Tax Return Due 31 October 2026? Agent Dates and Payment
Updated 17 October 2026 · General information · 3 min read
General information, not tax, legal or financial advice. We are not the ATO and are not a registered tax or BAS agent. Check ato.gov.au or ask an agent. Sources read on 17 October 2026. Dates and amounts after that are expected. Examples use made-up numbers. This page contains no affiliate links.
Short answer: The ATO says that if you lodge your own tax return, you need to lodge it by 31 October; if 31 October falls on a weekend, the due date is the next business day. 31 October 2026 is a Saturday, so by the ATO's rule the date is expected to be Monday 2 November 2026 (our application of the rule; confirm with the ATO). If you use a registered tax agent, they generally have a lodgment program with later dates, but you must engage them before 31 October.
Agent lodgment program 2026-27 (ATO, excerpts)
| Due date | Who (summary) |
|---|---|
| 31 October 2026 | individuals and trusts with prior-year returns outstanding at 30 June 2026, or prosecuted clients told this date |
| 31 March 2027 | individuals and trusts whose latest return showed tax of $20,000 or more |
| 15 May 2027 | remaining individuals and trusts (5 June concession may apply) |
| Large and medium trusts have earlier dates. 15 May and 5 June 2027 both fall on a Saturday; the ATO's next-business-day rule would normally apply, which we have not confirmed for these dates. |
Paying the tax
If you lodge your own return between 1 July and 31 October and have a tax bill, payment is due by 21 November (a Saturday in 2026; we haven't verified how the ATO treats this). If the assessment issues after 31 October, payment is due 21 days after it issues; interest can apply to unpaid amounts.
New to an agent?
Contact them before 31 October to be part of their lodgment program (ATO).
Related
Deductions checklist · WFH 70c
FAQ
I don't need to lodge?
Check the ATO's non-lodgment advice page (not read).
Is the business/company date the same?
No; this page covers individuals and trusts.
What we could not verify
- The pages were read as search excerpts only.
- The 2 November 2026 date, the 21 November payment weekend treatment and the 2027 weekend dates are our inferences.
- The 5 June concession conditions and the 31 March $20,000 condition detail.
- Late-lodgment penalty amounts.
Sources
- ATO, Preparing your tax return and Lodge with a registered tax agent — https://www.ato.gov.au/individuals-and-families/your-tax-return/before-you-prepare-your-tax-return/preparing-your-tax-return (search excerpts, 17 October 2026)
- ATO, Registered agent lodgment program 2026-27, Individuals and trusts — https://www.ato.gov.au/tax-and-super-professionals/for-tax-professionals/prepare-and-lodge/registered-agent-lodgment-program/due-dates-for-tax-returns-by-client-type/individuals-and-trusts (search excerpt, 17 October 2026)