Business Tax Calendar 2026: Key Deadlines in the US, Canada, EU & UK
Miss a tax deadline in 2026 and you pay up to 25% in IRS penalties, daily HMRC fines, or CRA interest from day one. Here are the exact dates your finance team needs - by country, entity type, and quarter.
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Maximum IRS failure-to-file penalty on unpaid tax
United States: Federal Business Tax Deadlines 2026
Deadlines by Entity Type
US federal tax deadlines depend on how your business is structured. Partnerships and S corporations file a full month before C corporations and individuals - because partners and shareholders need their K-1 forms to complete personal returns. All dates below assume a calendar tax year. Fiscal-year filers count from the end of their fiscal year.
March 16, 2026 - Partnerships (Form 1065) and S corporations (Form 1120-S). March 15 falls on a Sunday, so the deadline moves to Monday. Extended deadline: September 15 (file Form 7004 by March 16).
April 15, 2026 - C corporations (Form 1120), sole proprietors (Schedule C with Form 1040), and single-member LLCs. Extended deadline: October 15 (file Form 7004 or Form 4868 by April 15).
April 15, 2026 - Q1 estimated tax payment due (Form 1040-ES or Form 1120-W for corporations).
May 15, 2026 - Tax-exempt nonprofits (Form 990) for calendar-year organizations.
June 15, 2026 - Q2 estimated tax payment due.
September 15, 2026 - Q3 estimated tax payment due. Also the extended deadline for partnerships and S corps.
October 15, 2026 - Extended deadline for C corps, sole proprietors, and LLCs that filed Form 4868 or Form 7004 in April.
December 15, 2026 - Q4 estimated tax payment for C corporations.
Payroll and Information Returns
Payroll deadlines run all year, not just at filing season. Missing a deposit triggers a tiered penalty: 2% for deposits 1–5 days late, 5% for 6–15 days late, 10% for 16+ days late, and 15% if the IRS has to issue a notice.
January 31, 2026 - W-2s to employees and 1099-NEC to contractors (both recipient and IRS copies).
March 31, 2026 - E-file deadline for 1099 forms (paper filing due February 28).
April 30, July 31, October 31, January 31 - Form 941 (quarterly payroll tax) due dates.
Monthly payroll deposits - due by the 15th of the following month under the monthly deposit rule.
US Business Tax Deadlines 2026 - Quick Reference
| Date | Form | Who Files |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 31, 2026 | W-2 / 1099-NEC | All employers and businesses paying contractors |
| Mar 16, 2026 | Form 1065 / 1120-S | Partnerships and S corporations (calendar year) |
| Mar 31, 2026 | 1099 e-file | All businesses filing information returns electronically |
| Apr 15, 2026 | Form 1120 / Schedule C | C corporations, sole proprietors, single-member LLCs |
| Apr 15, 2026 | Q1 Estimated Tax | Self-employed, investors, C corps not fully withheld |
| May 15, 2026 | Form 990 | Calendar-year tax-exempt nonprofits |
| Jun 15, 2026 | Q2 Estimated Tax | Same as above |
| Sep 15, 2026 | Q3 Estimated Tax + Extended S corps/Partnerships | Quarterly taxpayers + those who filed Form 7004 in March |
| Oct 15, 2026 | Extended Form 1120 / 1040 | C corps, sole proprietors who filed Form 7004/4868 in April |
| Dec 15, 2026 | Q4 Estimated Tax (Corps) | C corporations |
Extension to file does not extend the deadline to pay. Any estimated tax owed must still reach the IRS by the original deadline to avoid interest and late-payment penalties.
IRS Penalties for Late Filing and Late Payment (2026)
Failure-to-File Penalty
5% of unpaid tax per month or partial month, up to 25%. If a return is more than 60 days late, the minimum penalty is $525 or 100% of the tax owed - whichever is less.
Failure-to-Pay Penalty
0.5% of unpaid tax per month, up to 25%. If both penalties apply in the same month, the failure-to-file penalty is reduced to 4.5%, so the combined rate stays at 5%.
Partnership / S Corp Late Filing
$235 per partner or shareholder, per month, up to 12 months. A 5-partner S corp filing 3 months late owes $3,525 in penalties alone - even if no tax is due.
Interest on Underpayments
Federal short-term rate plus 3%, compounded daily. Interest starts from the original due date, not the extended filing deadline.
Canada: CRA Business Tax Deadlines 2026
Corporate Tax (T2)
Every Canadian corporation must file a T2 return regardless of whether it made a profit. The filing deadline is six months after fiscal year-end. For a December 31, 2025 year-end, that means June 30, 2026. But the payment deadline is earlier - typically two months after year-end. For a December 31 year-end, payment is due March 2, 2026 (February 28 falls on a Saturday in 2026). Canadian-controlled private corporations (CCPCs) claiming the Small Business Deduction get three months to pay, pushing that date to March 31, 2026. Filing on time but paying late still triggers daily compounding interest from the first day after the balance-due date.
