Filing ITR-6 for Indian Businesses Explained Step-by-Step (2025)

Filing ITR-6 for Indian businesses is mandatory for most companies. However, the process can be confusing if you’re not familiar with tax laws.

Our guide breaks everything down in simple steps, explaining the essentials – from who needs to file, to documents, penalties, and mistakes to avoid.

What is ITR-6?

ITR-6 is an Income Tax Return form used by companies in India to file their income tax returns with the Income Tax Department.

The ITR-6 form requires comprehensive disclosure of a company’s income from various sources, financial statements, tax computation, and other relevant details for the financial year.

Key Features of ITR-6:

Must be filed online only on the Income Tax Department’s e-filing portal.
If the company is liable for audit under Section 44AB or any other law, details of the audit report and auditor must be provided with the return.
Filing requires a Digital Signature Certificate (DSC)
Has detailed schedules for balance sheet, profit and loss, tax computation, etc.

Who Needs to File ITR-6?

Entities Required to File ITR-6:

All companies registered under the Companies Act, 2013 or 1956, including:
- Private limited companies
- Public limited companies
- One Person Companies (OPCs)
- Foreign companies with income sourced from India
Companies earning income from business or profession, capital gains, house property, or other sources.
Companies that are not claiming exemption under Section 11 (i.e., their income is not from property held for charitable or religious purposes)
Companies cannot declare income under the presumptive taxation schemes and must maintain proper books of accounts.
Companies meeting certain turnover/profit thresholds must upload their audit report electronically before or along with filing ITR-6.
The usual due date for companies to file ITR-6 is October 31st of the assessment year. This date can sometimes be extended by the government.

Entities that Cannot Use ITR-6:

Section 8 Companies (charitable or non-profit companies – they use ITR-7
LLPs (Limited Liability Partnerships) – they file ITR-5
Partnership firms – also use ITR-5
Sole Proprietors, Individuals, HUFs – they file ITR-1 to ITR-4

Documents Required for Filing ITR-6

While filing ITR-6, companies are not required to attach any physical documents, annexures, or TDS certificates with the return itself.

However, you’ll need to collect several financial and legal documents for accurate data entry and for compliance.

Here’s a checklist:

Financial Statements

Audited Balance Sheet as on 31st March
Profit and Loss Account for the financial year (P&L statement)
Schedules for depreciation and fixed assets
Cash Flow Statement (if applicable)
Manufacturing Account (if applicable)
Trading Account (if applicable)
Receipts and Payments Account (for companies under liquidation)
Quantitative details of inventory/stock (if applicable)

Tax Related Documents

PAN Card of the company
TDS certificates
Advance Tax challans
Self-assessment tax payments
GST Return Filings (if applicable)
TAx Audit Report (Form 3CA/3CD) and auditor details (if liable for audit under Section 44AB) – needs to be uploaded
Details of deductions claimed under Chapter VI-A (e.g., Section 80G, 80IA, etc.)
Details of Minimum Alternate Tax (MAT) computation and credits
Details of Dividend Distribution Tax, buy-back tax, and special rate incomes
Details of foreign taxes paid, if any

Details of Directors and Shareholders

Names, PAN, shareholding percentage
Residential status of directors
Changes in shareholding (if any)

Bank Account Details

Bank statements of the company
Account numbers, IFSC codes, etc.
Make sure all transactions are reconciled

Previous Year’s ITR & Assessment Orders

Copy of previous year’s ITR filed
Details of assessment orders, if any, for reference and reconciliation

Step-by-Step Guide to Filing ITR-6 Online

Filing ITR-6 online is mandatory for all companies.

It must be done online and you need to use a Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) to verify the return.

