By when must Form 16 be issued to employees?
Category
Salary & Form 24Q
Answered by
A CA firm
Bottom line
By 15 June following the end of the financial year.Form 16 (the salary TDS certificate, now Form 130) must be issued to every employee from whom TDS was deducted by 15 June following the financial year — for FY 2025-26, by 15 June 2026.
It is generated after the Q4 return (Form 138) is filed and Part A is downloaded from TRACES. Delay attracts a penalty of ₹100 per day per certificate under Section 272A(2)(g), capped at the TDS amount.
General information for FY 2026-27 under the Income-tax Act 2025, not advice on your specific case. Verify against the latest law or ask a CA before acting.