Form 26Q is now Form 140 in 2026: what changed and how old sections map to the new payment codes

Last updated 11 Oct 2026 · India

Last checked: 11 Oct 2026 against Income Tax Department: Form 140 note and Form 140 FAQs.

Short answer. For TDS deducted on payments to residents (other than salary) from 1 April 2026, the quarterly statement is Form 140 under section 397(3)(b) of the Income-tax Act 2025 and Rule 219 of the 2026 Rules — it replaces Form 26Q. The due dates are unchanged: 31 October 2026 for July–September (Income Tax Department note on Form 140; Form 140 FAQs). Each deductee row now carries a new four-digit payment code (for example 1023/1024 for contractors, 1027 for professional fees) instead of old section numbers like 194C or 194J; Form 26Q remains only for FY 2025-26 and earlier, including correction statements.

Why the form changed

The Income-tax Act 2025 renumbered every TDS provision. Almost all resident non-salary TDS now sits in one table under section 393(1), so the old "section" column could no longer identify the payment. The department also removed outdated fields, merged surcharge and cess into the challan figures, and calls every period a "tax year". Each deductee's credit still depends on the statement, so the job is the same; the labels changed.

What stays the same

Quarterly filing: Q1 31 Jul, Q2 31 Oct, Q3 31 Jan, Q4 31 May after the tax year.
Prepared in the Protean Return Preparation Utility (RPU), checked with the File Validation Utility (FVU), uploaded on the e-filing portal or at a TIN facilitation centre.
Certificates follow the statement: Form 131 (was 16A) within 15 days of the due date, so 15 November 2026 for Q2.

Common payment codes (old section → new code)

Payment	Old (1961 Act)	New: section 393(1) table	Code
Insurance commission	194D	Sl. 1(i)	1005
Commission or brokerage (other)	194H	Sl. 1(ii)	1006
Rent: plant, machinery, equipment	194-I(a)	Sl. 2(ii).D(a)	1008
Rent: land, building, furniture	194-I(b)	Sl. 2(ii).D(b)	1009
Interest on securities	193	Sl. 5(i)	1019
Interest other than on securities (non-bank payer)	194A	Sl. 5(iii)	1022
Contractor: individual or HUF	194C	Sl. 6(i).D(a)	1023
Contractor: others	194C	Sl. 6(i).D(b)	1024
Fees for technical services, call centre	194J(a)	Sl. 6(iii).D(a)	1026
Fees for professional services	194J(b)	Sl. 6(iii).D(b)	1027
Director's fees or commission (not salary)	194J(b)	Sl. 6(iii).D(b)	1028

How sure are these codes? We took them from three practitioner and software sources that agree with each other (TaxGuru, TallyHelp, TaxHeal, April–May 2026). We could not open an official department list of the codes, so treat this table as a guide and pick the code from the drop-down in Challan 281 and the RPU, which are the authority. Sources disagree on some codes (for example purchase of goods, e-commerce and payments to partners), so we left those out.

Common mistakes

Using the old RPU. Protean offers RPU version 1.2 for tax year 2026-27 onwards and a separate version 6.0 for FY 2025-26 and earlier. A 26Q file cannot carry 2026-27 data.
Typing 194C or 194J out of habit. Accounting software that still shows old sections needs its 2026 update.
Challan under the wrong Act. TDS on payments from 1 April 2026 needs a 2025-Act challan for tax year 2026-27. If you used the 1961-Act challan, see how to fix it before the Q2 return.
Corrections in the wrong form. A correction for a 2025-26 quarter still goes in 26Q; a correction for 2026-27 goes in Form 140.
Leaving it to Saturday 31 Oct. Late filing costs ₹200 a day; see TDS late filing fee under section 427.

Checklist for the Q2 Form 140

RPU 1.2 downloaded
All Jul–Sep challans are 2025-Act, tax year 2026-27
Each deductee row has PAN, date of payment/credit and the new payment code
Lower/nil deduction certificate numbers (section 395) entered where used
FVU validation passed; statement filed by 31 Oct 2026
Form 131 issued by 15 Nov 2026

For the other three statements (138, 144, 143) and their dates, see TDS return due dates for Q2 2026-27.

Frequently asked questions

What replaced Form 26Q?

Form 140, under section 397(3)(b) of the Income-tax Act 2025 and Rule 219 of the Income-tax Rules 2026, for tax year 2026-27 onwards.

What is the Form 140 due date for Q2 2026-27?

31 October 2026 for July–September 2026.

What is the new code for 194J professional fees?

Code 1027 (section 393(1), Table Sl. No. 6(iii).D(b)), according to practitioner and software sources. Confirm in the Challan 281 and RPU drop-downs.

What is the new code for 194C contractor payments?

1023 if the contractor is an individual or HUF, 1024 for other contractors, according to practitioner and software sources.

Can I still file Form 26Q?

Yes, for FY 2025-26 and earlier periods, including correction statements. Not for tax year 2026-27.

Official sources

Not tax or legal advice. The payment-code table comes from secondary sources; confirm each code in the official utility and with your CA before you file. Last checked 11 Oct 2026.

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