NEW FORM FOR TAX AUDIT in INCOME TAX RULES 2026 & INCOME TAX ACT 2025
Under the new Income-tax Act, 2025 and Income Tax Rules, 2026, the tax audit report will be filed using the newly introduced Form No. 26, which is governed by Section 63 of the new Act.
Here are the key points and features regarding the new tax audit form:
- Single Unified Form: Form 26 completely merges the three erstwhile audit forms (Form 3CA, Form 3CB, and Form 3CD) into a single, smart, unified form with structured and standardized reporting.
- Aligned with ITR Framework: The audit clauses and disclosures have been heavily rationalized and aligned with the Income Tax Return (ITR) framework to ensure total consistency between what is reported in the audit and the return of income.
- Consolidated Disallowance Reporting: The old method of detailed, item-wise reporting for disallowable expenditures has been eliminated and streamlined into a single consolidated disclosure.
- Transparent Separate Schedules: The form introduces a new format using separate schedules for better transparency, including specific schedules for Losses, Depreciation and Deductions, Prior Period, Computation of receipt/income, and Computation of expenses.
- Mandatory Auditor Verification: The form mandates the disclosure of the auditor’s membership number, firm registration number, and Unique Document Identification Number (UDIN).
- Special Income Fields: It features dedicated fields specifically for reporting capital receipts and deemed incomes that are not routed through the entity’s Profit & Loss Accounts.
- Applicability and Deadlines: The new Form 26 applies starting from Tax Year 2026-27, and the due date for filing this new tax audit report will be 30th September 2027. (Note: For the preceding FY 2025-26 / AY 2026-27, taxpayers must still use the old Forms 3CA/3CB/3CD by September 30, 2026).