T2 filing deadline: 6 months after fiscal year-end (June 30, 2026 for Dec 31 year-end).
Balance-due date: 2 months after year-end for most corporations (March 2, 2026 for Dec 31 year-end).
CCPC balance-due date: 3 months after year-end (March 31, 2026 for Dec 31 year-end).
CRA late-filing penalty: 5% of unpaid tax + 1% per month, up to 12 months. Repeat late filers pay 10% + 2% per month, up to 20 months.
Payroll, Information Slips, and GST/HST
T4 and T5 slips are due the last day of February following the calendar year. Because February 28, 2026 falls on a Saturday, the deadline moves to March 2, 2026. Quarterly GST/HST instalments follow the end of each quarter. Annual GST/HST filers with a December 31 year-end must file by April 30, 2026 (June 15 for self-employed individuals, though the balance owing is still due April 30).
March 2, 2026 - T4 and T5 slips issued to employees and filed with CRA.
March 2, 2026 - RRSP contribution deadline for the 2025 tax year.
March 31, 2026 - T3 Trust return (December 31 year-end trusts).
April 30, 2026 - Personal T1 filing and payment deadline for most individuals.
June 15, 2026 - T1 filing deadline for self-employed individuals (balance still due April 30).
Quarterly GST/HST - due one month after each quarter end: April 30, July 31, October 31, January 31.
Canada CRA Key Deadlines 2026 (December 31 Year-End)
| Date | Obligation | Who It Affects |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 2, 2026 | T4 / T5 slips + RRSP contribution cutoff | All employers; RRSP contributors |
| Mar 2, 2026 | Corporate tax payment (general corps, Dec 31 year-end) | Most incorporated businesses |
| Mar 31, 2026 | T3 Trust return | Trusts with Dec 31 year-end |
| Mar 31, 2026 | CCPC balance-due date (Dec 31 year-end) | CCPCs claiming Small Business Deduction |
| Apr 30, 2026 | Personal T1 filing + payment; GST/HST annual payment | Individuals, sole proprietors |
| Jun 15, 2026 | T1 filing for self-employed (balance still due Apr 30) | Self-employed individuals |
| Jun 30, 2026 | T2 corporate return filing (Dec 31 year-end) | All corporations |
Corporations on a non-December fiscal year count six months from their own year-end. A March 31 year-end means the T2 is due September 30, 2026, with payment due May 31, 2026.
European Union: Business Tax Deadlines 2026 (Germany)
Corporate and Income Tax Germany
Germany uses a calendar tax year ending December 31. Self-employed individuals and businesses filing without a tax advisor must submit their 2025 income tax and trade tax returns by July 31, 2026. Businesses using a certified tax advisor receive an automatic extension to March 1, 2027 (or April 30, 2027 with an additional extension). Corporate income tax advance payments are due on the 10th of March, June, September, and December.
July 31, 2026 - 2025 income tax return (Einkommensteuererklärung) without a tax advisor.
July 31, 2026 - Annual VAT return (Umsatzsteuer-Jahreserklärung) for 2025.
July 31, 2026 - Trade tax return (Gewerbesteuererklärung) for businesses.
March 1, 2027 - Extended deadline when using a certified tax advisor (Steuerberater).
Quarterly advance income tax: March 10, June 10, September 10, December 10, 2026.
VAT (Umsatzsteuer) Filing Frequency
German VAT filing frequency depends on your prior year VAT liability. Monthly filers (VAT liability over €9,000 in 2025) submit by the 10th of the following month. Quarterly filers (VAT liability €2,000–€9,000) submit by the 10th of April, July, October, and January. Annual filers (below €2,000) submit by July 31, 2026. All VAT returns must be filed electronically via the ELSTER portal. Businesses can apply for a one-month extension (Dauerfristverlängerung), but must make a special advance payment equal to 1/11 of the prior year's VAT.
Monthly filers: due the 10th of the following month (e.g., February VAT due March 10, 2026).
Quarterly filers: due April 10, July 10, October 10, 2026, and January 10, 2027.
Annual filers: due July 31, 2026 for the 2025 tax year.
EU Sales List (Zusammenfassende Meldung): monthly if EU transactions exceed €50,000; otherwise quarterly.
