Form 24Q / Form 138: Quarterly Salary TDS Return Cover
Summarise a quarter's salary TDS: employees, salaries paid, tax deducted and deposited, and any interest or late fee.
Law version: FY 2025-26 (Income-tax Act, 1961); Tax Year 2026-27 onwards (Income-tax Act, 2025). Checked on 26 Sep 2026.
What it is
Employers file a quarterly statement of TDS on salaries: Form 24Q under Section 200 of the Income-tax Act, 1961 for FY 2025-26, and Form 138 under Section 397(3)(b) of the Income-tax Act, 2025 from Tax Year 2026-27. The last quarter's statement includes salary details for the whole year for each employee. The cover letter summarises the totals for internal approval or for the person filing the statement.
When it is used
- Quarterly TDS compliance for salaries.
- Handing over payroll data to a TDS filing agent.
- Correcting a statement already filed.
What the template covers
- Deductor name, TAN, PAN and address
- Quarter and year
- Number of employees
- Total salaries paid
- TDS deducted and deposited
- Interest or late fee paid and responsible person
Details you will need
The generator asks for the following. Fields marked with an asterisk in the form are required; the rest can be left blank and filled in later in Word.
Letter
Letter Date
Deductor
Deductor (Employer) Name; TAN; PAN; Address
Filing
Quarter; Financial Year / Tax Year
Summary
Number of Employees; Total Salaries Paid (₹); Total TDS Deducted (₹); Total TDS Deposited (₹); Interest / Late Fee Paid (₹)
Signatory
Responsible Person; Designation
Stamp duty, registration and filing
Late filing attracts a late fee for each day of default and, in some cases, penalty. TDS deducted must be deposited by the due date, failing which interest applies. The statement must be filed before the TDS certificates (Form 16 or Form 130) can be generated. Check the current due dates in the TDS guide or on incometax.gov.in.
Quarterly salary TDS statements for FY 2025-26 are in Form 24Q. From Tax Year 2026-27 they are in Form 138 under Section 397(3)(b) of the Income-tax Act, 2025.
Generate the Form 24Q / Form 138 — Quarterly TDS Return Cover
Fill in the form and download the draft as a Word file. It is a general template, not legal or professional advice; have it reviewed for your facts before you sign or rely on it.
Need this checked against your facts, or the registration or filing that follows (e.g. TDS returns, ITR)? Contact SKAG and Associates
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Frequently asked questions
What replaces Form 24Q from April 2026?
Form 138 under Section 397(3)(b) of the Income-tax Act, 2025.
Is Form 24Q filed if no TDS was deducted in a quarter?
Where salaries were paid but no tax was deductible, many employers still file to report the salary; check the current requirement.
Can a filed TDS statement be corrected?
Yes, by filing a correction statement through TRACES.
This page gives general information for reference only. Laws, stamp duty rates and filing requirements change and differ between States, so confirm the current position for your case. Related: all document templates · free tax calculators · compliance calendar and guides.