By Manu Rao | Updated March 2026
What Is a Compliance Calendar?
A compliance calendar is a structured timeline listing every regulatory filing deadline an Indian company must meet during the financial year. It covers obligations under the Companies Act 2013, Income Tax Act 1961, GST laws, FEMA regulations, and labor laws. Missing even one deadline triggers penalties, interest, or prosecution — so the calendar is not optional. It is survival infrastructure.
For foreign-owned companies, the compliance burden is heavier than for purely domestic businesses. You have everything domestic companies face, plus RBI filings, FEMA reporting, transfer pricing documentation, and Form 15CA/15CB for every foreign payment.
Monthly Compliance
| Day | Filing | Authority | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7th | TDS deposit | Income Tax | Deposit TDS deducted in the previous month (Challan 281) |
| 11th | GSTR-1 | GST | Outward supply details for the previous month (monthly filers) |
| 13th | GSTR-1 (IFF) | GST | Invoice Furnishing Facility for quarterly filers (optional, for first 2 months of quarter) |
| 15th | Provident Fund (PF) payment | EPFO | Employee and employer PF contribution for previous month |
| 15th | ESI contribution | ESIC | Employee State Insurance contribution for previous month |
| 20th | GSTR-3B | GST | Summary return with tax payment for the previous month |
| 25th | GSTR-3B (quarterly filers) | GST | For quarterly filers in certain states — check specific state deadline |
The TDS deposit on the 7th is the single most frequent compliance action. Miss it once, and interest at 1.5% per month starts accruing from the date of deduction to the date of deposit.
Quarterly Compliance
| Quarter | Filing | Deadline | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 (Apr-Jun) | TDS Return (24Q, 26Q, 27Q) | July 31 | Salary, non-salary, and non-resident TDS returns |
| Q2 (Jul-Sep) | TDS Return (24Q, 26Q, 27Q) | October 31 | Same as above |
| Q3 (Oct-Dec) | TDS Return (24Q, 26Q, 27Q) | January 31 | Same as above |
| Q4 (Jan-Mar) | TDS Return (24Q, 26Q, 27Q) | May 31 | Same as above |
| Q1 | Advance Tax — 1st installment | June 15 | 15% of estimated annual tax liability |
| Q2 | Advance Tax — 2nd installment | September 15 | 45% cumulative |
| Q3 | Advance Tax — 3rd installment | December 15 | 75% cumulative |
| Q4 | Advance Tax — 4th installment | March 15 | 100% |
Annual Compliance — Companies Act (MCA)
| Filing | Deadline | Penalty for Default |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum 4 Board Meetings | Gap not exceeding 120 days | INR 25,000 per director per default |
| AGM | September 30 (within 6 months of FY end) | INR 1,00,000 on company + INR 25,000 per officer |
| AOC-4 (Financial Statements) | Within 30 days of AGM | INR 100/day (no cap) |
| MGT-7 (Annual Return) | Within 60 days of AGM | INR 100/day (no cap) |
| DIR-3 KYC (Director KYC) | September 30 | INR 5,000 if filed late; DIN deactivated |
| DPT-3 (Return of Deposits) | June 30 | Company and every officer: fine up to INR 5,000/day |
| MSME-1 (Outstanding dues to MSMEs) | April 30 and October 31 (half-yearly) | Fine up to INR 25,000 on company + INR 5,000 on officers |
Annual Compliance — Income Tax
| Filing | Deadline | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Statutory Audit completion | Before AGM (typically August) | Auditor must sign report before AGM |
| Tax Audit Report (Form 3CA/3CB/3CD) | September 30 / October 31 | September 30 if no TP; October 31 if TP applies |
| Transfer Pricing Report (Form 3CEB) | November 30 | For companies with international transactions |
| Income Tax Return (ITR-6) | October 31 / November 30 | November 30 if TP report required |
| Form 16 to employees | June 15 | TDS certificate for salary |
| Form 16A to non-residents | Within 15 days of quarterly TDS return filing | TDS certificate for non-salary payments |
Annual Compliance — GST
| Filing | Deadline |
|---|---|
| GSTR-9 (Annual Return) | December 31 of the following FY |
| GSTR-9C (Reconciliation Statement) | December 31 (for turnover above INR 5 crores) |
FEMA / RBI Compliance for Foreign-Owned Companies
These are unique to companies with foreign investment:
| Filing | Deadline | Authority |
|---|---|---|
| FC-GPR (Foreign Currency — Gross Provisional Return) | Within 30 days of share allotment to foreign investor | RBI (via AD Bank) |
| FLA Return (Foreign Liabilities and Assets) | July 15 every year | RBI |
| ECB-2 Return (External Commercial Borrowings) | Monthly — within 7 working days of month-end | RBI |
| Annual Return on Foreign Liabilities and Assets (FLAIR) | July 15 | RBI |
| Form FC-TRS (Transfer of shares between resident and non-resident) | Within 60 days of share transfer | RBI (via AD Bank) |
The FLA Return on July 15 is missed by almost every first-year foreign-owned company. It is a simple filing on the RBI FLAIR portal, but the penalty for non-filing can include show-cause notices from the RBI's enforcement directorate.
