The Income Tax Department has made ITR-5 and ITR-7 forms available online on its e-filing portal for the Assessment Year (AY) 2025-26. These forms cater to specific categories of taxpayers and are not applicable for individuals or Hindu Undivided Families (HUFs).
ITR-5 is designed for entities such as:
Firms
Limited Liability Partnerships (LLPs)
Association of Persons (AOPs)
Body of Individuals (BOIs)
Cooperative societies
Local authorities
These categories of taxpayers can log in to the Income Tax e-filing website using their PAN as login ID to file their returns.
ITR-7 is meant for institutions and entities that claim exemption under specific provisions of the Income Tax Act. These include:
Charitable and religious trusts
Political parties
Research institutions
News agencies
Certain other specified organizations
These entities typically operate on tax-exempt status but are required to disclose income and expenses through ITR-7.
The deadlines for filing ITR-5 and ITR-7 vary depending on audit requirements:
For taxpayers requiring an audit: The last date to file returns is October 31, 2025.
For those not requiring an audit: The due date was September 16, 2025.
Missing these deadlines may result in penalties, so eligible taxpayers are advised to complete filings well in advance.
Both ITR-5 and ITR-7 forms are available in pre-filled format on the e-filing portal. This means several details such as PAN, Aadhaar, TDS, advance tax, and income from various sources are already auto-populated, reducing errors and saving time for taxpayers.
To file returns online, taxpayers need to:
Visit the Income Tax e-filing portal.
Log in using PAN (as user ID) and password.
Navigate to the e-file section.
Select the applicable Income Tax Return form (ITR-5 or ITR-7).
Choose the Assessment Year 2025-26.
Fill in remaining details, verify, and submit.
Tax experts advise that organizations filing ITR-5 or ITR-7 must carefully review the rules and conditions applicable to their category. Since compliance differs from individual taxpayers, professional consultation is recommended to avoid errors.
With the rollout of ITR-5 and ITR-7 on the e-filing portal, the Income Tax Department has further streamlined compliance for specific categories of taxpayers. While individuals and HUFs will continue to use other return forms, entities like LLPs, firms, trusts, and political parties must file through ITR-5 or ITR-7 within their respective deadlines.
Failing to comply may lead to penalties and loss of exemptions. Therefore, timely filing backed by expert advice is crucial for smooth compliance in AY 2025-26.
