ITR-5 Excel utility is active for AY 2025-26. It covers firms, LLPs, AOPs, BOIs, select trusts, artificial juridical persons, local authorities and societies.
New Delhi: The Income Tax Department has activated the ITR-5 Excel utility for online filing for Assessment Year 2025-26. In a post on X on Saturday, August 9, the department said the ITR-5 Excel form is now live and available for filing. The form is meant for firms, LLPs, AOPs, BOIs, and certain trusts and entities not eligible for ITR-7.
Why this matters and how it helps
- ITR-5 is the main return for partnership firms, LLPs, AOPs, BOIs and several other entities. With the Excel utility live, these taxpayers can prepare and file returns offline, then upload to the portal.
- The utility supports computation, validation and schema checks, which reduces common filing errors and speeds up processing.
What the department said
- “Kind Attention Taxpayers! Excel Utility of ITR-5 is live now and is available for filing,” the Income Tax Department posted on X.
Who should file ITR-5
- Firms and LLPs
- AOPs and BOIs
- Trusts such as private trust, private discretionary trust, gratuity trust and PF trust that are not eligible to file ITR-7
- Artificial juridical persons referred to in section 2(31)(vii)
- Local authorities and societies
Impact on taxpayers
- Entities can begin AY 2025-26 filings using the latest schema and instructions.
- Earlier availability helps audited entities plan in time for their statutory deadlines.
- Reduces dependency on third-party tools since the official Excel utility is aligned with the portal.
- The department has already released ITR-1 and ITR-4 utilities, followed by ITR-2 and ITR-3 for AY 2025-26.
- ITR-5 is not for individuals, HUFs or companies. Charitable or religious trusts required to file under sections like 139(4A) typically use ITR-7.
Who should use which ITR form for AY 2025-26
| Form | Who should use it |
|---|---|
| ITR-1 (Sahaj) | Resident individuals with total income up to ₹50 lakh |
| ITR-2 | Individuals or HUFs not eligible for ITR-1 |
| ITR-3 | Individuals and HUFs with business or profession requiring detailed books |
| ITR-4 | Resident Individual, HUF or Firm (not LLP) with income up to ₹50 lakh using presumptive sections 44AD or 44AE, plus eligible salary, one house property, small agricultural income and other sources |
| ITR-5 | Firms, LLPs, AOPs, BOIs, specified private trusts not eligible for ITR-7, artificial juridical persons, local authorities and societies |
Step-by-step guide: Filing ITR-5 using the Excel utility
- Download the utility
- Go to incometax.gov.in, open Downloads, then select Offline Utilities and pick ITR-5 for AY 2025-26.
- Read the instructions
- Review the latest schema, instructions and any release notes for changes in schedules and disclosures.
- Prepare your data
- Keep PAN, address, partner or member details, financial statements, audit reports if applicable, TDS and TCS statements, and bank details ready.
- Open the Excel utility and prefill
- Enter basic details and import prefilled data from the portal if available. Cross-check names, PANs and nature of business or profession codes.
- Enter income and deductions
- Fill business or profession income schedules, partner remuneration or interest, capital gains if any, other income, and eligible deductions.
- Compute tax and validate
- Use the utility to compute tax, interest and fee. Run validation to fix any errors highlighted by the tool.
- Generate the file for upload
- Create the output file as instructed by the utility and save it.
- Upload on the e-filing portal
- Log in to your account, choose File Return, select ITR-5, AY 2025-26, and upload the file.
- E-verify your return
- Complete e-verification through Aadhaar OTP, net banking, DSC or other available methods within the prescribed window.
The ITR-5 Excel utility is live and ready for AY 2025-26 filings. Firms, LLPs, AOPs, BOIs and eligible trusts can now prepare and submit their returns using the latest format. Watch the portal for any updates to the utility and instructions, reconcile AIS and TIS with your books, and e-verify promptly to avoid delays in processing.
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