Critical Dates for a Typical Foreign-Owned Company (March FY)
April
- TDS deposit (7th) for March deductions (extended to April 30)
- DPT-3 preparation begins
- MSME-1 for Oct-Mar period (due April 30)
May-June
- TDS returns for Q4 (May 31)
- Advance Tax 1st installment (June 15)
- Form 16 to employees (June 15)
- DPT-3 filing (June 30)
July-August
- TDS returns for Q1 (July 31)
- FLA Return to RBI (July 15)
- Statutory audit completion (by August for AGM in September)
September
- AGM (by September 30)
- DIR-3 KYC (September 30)
- Advance Tax 2nd installment (September 15)
- Tax audit report (September 30 — if no TP)
October-November
- AOC-4 filing (within 30 days of AGM)
- MGT-7 filing (within 60 days of AGM)
- TDS returns for Q2 (October 31)
- Tax audit report (October 31 — if TP applies)
- MSME-1 for Apr-Sep period (October 31)
- Form 3CEB — Transfer Pricing Report (November 30)
- ITR-6 filing (November 30 — if TP applies)
December-March
- GSTR-9 / GSTR-9C (December 31)
- Advance Tax 3rd installment (December 15)
- TDS returns for Q3 (January 31)
- Advance Tax 4th installment (March 15)
Common Mistakes
- Not tracking RBI filings separately — Most compliance calendars focus on MCA and Income Tax. RBI/FEMA filings (FC-GPR, FLA Return, ECB-2) have separate deadlines and portals. Foreign-owned companies need a dual-track calendar.
- Assuming the CA handles everything — CAs handle statutory and tax audits, and often ITR filing. But GST returns, TDS returns, MCA filings, and RBI filings may be handled by different service providers. Without a central calendar, gaps appear.
- Missing DIR-3 KYC for foreign directors — Every director must file DIR-3 KYC by September 30 each year. If a foreign director's DIN gets deactivated due to non-filing, they cannot sign any MCA form — freezing the company's ability to file AOC-4, MGT-7, or any other form that requires their DSC.
- Not planning board meetings quarterly — The 120-day gap rule means you cannot hold all 4 board meetings in the last quarter. Meetings must be spread: typically one per quarter.
- Treating the compliance calendar as static — CBDT, MCA, and GST Council regularly extend deadlines. Relying on printed calendars from the start of the year without checking for updates leads to early or late filings.
Practical Example
A UK-based NRI owns a Private Limited Company in Jaipur. She appoints a local CA firm for statutory and tax audit, a CS for MCA filings, and an accountant for GST and TDS returns. At the start of each financial year, all three providers receive a shared compliance calendar in a spreadsheet. Board meetings are scheduled for June, September, December, and March. The September board meeting doubles as the financial statement approval meeting (the UK director flies to India for this). AGM is scheduled for September 25. AOC-4 is due by October 25. MGT-7 by November 24. DIR-3 KYC for both Indian directors and the UK director is completed by September 15. The FLA Return is filed on July 10. Each month, TDS is deposited by the 5th (giving 2 days buffer), and GSTR-3B by the 18th (giving 2 days buffer). No penalties incurred.
Related Terms
- AGM — Anchor date for multiple annual filings
- Board Meeting — Must be held quarterly
- Income Tax Return — November 30 deadline for TP companies
- GST — Monthly/quarterly return obligations
- TDS — Monthly deposit, quarterly returns
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