essential to keep track of all of one’s company’s important return filings such as Income Tax, GST, etc. and their due dates. This helps one with keeping ahead of their compliance due dates and avoid any penalties for late filing or incomplete or misinformation. Understanding your employment contract is crucial for every employee. It helps you know your rights, responsibilities, and benefits in detail, ensuring there are no surprises later. For a comprehensive guide on why and how you should read your employment contract, refer to Employment Contract – Why and How Should You Read It? This article lists the essential compliance calendar for 2021. More details to be updated in the upcoming months.
The Apprenticeship Act 1961 provides numerous benefits for businesses, including developing skilled labor and reducing recruitment costs. Understanding these benefits can help businesses make the most of apprenticeship programs. For more details, see Apprenticeship Act 1961 – Benefits for Businesses.
Table of Contents
Compliance Calendar – January 2021
| Due Date | Description | Section/Form |
| 07.01.2021 | Payment of wages | Code on Wages Act |
| 07.01.2021 | Payment of TDS/TCS deducted /collected in December 2020. | Challan No. ITNS-281 |
| 10.01.2021 | GSTR 7 is a return to be filed by the persons who is required to deduct TDS (Tax deducted at source) under GST | GSTR 7 |
| 10.01.2021 | GSTR-8 is a return to be filed by the e-commerce operators who are required to deduct TCS (Tax collected at source) under GST. | GSTR 8 |
| 10.01.2021 | Filing ITR for AY 2020-2021 for non-audit cases. (extended due date) | Form- 1 to 7 |
| 10.01.2021 | Self assessment tax for small and middle class taxpayers for tax liability up to 1 lakh | Form- 1 to 7 |
| 11.01.2021 | Taxpayers having an aggregate turnover of more than Rs. 1.50 Crores or opted to file Monthly Return | GSTR 1 |
| 13.01.2021 | For the quarter October to December 2020 | GSTR 1 |
| 13.01.2021 | Input Service Distributors | GSTR 6 |
| 15.01.2021 | Tax Audit Report and report in respect of international/specified domestic transaction for the FY 2019-20 (extended due date) | Tax Audit Report |
| 15.01.2021 | Quarterly TCS Return under Income Tax | TCS Return |
| 15.01.2021 | E-payment of Provident Fund | Electronic Challan cum Return (ECR) (PF) |
| 15.01.2021 | ESI payment | ESI Challan |
| 18.01.2021 | Taxpayers who have opted for composition scheme | CMP-08 |
| 20.01.2021 | Non-Resident Taxpayers and ODIAR services provider | GSTR 5 & 5A |
| 20.01.2021 | The due date for GSTR-3B having an Annual Turnover of more than 5 Crores | GSTR 3B |
| 22.01.2021 | Taxpayer having turnover upto ₹5 crores in previous financial year (monthly return) in the state of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Goa, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Daman & Diu, and Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Puducherry, Andaman, and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep | GSTR 3B |
| 24.01.2021 | Taxpayer having turnover upto ₹5 crores in previous financial year (monthly return) in the state of Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Meghalaya, Assam, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Chandigarh, Delhi | GSTR 3B |
| 30.01.2021 | Deposit of TDS on payment made for purchase of property in November. | Form 26QB |
| 31.01.2021 (Due date Extended to 15.02.2021 | ITR filling for AY 2020-2021 for audit cases. (extended due date) | Form- 1 to 7 |
| 31.01.2021 | Payment of Tax under Vivad se Vishwas act, 2020 (extended due date) |
Compliance Calendar – February 2021
| Due Date | Description | Section/Form |
| 07.02.2021 | Payment of wages | Code on Wages Act |
| 07.02.2021 | Due date for deposit of Tax deducted/collected for the month of January, 2021. However, all the sum deducted/collected by an office of the government shall be paid to the credit of the Central Government on the same day where tax is paid without production of an Income-tax Challan | TDS/TCS |
| 10.02.2021 | The due date for filing GSTR 7 for the period January 2020 is 10th February. | GSTR-7 |
| 10.02.2021 | The due date for furnishing GSTR 8 for the period January 2021 for registered e-commerce taxpayers in India who are liable to pay TCS should be deducted on or before deducted on or before 10th February. | GSTR 8 |
| 11.02.2021 | The last date to file GSTR-1 form is February 11, 2021, for the taxpayers having an annual aggregate turnover above INR 1.5 crore or the ones who have opted for the monthly return filing. | GSTR 1 |
