The Startup Compliance Calendar: Deadlines Indian Founders Can't Miss
The recurring GST, TDS, income tax, PF/ESI and ROC compliance deadlines every Indian startup has to track — and what happens if you miss them.
Missing a compliance deadline rarely feels urgent — until the late fees, interest and notices arrive. Most of these deadlines are predictable and repeat every month, quarter or year. Here's the map.
This is a general overview. Exact dates shift with notifications and depend on your registrations and turnover — always confirm current due dates for your specific case.
Monthly deadlines
| Item | Typically due | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| GST — GSTR-3B | 20th of next month | Summary return + tax payment |
| GST — GSTR-1 | 11th of next month | Outward supplies (monthly filers) |
| TDS payment | 7th of next month | Deposit tax deducted at source |
| PF & ESI | 15th of next month | Provident fund & ESI contributions |
Quarterly deadlines
- TDS returns (Form 24Q / 26Q) — filed each quarter after the payment deadlines.
- GSTR-1 (QRMP filers) — smaller taxpayers under the Quarterly Return Monthly Payment scheme file GSTR-1 quarterly while paying monthly.
- Advance tax — instalments in June, September, December and March if your tax liability crosses the threshold.
Annual deadlines
- Income tax return — for the company and, separately, for founders.
- Tax audit (if applicable based on turnover) before the ITR.
- ROC filings — AOC-4 (financial statements) and MGT-7 / MGT-7A (annual return) after the AGM.
- DPT-3 — annual return of deposits / outstanding loans, where applicable.
- DIR-3 KYC — annual KYC for every director with a DIN.
- GSTR-9 / 9C — annual GST return and reconciliation (turnover-dependent).
What missing them actually costs
- GST: late fee per day plus interest on unpaid tax; blocked input credit for your customers.
- TDS: interest for late deduction/payment, plus a per-day fee for late returns — and disallowance of the expense.
- ROC: additional fees that escalate steeply the longer you delay, and potential director disqualification for prolonged default.
- Income tax: interest and penalties, and loss of certain carry-forward benefits if the return is late.
None of these are catastrophic individually — but they compound, they show up in due diligence, and they're entirely avoidable.
The founder-friendly way to handle this
You shouldn't be tracking a dozen deadlines in a spreadsheet. The whole point of automating compliance is that returns get prepared and filed on schedule, and you get a nudge before anything is due — not a notice after.
That's what we do: startup compliance, GST and income tax & TDS, tracked and filed so you never see a late fee. Book a free consultation and we'll map your startup's exact compliance calendar.