Key EU Regulatory Changes in 2026
Several EU member states introduced new tax compliance requirements in 2026 that affect businesses operating across borders. Poland launched mandatory e-invoicing (KSeF) for large businesses from February 2026, with all remaining businesses required to comply from April 2026. Greece made B2B e-invoicing mandatory for large businesses from March 2026. Croatia rolled out mandatory e-invoicing starting January 2026. Companies operating in multiple EU markets should verify country-specific VAT return and e-invoicing deadlines with a local tax advisor.
Poland KSeF e-invoicing: mandatory for large businesses from Feb 2026, all businesses from Apr 2026.
Greece B2B e-invoicing: mandatory for large businesses from Mar 2026.
Croatia e-invoicing: mandatory from Jan 2026.
Germany VAT: new rules effective January 2026 under the EU 2025 Tax Amendment Act - verify ELSTER requirements.
United Kingdom: HMRC Business Tax Deadlines 2026
Corporation Tax
UK Corporation Tax deadlines are set relative to your company's accounting period, not the tax year. Payment is due nine months and one day after your accounting period ends. Filing the CT600 return is due twelve months after the accounting period ends. For a company with a March 31, 2025 year-end, payment was due January 1, 2026, and the CT600 is due March 31, 2026. From April 1, 2026, HMRC doubled fixed late-filing penalties for Corporation Tax returns. A return filed one day late triggers a £200 penalty (previously £100). Three months late: £400 total. The interest rate on late Corporation Tax payments is 7.75% per year (Bank of England base rate plus 4%), charged daily from January 9, 2026.
Corporation Tax payment: 9 months and 1 day after accounting period end.
CT600 filing: 12 months after accounting period end.
From April 1, 2026: late filing penalties doubled. £200 immediately, £400 after 3 months, up to £2,000 for repeated late filings.
Interest on late payment: 7.75% per year, calculated daily (from January 9, 2026).
Large companies paying by quarterly instalments: payments due in months 7, 10, 13, and 16 of their accounting period.
Self Assessment and PAYE
The UK tax year runs April 6 to April 5. The 2024/25 tax year ended April 5, 2025. Its Self Assessment return and payment were due January 31, 2026. The current 2025/26 tax year ends April 5, 2026, with the online return and payment due January 31, 2027. Key dates during 2026 include the end of the 2025/26 tax year on April 5, the second payment on account on July 31, and the Self Assessment registration deadline on October 5 for anyone who started trading in 2025/26.
January 31, 2026 - 2024/25 Self Assessment return and payment due (already passed).
April 5, 2026 - End of 2025/26 tax year. Last day to use annual allowances.
April 6, 2026 - Start of 2026/27 tax year. Update payroll records.
May 31, 2026 - P60 must be issued to all employees.
July 6, 2026 - P11D (expenses and benefits) and P11D(b) due to HMRC.
July 31, 2026 - Second payment on account for 2025/26 tax year.
October 5, 2026 - Self Assessment registration deadline for new traders in 2025/26.
October 31, 2026 - Paper Self Assessment return deadline for 2025/26.
January 31, 2027 - Online Self Assessment return and payment for 2025/26.
VAT and Making Tax Digital (MTD)
VAT returns are due one calendar month and seven days after the end of each VAT period. A business with a March 31 VAT period end must file and pay by May 7, 2026. From April 6, 2026, Making Tax Digital for Income Tax Self Assessment (MTD for ITSA) becomes mandatory for self-employed individuals and landlords earning over £50,000 annually. Under MTD, quarterly updates replace the single annual return - but the final declaration is still submitted by January 31. Phase 2 extends MTD to those earning over £30,000 from April 2027.
VAT filing: 1 calendar month + 7 days after VAT period end.
From April 6, 2026: MTD for ITSA mandatory for income over £50,000.
MTD requires compatible software - spreadsheets alone are not sufficient without bridging software.
HMRC uses a points-based penalty system for VAT: £200 penalty triggered after 4 late submissions; points reset after 12 months of compliance.
UK HMRC Key Deadlines 2026
| Date | Obligation | Who It Affects |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 31, 2026 | 2024/25 Self Assessment return + payment | Self-employed, directors, landlords, investors |
| Apr 5, 2026 | End of 2025/26 tax year - final day for annual allowances | All taxpayers |
| Apr 6, 2026 | MTD for ITSA mandatory (income > £50K) | Self-employed + landlords above threshold |
| May 31, 2026 | P60 issued to employees | All employers |
| Jul 6, 2026 | P11D and P11D(b) to HMRC | Employers providing benefits in kind |
| Jul 31, 2026 | Second payment on account (2025/26) | Self-employed with prior year tax bill > £1,000 |
| Oct 5, 2026 | Self Assessment registration (new traders) | Anyone who started trading in 2025/26 |
| Oct 31, 2026 | Paper Self Assessment return (2025/26) | Paper filers only |
| Jan 31, 2027 | Online Self Assessment return + payment (2025/26) | All Self Assessment taxpayers |
Corporation Tax deadlines are set by individual company accounting periods. Payment is 9 months and 1 day after accounting period end; CT600 filing is 12 months after. From April 1, 2026, late CT600 penalties doubled.