| 13.02.2021 | Every Input Service Distributor (ISD) must file GSTR-6 on or before the given due date of 13th February. | GSTR 6 |
| 14.02.2021 | “Due date for issue of TDS Certificate for tax deducted under section 194-IA, section 194-IB and section 194-M in the month of December, 2020 | Section 194-IA, 194-IB & 194-M |
| 15.02.2021 | Due date for filing of return of income for the assessment year 2020-21 if the assessee is : (a) corporate-assessee (b) non-corporate assessee (whose books of account are required to be audited) (c) partner of a firm whose accounts are required to be audited (d) required to submit a report under section 92E pertaining to international or specified domestic transaction(s) Note: The due date for submission of return of income for the Assessment Year 2020-21 has been further extended to February 15, 2021 vide Press Release, dated 30-12-2020. | Assessment Year 2020-21 |
| 15.02.2021 | Due date for furnishing of Form 24G by an office of the Government where TDS/TCS for the month of January, 2021 has been paid without the production of a challan | Form 24G |
| 15.02.2021 | Quarterly TDS certificate (in respect of tax deducted for payments other than salary) for the quarter ending December 31, 2020. | Quarterly TDS certificate |
| 15.02.2021 | E-payment of Provident Fund | Electronic Challan cum Return (ECR) (PF) |
| 15.02.2021 | ESI payment | ESI Challan |
| 20.02.2021 | All the non-resident persons must file the GSTR-5 alongside the payment of GST on or before the given due date of 20th February, for the month of January 2021. | GSTR 5 |
| 20.02.2020 | All the non-resident ODIAR services providers should file their monthly return GSTR-5A on or before the given due date of 20th February, 2020, for the month of January 2021. | GSTR 5A |
| 20.02.2021 | Annual Turnover of more than INR 5cr in Previous FY – January 2021 | GSTR 3B |
| 22.02.2021 | Annual Turnover of upto INR 5cr in Previous FY – January 2021 (Group A: Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Goa, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Puducherry, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep) | GSTR 3B |
| 24.02.2021 | Annual Turnover of upto INR 5 Cr in Previous FY – January 2021 (Group B: Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Meghalaya, Assam, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Chandigarh, Delhi) | GSTR 3B |
| 28.02.2021 | GSTR 9 is an annual return form for the regular taxpayer. The return filing for the FY 2019-20 should be submitted within the given date of February 28th, 2021. | GSTR 9 |
| 28.02.2021 | GSTR 9C is an annual audit return form for the reconciliation statement. The return filing for the FY 2019-20 should be submitted within the given date of February 28th, 2021. | GSTR 9C |
Compliance Calendar – March 2021
| Due Date | Description | Section/Form |
| 07.03.2021 | Payment of wages | Code on Wages Act |
| 07.03.2021 | TDS Payment for Feb | TDS |
| 11.03.2021 | GSTR 1 (Monthly) for Feb | GST |
| 15.03.2021 | E-payment of Provident Fund | Electronic Challan cum Return (ECR) (PF) |
| 15.03.2021 | ESI payment | ESI Challan |
| 15.03.2021 | Last date of depositing the fourth instalment of advance tax (if liable to pay any) for FY 2020-21. It is also the due date for making payment of advance tax by those individuals who are covered under the presumptive taxation scheme under sections 44AD and 44ADA. | Advance tax |
| 20.03.2021 | GSTR 3B for Feb (>5Cr) | GST |
| 22.03.2021 | GSTR 3B for Feb (< 5Cr; Southern India *) | GST |
| 24.03.2021 | GSTR 3B for Feb (< 5Cr; Northern India *) | GST |
| 31.03.2021 | Last date of filing belated or revised return for FY 2019-20. Remember, once this deadline is missed then you will not be able to file ITR for FY2019-20, nor you be able to file revised ITR for FY 2019-20. You will be liable to pay late filing fee of Rs 10,000 for filing belated ITR. | Income tax |
| 31.03.2021 | Last date of linking PAN with Aadhaar. Non-linking of PAN with Aadhaar will lead to PAN becoming inoperative. | PAN card/ Aadhaar |
| 31.03.2021 | Extended last date of filing quarterly statement of TDS/TCS deposited for Q1 and Q2 for FY 2020-21. | TDS/TCS |
| 31.03.2021 | Last date of making payment under Vivad Se Vishwas Scheme without any additional levy. | vivad Se Vishwas |
Compliance Calendar – April 2021
| Due Date | Description | Section/Form |
| 07.04.2021 | Payment of wages | Code on Wages Act |
| 07.04.2021 | Payment of TDS/TCS deducted /collected in March. | TDS |
| 15.04.2021 | E-payment of Provident Fund | Electronic Challan cum Return (ECR) (PF) |
| 15.04.2021 | ESI payment | ESI Challan |
