The Income Tax Department has notified the updated ITR-6[1] utility for AY 2025–26, applicable to companies that are not claiming exemption under Section 11 cannot be file by companies those who are eligible to file Form ITR-7 and. Whether you’re a startup, an established company, or a foreign company with income in India, ITR-6 is mandatory and comes with detailed disclosure and audit requirements.

This comprehensive guide explains everything — from eligibility, tax rates, MAT, audit requirements to new reporting mandates introduced in July 2024.

Who Should File ITR-6?

Applicable To:

Companies registered under the Companies Act, 2013, including:
- Private Limited Companies
- One Person Companies (OPC)
- Public Limited Companies
- Foreign Companies earning income in India
- Section 8 Companies (if not claiming Section 11 exemption)
Companies engaged in:
- Business and professional services
- Real estate, trading, consultancy
- Investment and dividend income
- Startups recognised by DPIIT

Not Applicable To:

Companies claiming exemption under Section 11:
- Charitable trusts
- Religious institutions
- NGOs registered under Section 12AB
- Political parties and educational institutions with tax-exempt status (They must file ITR-7)

Documents Required for Filing ITR-6

Before preparing the return, keep the following documents and information ready:

Audited Balance Sheet and Profit & Loss Account
Tax Audit Report (Form 3CA-3CD), and Transfer Pricing Report (Form 3CEB, if applicable)
Board Resolution authorising the signatory
Details of:
- Shareholding pattern (including foreign shareholders)
- Fixed asset schedule and depreciation
- Related party transactions (Sec 40A(2))
- MSME dues under Section 43B(h)
- Loans, advances, and unsecured borrowings
TDS certificates and Form 26AS
Reconciliation with AIS and TIS

Tax Regimes & Rates for Companies (AY 2025–26)

Regime	Eligibility	Base Tax Rate
Normal	Turnover > ₹400 Cr (FY 2022–23)	30%
Normal	Turnover ≤ ₹400 Cr	25%
115BAA	Any domestic company (no exemptions allowed)	22%
115BAB	New domestic manufacturing co. (before Mar 31, 2024)	15%

Add: – Surcharge: 7% if income > ₹1 Cr, 12% if > ₹10 Cr – Health & Education Cess: 4% on tax + surcharge

MAT (Minimum Alternate Tax) under Section 115JB

If a company’s tax liability under regular provisions is less than 15% of book profits, MAT provisions apply:

MAT rate: 15% of book profit
Applicable to all companies except those opting for 115BAA/115BAB
MAT Credit allowed to be carried forward for 15 years

Disclose under Schedule MAT & MATC

ITR-6 Structure (As Per 2025 Utility)

Part A:

General Information (business nature, PAN, incorporation date)
Balance Sheet (Schedule BS)
Profit & Loss (Schedule P&L)
Other Information (Schedule OI)
Quantitative Details (Schedule QD)

Part B:

Computation of Total Income (TI)
Tax Computation (TTI)

Schedules:

Schedule BP – Business/Profession income
Schedule CG – Capital Gains
Schedule OS – Other Sources
Schedule DPM, DOA – Depreciation
Schedule 80G, 80-IA, 115BAB, 10AA, etc.
Schedule SH – Shareholding pattern
Schedule AL – Assets & Liabilities
Schedule FA – Foreign Assets
Schedule MSME – Dues to Micro and Small Enterprises (new)

Filing Process for ITR-6 (AY 2025–26)

Step 1: Download Utility

Go to incometax.gov.in
Navigate to Downloads → ITR Utility → ITR-6
Choose Excel or Java utility

Step 2: Fill in the Form

Start with Part A, then move to Balance Sheet and P&L
Fill each applicable schedule as per financials
Validate using built-in utility functions

Step 3: Generate JSON

After successful validation, generate JSON file for upload

Step 4: Upload and Verify

Login to e-filing portal
Select AY 2025–26 → ITR-6
Upload JSON file
Sign with DSC (mandatory)

Due Dates for ITR-6 Filing (AY 2025–26)

Situation	Due Date
Audit Applicable (Sec 44AB)	31st October 2025
Transfer Pricing (Sec 92E)	30th November 2025

Note: No official extension announced yet by CBDT.

