Major updates have recently been introduced to the Maharashtra State Tax on Professions, Trades, Callings and Employments Act, 1975. Most notably, the Finance Department issued Trade Circular No. 01 T of 2026 and a notification dated February 28, 2026, which significantly advanced the compliance deadlines for the current year.
1. Critical Changes to Due Dates (Effective March 2026)
The most important relaxation and change involves the advancement of filing dates. The “last date of the month” rule has been replaced with a 15th-day deadline for both monthly and annual filings.
| Compliance Type | Previous Due Date | New Due Date (March 2026 onwards) |
| Annual PTRC Return | 31st March | 15th March |
| Monthly PTRC Return | Last day of the month | 15th of the following month |
| PTEC Payment | 30th June (for existing) | 15th June |
[!IMPORTANT]
For the Financial Year 2025–26, the deadline to submit the annual return and make the final payments is March 15, 2026.
2. Relaxations in Registration & Payment
To ease the transition and address technical issues with the MAHAGST portal, several administrative relaxations have been introduced:
- Payment via PAN: Unregistered taxpayers under PTRC (Registration Certificate) and PTEC (Enrollment Certificate) are now permitted to make payments using their PAN if they are facing issues obtaining a TIN or if the registration facility is temporarily disabled.
- Disabled Portal Functions: As per recent trade circulars, certain PT Registration and Return filing facilities may be intermittently disabled for maintenance. During these periods, taxpayers are advised to follow the procedures outlined in Trade Circular No. 01 T of 2026 regarding manual or PAN-based compliance.
- New Online Refund Facility: Effective February 3, 2026, a new automated refund process has been activated on the portal, allowing for faster processing of excess Professional Tax paid, replacing the older manual application method.
3. Exemptions and Slab Rates
The following exemptions remain in place or have been recently clarified:
- Senior Citizens: Individuals aged 65 years and above are fully exempt from paying Professional Tax in Maharashtra.
- Women Employees: To encourage workforce participation, women earning up to ₹25,000 per month are exempt from PT.
- Small Establishments: Under the PTEC category, if an establishment has no employees, the liability is generally Nil; for those with 1–2 employees, the annual tax is often reduced (typically ₹1,000) compared to the standard ₹2,500.
- Other Exemptions: Parents of children with physical or mental disabilities and members of the Armed Forces (including CRPF and BSF) are also exempt.
4. Penalties for Non-Compliance
Failure to meet the new advanced deadlines (the 15th of the month) will trigger the following:
- For Enrolled Individuals (PTEC): Interest at 1.25% per month.
- For Employers (PTRC): Interest at 2% per month on the outstanding amount.