Follow these steps carefully:

Step 1: Register or Log In to the Income Tax e-Filing Portal

Visit: https://www.incometax.gov.in
Log in using your company’s PAN, password, and password/DSC
If you are a new user, register your company using the company’s PAN, email ID, and mobile number

Step 2: Choose “File Income Tax Return”

After logging in, go to the “e-File” section
Select “Income Tax Return” from the menu
Select the assessment year (e.g., 2025–26 for FY 2024–25)
Select the status as “Company.”
Select “ITR-6” from the list of available forms

Step 3: Select Filing Mode

Indicate whether this is an “Original Return” or a “Revised Return”
The portal may pre-fill certain details based on previous filings or linked data (e.g., TDS).
Review and edit any incorrect or incomplete information

Step 4: Fill in the Details of the ITR-6 Form

General & Company Information: Name, PAN, incorporation date, CIN, address, type of company, shareholder details, and business nature.
Audit & Financial Information: Audit report details (Form 3CA/3CD), auditor information, balance sheet, manufacturing/trading account, profit and loss statement.
Income Details: Income from business/profession, house property, capital gains, other sources, exempt income, foreign income (if any).
Depreciation & Adjustments: Depreciation on assets, deemed capital gains, unabsorbed depreciation, ICDS adjustments.
Deductions & Reliefs: Deductions under Chapter VI-A, donations, SEZ/startup/IFSC deductions, DTAA relief.
Tax Computation: MAT, tax credits, taxes on distributed profits/dividends, income at special rates.
Other Disclosures: Shareholding, assets and liabilities, GST turnover, foreign currency transactions, pass-through income.
Tax Payments: Advance tax, self-assessment tax, TDS/TCS details.
Verification: Complete the verification and declaration section.

Step 5: Validate Information & Submit Form

Use the “Validate” button to check for errors or missing information in the form before submission.
After uploading, complete the e-verification process using the company’s DSC
Once successfully filed, download the acknowledgment (ITR-V) for your records

Due Dates and Penalties for ITR-6

Category	Details
ITR-6 Filing Due Date	31st October of the Assessment Year
Tax Audit Due Date	30th September (if audit applicable under Section 44AB)
Late Filing Fee (Before Dec)	₹5,000 under Section 234F
Late Filing Fee (After Dec)	₹10,000 under Section 234F
No Late Fee (If Income < ₹5L)	Maximum penalty capped at ₹1,000
Interest on Tax Due	About 1% per month
Revision of ITR-6	Allowed until 31st December of the assessment year
Filing Mode	Mandatory online filing with Digital Signature Certificate (DSC)

Tax Audit Requirement for ITR-6

If a company’s turnover, sales, or gross receipts exceed the limits specified under Section 44AB of the Income Tax Act, a tax audit under this section is mandatory.

Companies engaged in international or specified domestic transactions may have additional audit requirements (Form 3CEB).

Audit Report Submission

The audit report must be submitted electronically by the auditor through the Income Tax Department’s e-filing portal.
It is to be submitted using Form 3CA along with Form 3CD.
Requires name and details of the auditor, date of furnishing the audit report and acknowledgement number of the electronically filed audit report
Filing ITR-6 without uploading the audit report will mean an invalid return

Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) Requirement

A DSC is an electronic version of your signature, used to sign digital documents securely. It proves your identity and ensures that the ITR is authentic and tamper-proof.

The use of Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) is mandatory for all companies filing ITR-6.

The return cannot be submitted or verified without a valid DSC. This applies to both domestic and foreign companies.

Key Features of DSC:

DSC must belong to the authorized signatory of the company – usually a director, managing director, or CEO
DSC should be registered on the e-filing portal against the PAN of the authorized signatory before uploading the ITR-6.
The DSC must not be expired or revoked at the time of filing.
Only Class II or Class III DSCs, issued by a Certifying Authority authorized by the Controller of Certifying Authorities (CCA),are accepted for ITR filing.

Registration and Usage Process

Get your Class III DSC from a licensed provider
Install the DSC driver on your system
Register the DSC on the Income Tax e-Filing portal:
Log in to https://www.incometax.gov.in
Go to My Profile > Register DSC
Follow on-screen instructions
Attach the DSC while submitting ITR-6

When filing ITR-6, select the option to digitally sign the return, choose the registered DSC, and complete the authentication process.

The system will verify the DSC’s validity and its registration against the PAN of the authorized signatory.

ITR-6 Structure & Schedules Explained in Simple Terms

ITR-6 is one of the most detailed income tax return forms with multiple parts and schedules to capture financial and tax information.

ITR-6 is divided into:

Part A: General and financial information
Part B: Computation of total income and tax liability
Schedules: Detailed supporting sections for specific disclosures and calculations

Part A – General and Financial Information

Part A: General Information

Basic company data: Name, PAN, address, CIN, incorporation date, business type/nature, and shareholder details.