Penalties at a Glance: What Late Filing Costs in 2026
Penalty Comparison by Country
Every jurisdiction treats late filing differently. The US and Canada base penalties on a percentage of unpaid tax, which means a large outstanding balance generates large fines fast. The UK uses fixed penalties for Corporation Tax and a points system for VAT, while Self Assessment penalties start fixed and then escalate daily. Germany caps late submission penalties at 10% of VAT due, but €25,000 maximum. Understanding the penalty structure in each country helps finance teams prioritize which deadlines carry the highest financial risk.
US (IRS): Failure-to-file = 5% of unpaid tax per month, up to 25%. Failure-to-pay = 0.5% per month, up to 25%. Minimum penalty for returns 60+ days late: $525.
Canada (CRA): Late filing = 5% of balance owing + 1% per month (up to 12 months). Repeated offenders: 10% + 2% per month up to 20 months. Daily compound interest starts day 1.
UK – Corporation Tax (from April 1, 2026): £200 day 1; £400 after 3 months; £1,000 after 6 months; £2,000 for three consecutive missed filings. Interest at 7.75% per year.
UK – Self Assessment: £100 immediately; £10/day after 3 months (up to £900); further charges after 6 and 12 months.
Germany (VAT): Late submission penalty up to 10% of VAT due, capped at €25,000. Surcharge of 1% per month on outstanding VAT amount.
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Frequently Asked Questions
When are business taxes due in the US in 2026?
It depends on your entity type. Partnerships and S corporations file by March 16, 2026 (Form 1065 or 1120-S). C corporations and sole proprietors file by April 15, 2026 (Form 1120 or Schedule C). Both can request a 6-month extension, but any tax owed must still be paid by the original deadline to avoid interest and failure-to-pay penalties.
When is the T2 corporate tax deadline in Canada for 2026?
For a corporation with a December 31, 2025 year-end, the T2 return is due June 30, 2026 (six months after year-end). However, the balance owing must be paid earlier: March 2, 2026 for most corporations (the February 28 deadline shifts due to weekend), or March 31, 2026 for eligible CCPCs claiming the Small Business Deduction.
What changed with UK Corporation Tax penalties in 2026?
From April 1, 2026, HMRC doubled fixed late-filing penalties for Corporation Tax returns. A CT600 filed late now triggers a £200 penalty immediately (previously £100), £400 after three months, and up to £2,000 for companies with three consecutive late filings. The interest rate on late payments is 7.75% per year, calculated daily.
What is Making Tax Digital (MTD) and does it affect my business in 2026?
From April 6, 2026, MTD for Income Tax Self Assessment is mandatory for self-employed individuals and landlords earning over £50,000 per year. Instead of one annual return, you submit quarterly digital updates to HMRC, then a final declaration by January 31 each year. You must use MTD-compatible software - spreadsheets alone do not comply unless connected via approved bridging software.
What are the German VAT filing deadlines in 2026?
German VAT filing frequency depends on your prior-year liability. Monthly filers (VAT liability over €9,000) submit by the 10th of the following month via ELSTER. Quarterly filers (€2,000–€9,000) submit by April 10, July 10, October 10, 2026, and January 10, 2027. Annual filers (below €2,000) submit by July 31, 2026. Businesses can apply for a one-month Dauerfristverlängerung extension.
Can I get an extension on my US business tax return in 2026?
Yes. Partnerships and S corps can extend to September 15 by filing Form 7004 by March 16. C corps, sole proprietors, and LLCs can extend to October 15 by filing Form 7004 or Form 4868 by April 15. An extension gives you more time to file - not more time to pay. Any estimated tax due must reach the IRS by the original deadline.
What are quarterly estimated tax payment dates in the US for 2026?
For 2026 income, the four quarterly estimated tax payment dates are: April 15 (Q1), June 15 (Q2), September 15 (Q3), and January 15, 2027 (Q4) for individuals. C corporations use December 15 instead of January 15 for their fourth payment. Underpaying can trigger a penalty even if you pay the full amount at year-end.
What is the UK Self Assessment deadline in 2026?
The January 31, 2026 deadline covered the 2024/25 tax year. For the 2025/26 tax year (which ends April 5, 2026), the online Self Assessment return and payment are due January 31, 2027. Paper returns are due October 31, 2026. Missing the online deadline triggers an immediate £100 penalty, with daily fines of £10 starting three months later.