How many income tax returns are filed in India?

History

A running count of returns filed for assessment year 2026-27 up to 31 August 2026. The department says 'more than' and does not give the exact number.

The figures side by side

How we got this number

1. Take the Income Tax Department's count for assessment year 2026-27: more than 7.8 crore returns as of 31 August 2026, as reported by IBEF on 2 September 2026.
2. Line it up with the department's earlier running counts for the same year: more than 1.7 crore on 11 July, more than 4 crore on 27 July and more than 5.9 crore by the 31 July deadline.
3. Use only 'more than' counts as the department states them; no exact total is published in these announcements.

What this number does not tell you

• The department's own post and portal could not be read by our tools. The counts are quoted from news reports of the department's statements, so the source names say 'reported by'.
• 'More than 7.8 crore' is a floor, not an exact number, and the 11 July, 27 July and 31 July counts are 'more than' figures too.
• The count is cumulative for one assessment year and includes revised and late returns as they come in. It is not a count of taxpayers who owe tax.

Sources

1. Income Tax Department, reported by IBEF, 2 September 2026More than 7.8 crore Income Tax Returns (ITRs) were filed for Assessment Year (AY) 2026-27 as of 31st August
2. Income Tax Department, reported by IANS (31 July deadline), 1 August 2026More than 5.9 crore income tax returns (ITRs) have been filed for the Assessment Year (AY) 2026-27 by the July 31 deadline
3. Income Tax Department, reported by IANS (27 July), 27 July 2026More than 4 crore income tax returns (ITRs) have been filed for the assessment year (AY) 2026-27 so far
4. Income Tax Department, reported by IANS (11 July), 11 July 2026More than 1.7 crore income tax returns (ITRs) have been filed so far for the assessment year (AY) 2026-27

Worked out by us: 1.9 (More than 7.8 crore (as of 31 August 2026) minus more than 5.9 crore (by 31 July 2026), about 1.9 crore filed in August); 4.0 (The 27 July 2026 count is printed as 'More than 4 crore' in the IANS report of 27 July 2026; 4.0 is the same value).

Questions people ask

How many ITRs were filed for assessment year 2026-27?

More than 7.8 crore as of 31 August 2026, according to the Income Tax Department as reported by IBEF.

How many returns were filed by the 31 July deadline?

More than 5.9 crore returns had been filed for assessment year 2026-27 by the 31 July deadline.

What is an assessment year?

It is the year in which income of the previous financial year is assessed. Assessment year 2026-27 covers income earned in the financial year before it.

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This is a best guess, not an official statistic. We recheck it yearly. If you have a newer or better source, send it to us.