| 30.04.2021 | All MSMEs should file a half-yearly return with the registrar for outstanding payments to Micro or Small Enterprises. | Form MSME (outstanding payments to MSME’s) |
Compliance Calendar – May 2021
| Due Date | Description | Section/Form |
| 07.05.2021 | Payment of wages | Code on Wages Act |
| 07.05.2021 | Payment of TDS/TCS deducted /collected in April. | TDS |
| 15.05.2021 | Quarterly filing of statement of TCS deposited for quarter ending March 31, 2021 | TCS |
| 15.05.2021 | E-payment of Provident Fund | Electronic Challan cum Return (ECR) (PF) |
| 15.05.2021 | ESI payment | ESI Challan |
| 30.05.2021 | An annual statement for submitting details of the business of the LLP and its partners. All registered LLPs should file the form within 60 days from close of the end of the financial year. | Form 11 (Annual returns of an LLP) |
| 31.05.2021 | Last date of filing quarterly statement of TDS deposited for the quarter ending March 31, 2020. It is also the due date for furnishing statement of financial transactions under section 285BA by financial institutions for FY 2020-21. | TDS |
Compliance Calendar – June 2021
| Due Date | Description | Section/Form |
| 07.06.2021 | Payment of wages | Code on Wages Act |
| 07.06.2021 | Payment of TDS/TCS deducted /collected in May. | TDS |
| 15.06.2021 | Due date of depositing the first installment of advance tax for FY 2021-22. | Advance tax |
| 15.06.2021 | Salaried and other taxpayers can start collecting TDS certificate, i.e., Form 16, Form 16A etc. Form 16 contains details of the total tax deducted, total salary income, allowances etc. paid by your employer to you for FY 2020-21. If your bank has deducted tax on your interest income, then it is required to issue Form 16A for FY 2020-21. | TDS |
| 15.06.2021 | E-payment of Provident Fund | Electronic Challan cum Return (ECR) (PF) |
| 15.06.2021 | ESI payment | ESI Challan |
Compliance Calendar – July 2021
| Due Date | Description | Section/Form |
| 07.07.2021 | Payment of wages | Code on Wages Act |
| 07.07.2021 | Payment of TDS/TCS deducted /collected in June. | TDS |
| 15.07.2021 | Last date to file quarterly statement of TCS deposited for the quarter ending June 30, 2021. | TCS |
| 15.07.2021 | E-payment of Provident Fund | Electronic Challan cum Return (ECR) (PF) |
| 15.07.2021 | ESI payment | ESI Challan |
| 30.07.2021 | Last date to issue TCS certificate for the quarter ending June 30, 2021. | TCS |
| 31.07.2021 | Last date to file income tax return for those taxpayers whose accounts are not required to be audited, usually salaried taxpayers, senior citizens etc. for FY 2020-21. If the ITR is filed after this date, then an individual will have to pay a penalty of up to Rs 10,000. Do keep in mind that even with the penalty there is a time limit for filing of belated ITR. This is also the deadline for filing quarterly statement for TDS deposited for the quarter ending June 30, 2021. | Income tax |
Compliance Calendar – August 2021
| Due Date | Description | Section/Form |
| 07.08.2021 | Payment of wages | Code on Wages Act |
| 07.08.2021 | Payment of TDS/TCS deducted /collected in July. | TDS |
| 15.08.2021 | Last date for issuing quarterly TDS certificate for the tax deducted from payments other than salary (such as interest income etc.) for the quarter ending June 30, 2021. | TDS |
| 15.08.2021 | E-payment of Provident Fund | Electronic Challan cum Return (ECR) (PF) |
| 15.08.2021 | ESI payment | ESI Challan |
Compliance Calendar – September 2021
| Due Date | Description | Section/Form |
| 07.09.2021 | Payment of wages | Code on Wages Act |
| 07.09.2021 | Payment of TDS/TCS deducted /collected in August. | TDS |
| 15.09.2021 | E-payment of Provident Fund | Electronic Challan cum Return (ECR) (PF) |
| 15.09.2021 | ESI payment | ESI Challan |
| 15.09.2021 | Last date to deposit the second installment of advance tax for FY 2021-22. | Advance tax |
| 30.09.2021 | Last date for submitting audit report for FY 2020-21 for those taxpayers who have not undertaken international or specified domestic transactions. | Income tax |
| 30.09.2021 | Director KYC submission for DIN holders as on 31 March 2021. Every person who has a DIN allotted and the status of the DIN is ‘Approved’. | DIR-3 KYC |
Compliance Calendar – October 2021
| Due Date | Description | Section/Form |
| 07.10.2021 | Payment of wages | Code on Wages Act |
| 07.10.2021 | Payment of TDS/TCS deducted /collected in September. | TDS |
| 14.10.2021 | To be filed in less than 15 days from the conclusion of AGM. Every company should intimate the ROC about the appointment of an auditor. | Form ADT-1 (Appointment of auditor) |
