1. Legal Basis for TDS Certificates
- Section 203of the Income Tax Act, 1961 mandates that every deductor must issue a TDS certificate to the deductee.
- Rule 31of the Income Tax Rules, 1962 prescribes the format, timelines, and details required in these certificates.
2. Types of TDS Certificates
| FORM NO. | APPLICABLE FOR | DUE DATE |
| Form 16 | Salaries (Section 192) | 31st May of the following FY |
| Form 16A | Non-salary payments (e.g., interest, rent, professional fees) | 15 days from quarterly TDS return due date |
| Form 16B | Property purchases (Section 194-IA) | 15 days after filing Form 26QB |
| Form 16C | Rent payments (Section 194-IB) | 15 days after filing Form 26QC |
| Form 16D | Contractor payments (Section 194M) | 15 days after filing Form 26QD |
| Form 16E | Crypto/VDA transactions (Section 194S) | 15 days after filing Form 26QE. |
3. Mandatory Details in TDS Certificates
Every certificate must include:
- PAN of deductee& TAN of deductor
- Amount paid/credited
- Tax deducted & deposited(with rate)
- Challan/BSR details(for govt. payments)
- Receipt number of TDS return.
Example:
- Form 16(for salaries) includes:
- Gross salary, deductions (80C, HRA, etc.), and net taxable income.
- Quarterly breakup of TDS.
4. Digital Compliance
- E-filing & Download: Certificates must be generated from the TRACES portal(for Forms 16A, 16B, etc.).
- Digital Signatures: Optional for Form 16 but mandatory for corporates issuing >20 certificates.
- Log Maintenance: Deductors must retain a control-numbered logof issued certificates.
5. Penalties for Non-Compliance
- Late Issuance: ₹500/day (until furnished) under Section 272A(2).
- Incorrect Certificates: Penalty up to ₹25,000per instance.
Note: No certificate is required if no TDS was deducted (e.g., income below threshold).
Summary of Key Timelines
| CERTIFICATE | FREQUENCY | DUE DATE |
| Form 16 | Annual | 31st May |
| Form 16A | Quarterly | 15 days post-TDS return |
| Form 16B/16C | Per transaction | 15 days post-challan filing. |
Pro Tip: Verify TDS credits in Form 26AS/AIS and reconcile with certificates to avoid mismatches during ITR filing.
For duplicate certificates, deductors must mark them as “DUPLICATE” and maintain records