Part A-BS (Balance Sheet)

Snapshot of financial position as of 31st March – assets, liabilities, share capital, reserves, loans, and investments.

Part A-Manufacturing Account / Trading Account / Profit & Loss Account

Annual figures on inventory, production costs, sales, expenses, and net profit/loss.

Part A-OI (Other Information)

Miscellaneous company-specific details not covered in other sections.

Part A-QD (Quantitative Details)

Quantitative details of stocks, production, and sales.

Part A-OL (Receipts and Payments Account)

Applicable to companies under liquidation – cash inflows and outflows during the year.

Part B – Total Income & Tax Computation

Part B-TI (Total Income)

Calculation of income from various heads: business/profession, house property, capital gains, other sources, and deductions.

Part B-TTI (Tax Liability on Total Income)

Calculation of tax payable, interest, fee, reliefs, refunds, and final tax liability

Schedules

There are around 42 schedules in ITR 6. These include:

Schedule	Meaning
Schedule BP	Income from business or profession
Schedule VDA	Income from Transfer of Virtual Digital Assets
Schedule OS	Computation of Income from Other Sources
Schedule EI	Income Not Included in Total Income (Exempt Incomes)
Schedule SI	Income Chargeable to Tax at Special Rates
Schedule 115TD	Accredited Income under Section 115TD
Schedule DPM/DOA/DG/DEP	Depreciation on various assets
Schedule 112A	Sale of Equity Shares/Units on which STT is Paid
Schedule 115AD(1)(b)(iiii)	Sale of Equity Shares/Units (STT Paid) under Section 112A
Schedule ESR	Deduction under Expenditure on Scientific Research
Schedule RA	Donations to Research Associations
Schedule PTI	Pass-through income from investment funds/business trusts
Schedule DCG	Gains from selling depreciable assets (treated as short-term gains)
Schedule SI	Income taxed at special rates
Schedule GST	GST turnover/revenue details
Schedule CG	Capital Gains
Schedule CYLA	Set-off for current year losses – shows which income is reduced by losses
Schedule CFL	Statement of Losses to be Carried Forward
Schedule BFLA	Losses from earlier years that are carried forward and used to reduce current income
Schedule AL-1/ AL-2	Assets and liabilities at the end of the year
Schedule UD	Unabsorbed Depreciation and Allowance under Section 35(4)
Schedule MAT/MATC	Minimum Alternate Tax and MAT credit
Schedule 10AA	Deduction under Section 10AA – profit coming from export
Schedule 80IAC	Deduction in Respect of Eligible Start-up
Schedule 80LA	Deduction of Offshore Banking Unit or IFSC
Schedule VIA	Deductions under Chapter VIA – certain investments and expenditures
Schedule BBS	Tax on Distributed Income of Domestic Company on Buyback of Shares
Schedule TPSA	Secondary Adjustment to Transfer Price as per Section 92CE(2A)
Schedule IF	Investment in Unincorporated Entities
Schedule 80IA/ 8IB/ 80IC/80IE	Deduction under sections 80IA/ 8IB/ 80IC/80IE
Schedule 80G/ 80GGC/ 80GGA	Details of Donations & Contributions
Schedule ICDS	Effect of Income Computation Disclosure Standards on Profit
Schedule 40A(2)	Transactions with related parties (directors, family members, etc.) and disclosures
Schedule IT/TDS/TCS	Details of advance tax, self-assessment tax, TDS, and TCS
Schedule FSI/TR/ESI	Foreign income and tax relief details
Schedule FA	Details of Foreign Assets and Income from Any Source Outside India
Schedule FD	Break-up of Payments/Receipts in Foreign Currency

Frequently Asked Questions

What is ITR-6 and who should file it?

ITR-6 is an income tax return form for companies not claiming exemption under Section 11. It must be filed by companies like Pvt Ltd, Public Ltd, and OPCs.

Is ITR-6 filing mandatory for all companies?

Yes, all companies (except those registered as charitable institutions) must file ITR-6 annually.

Is DSC mandatory for filing ITR-6?

Yes, a Class III Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) is compulsory for submitting ITR-6.

What documents are required to file ITR-6?

You’ll need financial statements, audit reports, tax payment proofs, and director/shareholder details.

Can I revise my ITR-6 after submitting it?

Yes, you can revise ITR-6 if needed before 31st December of the assessment year.

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