| 15.10.2021 | E-payment of Provident Fund | Electronic Challan cum Return (ECR) (PF) |
| 15.10.2021 | ESI payment | ESI Challan |
| 15.10.2021 | Last date for filing quarterly statement of TCS deposited for the quarter ending September 30, 2021. | TCS |
| 30.10.2021 | Last date of issuing quarterly TCS certificate for the quarter ending September 30, 2021. | TCS |
| 30.10.2021 | Last date of filing quarterly statement of TDS deposited for the quarter ending September 30, 2021. | TDS |
| 30.10.2021 | Last date of filing ITR for FY 2020-21 for assessees (not having an international or specified domestic transaction) whose accounts are required to be audited. | Income tax |
| 30.10.2021 | The form should be filed annually with the ROC. It is also known as the statement of accounts and solvency. Every LLP should submit the data of its profit or loss and balance sheet. | Form 8 (Financial Reports of an LLP) |
| 30.10.2021 | To be filed 30 days from the conclusion of AGM. Specified companies should file the financial statements with the ROC. | Form AOC-4 (Filing of annual accounts) |
| 31.10.2021 | Last date for submitting audit report for FY 2020-21 for assessees having international or specified domestic transaction. | Income tax |
| 31.10.2021 | All MSMEs should file a half-yearly return with the registrar for outstanding payments to Micro or Small Enterprises. | Form MSME (outstanding payments to MSME’s) |
Compliance Calendar – November 2021
| Due Date | Description | Section/Form |
| 07.11.2021 | Payment of wages | Code on Wages Act |
| 07.11.2021 | Payment of TDS/TCS deducted /collected in October. | TDS |
| 15.11.2021 | E-payment of Provident Fund | Electronic Challan cum Return (ECR) (PF) |
| 15.11.2021 | ESI payment | ESI Challan |
| 15.11.2021 | Deadline to issue quarterly TDS certificate for the tax deducted on payments other than salaries for quarter ending September 30, 2021. | TDS |
| 29.11.2021 | To be filed within 60 days from the conclusion of AGM. Every company should file an annual return, furnishing details about the company. | MGT-7 (Filing of annual returns) |
| 30.11.2021 | Deadline to file ITR for FY 2020-21 by those taxpayers whose accounts are audited and have international or specified domestic transactions. | Income tax |
Compliance Calendar – December 2021
| Due Date | Description | Section/Form |
| 07.12.2021 | Payment of wages | Code on Wages Act |
| 07.12.2021 | Payment of TDS/TCS deducted /collected in November. | TDS |
| 15.12.2021 | E-payment of Provident Fund | Electronic Challan cum Return (ECR) (PF) |
| 15.12.2021 | ESI payment | ESI Challan |
| 15.12.2021 | Last date to deposit the third installment of your advance tax (if liable) for FY 2021-22. | Advance tax |
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is a compliance calendar?
A compliance calendar is a tool that helps businesses track important deadlines for regulatory obligations such as tax filings, payments, and audits. It centralizes these dates, ensuring that businesses meet their compliance requirements timely and avoid penalties.
Why is a compliance calendar important for businesses?
A compliance calendar is crucial as it helps prevent missed deadlines, which can lead to fines, legal penalties, and reputational damage. It also improves efficiency by keeping all compliance tasks organized and ensuring accountability within the team.
What should be included in a compliance calendar?
A compliance calendar should include all key dates related to filings, tax payments, renewals, and audits. This could involve deadlines for income tax, GST, ESI payments, and other regulatory submissions specific to your industry.
How do I create a compliance calendar?
To create a compliance calendar, start by identifying all relevant compliance requirements and their deadlines. Use a calendar or software to record these dates, assign responsibilities, and set reminders to ensure all tasks are completed on time.
Can a compliance calendar be automated?
Yes, a compliance calendar can be automated using specialized software that tracks deadlines, sends reminders, and allows for easy updates. This ensures that you never miss important compliance tasks and can focus on other critical business activities.
What happens if compliance deadlines are missed?
Missing compliance deadlines can result in significant consequences such as fines, interest charges, legal penalties, and even loss of business licenses. It also damages the company’s reputation, making a compliance calendar essential to avoid these risks.