Penalty for Late Filing ITR-6 (Sec 234F)

Total Income	Late Filing Fee
Up to ₹5 lakh	₹1,000
Above ₹5 lakh	₹5,000 to ₹10,000

Also: – Interest under Sections 234A, 234B, 234C – Losses cannot be carried forward if filed after due date

Major Changes in ITR-6 (AY 2025–26)

MSME Reporting: Mandatory disclosure of unpaid vendor dues under Section 43B(h)
MAT Revision: Schedule MAT now captures deferred tax reconciliation
AIS/TIS Prefill Enabled: Return fields now cross-verified with AIS/TIS
Capital Gains Schedule: Bifurcation improved – residential, land, commercial
Foreign Shareholding Disclosure: More transparency in Schedule SH

Comparison of ITR-6, ITR-5 & ITR-7 – Updated for AY 2025–26

Here’s the plain and practical difference between these three ITR forms:

Particulars	ITR-6	ITR-5	ITR-7
Who should file	Companies (Private Ltd, OPC, Public Ltd, Foreign Cos)	LLPs, Firms, AOPs, BOIs, Societies (not claiming exemption u/s 11)	Trusts, NGOs, Political Parties, Universities, Hospitals etc.
Exemption under Section 11 allowed?	Not Allowed	If applicable	Yes, mainly for this category
Audit Applicable?	Yes, under Section 44AB	Yes, if turnover exceeds threshold	Yes, for most institutions
DSC Required?	Mandatory	Not mandatory	Not mandatory
MAT Provisions Apply?	Yes (u/s 115JB)	No	No
Transfer Pricing (92E)?	Yes, if applicable	Yes, if applicable	Yes, if applicable
Presumptive Income Allowed?	No	Yes (44AD, 44ADA, 44AE)	No
Filing Mode	Online only with DSC	Online with or without DSC	Online with or without DSC
Financial Statements?	Balance Sheet, P&L, Audit Details	BS, P&L, Capital A/cs, Partner Details	Income & Utilization Details, Donation Reporting
Sections for Filing	139(1), 139(4), 139(5), 92CD	139(1), 139(4), 139(5)	139(4A) to 139(4F)
Due Date (AY 2025–26)	31 Oct (or 30 Nov if 92E)	31 Oct (or 30 Nov if 92E)	31 Oct (or 30 Nov if 92E)
Penalty for Late Filing	₹5,000 to ₹10,000	₹5,000 to ₹10,000	₹5,000 to ₹10,000

FAQs

Q1. Can a company file ITR-6 without a Digital Signature?

No. DSC is mandatory for filing ITR-6.

Q2. Can a startup file under presumptive income in ITR-6?

No. Presumptive schemes (like 44AD) are not allowed for companies.

Q3. What if MAT is higher than regular tax?

The company must pay MAT, and MAT credit can be carried forward.

Q4. What if a company has no income?

Still needs to file ITR-6 as per Section 139(1).

Q5. Is foreign company filing ITR-6 required to provide audit report?

Yes, if Indian income attracts audit thresholds.

Final Conclusion

ITR-6 is not just a tax return—it’s a full financial disclosure for companies. With increased scrutiny under MSME norms, MAT, and foreign transactions, professional accuracy is crucial. Ensure audit is done, schedules are matched, and return is digitally signed before the due date.

Delay may cost penalties, loss of carry-forward losses, and audit scrutiny.

Start early. File right. Stay compliant.

Reference:

[1] https://incometaxindia.gov.in/forms/income-tax%20rules/2025/formitr6-english-2025.pdf

“ITR-6 Filing Guide for AY 2025–26: Eligibility, Tax Rates, MAT & Audit Explained”

Introduction