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HR Compliance Calendar 2026 — Free PDF Download

Key statutory due dates for 2026

Missing a statutory deadline invites interest and penalties. The downloadable calendar sets out the recurring monthly and annual due dates every Indian employer needs to track.

Recurring monthly deadlines

  • TDS deposit — by the 7th of the following month.
  • PF contribution & ECR — by the 15th of the following month.
  • ESIC contribution — by the 15th of the following month.
  • Professional Tax — as notified by each state.

Periodic filings

Quarterly TDS returns, ESIC half-yearly returns, PT annual returns and the annual reconciliations — all mapped by month in the calendar.

Frequently asked questions

What are the main monthly payroll deadlines?

TDS by the 7th, PF and ESIC by the 15th of the following month, and Professional Tax per your state.

What happens if a deadline is missed?

Interest and damages apply on late PF/ESIC deposits, and penalties on late TDS and returns.

Can TMS manage the full compliance calendar for us?

Yes — see Statutory Compliance.

The rhythm of an Indian compliance year

Statutory compliance in India is not one deadline. It is a repeating monthly cycle with quarterly and annual events layered on top, and a set of state items that refuse to follow anyone else's calendar. Once you see the shape of it, the year stops being a series of surprises.

Every month

  • Tax deducted at source on salaries is deposited early in the following month
  • Provident fund contributions are filed and deposited through the electronic challan, mid-month
  • Employee state insurance contributions follow a similar mid-month rhythm where the employee is covered
  • Professional tax is deducted and paid on a schedule set by each state, which may be monthly, quarterly or annual

Every quarter

The TDS return on salaries is filed quarterly. It is the filing that reconciles what you deducted against what you deposited, and errors here are what produce mismatched Form 16s at year end.

Once a year

  • Form 16 is issued to every employee from whom tax was deducted
  • Annual returns fall due under several state and central statutes
  • Bonus is paid within eight months of the close of the accounting year
  • Labour welfare fund contributions fall due on the state's own cycle, which is often half-yearly

Why calendars break

Three reasons, in order of how often we see them:

  • A new state. One hire in a new state adds a professional tax registration and its own due dates, and nobody updates the calendar
  • A due date that moves. Extensions and revised dates are announced through the year, and a printed calendar goes stale quietly
  • One person holding it. When the calendar lives in a single person's head or inbox, it leaves when they do

Put the recurring dates in a shared calendar with a reminder several days ahead, not on the due date. The reminder should reach at least two people. That single change prevents most late filings.

What the downloadable calendar gives you

A dated month-by-month view of the recurring filings, room to add the state items that apply to your own establishments, and a reminder structure you can drop into any calendar tool. Verify due dates against the current notifications before you rely on them, because dates do get revised.

Compliance calendar questions

What statutory filings recur every month for an Indian employer?

Deposit of tax deducted at source on salaries, provident fund filing and deposit, employee state insurance contributions where applicable, and professional tax on whatever cycle the relevant state sets.

Why do compliance calendars go stale?

Usually because a hire in a new state adds obligations nobody records, or because a due date is revised part-way through the year and the printed version is never updated.

When is statutory bonus due?

Within eight months of the close of the accounting year.

Do professional tax due dates differ by state?

Yes. Professional tax is a state subject, and both the rates and the filing frequency vary. This is the item distributed teams most often get wrong.

What happens if a filing is missed?

Interest and damages are assessed on the delay itself, regardless of whether the underlying amount was eventually paid. Late is late.

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