Form 138, 130 and 124: new numbers for 24Q, 16, 12BB
From 1 April 2026, three forms every payroll team knows have new numbers under the Income-tax Act 2025. Here is the mapping and what changes in practice.
Updated 3 October 2026 · Published 3 October 2026
The new numbers
| Earlier name | From 1 April 2026 | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Form 24Q | Form 138 | Quarterly TDS statement for salary, filed by the employer |
| Form 16 | Form 130 | TDS certificate for salary, issued through TRACES |
| Form 12BB | Form 124 | Employee declaration of investments, rent and loan interest |
What this means for employers
- Employees submit Form 124 (the earlier Form 12BB) for the 2026-27 tax year. The content still covers rent paid with landlord PAN, home-loan interest with lender details, and investments.
- The quarterly return is Form 138. It is filed as a text file generated in the prescribed format and validated with the free file validation utility before upload to TRACES.
- The Form 138 file specification published so far covers the first three quarters. The format for the fourth quarter, due 31 May 2027, has not been published, so a fourth-quarter file cannot be built yet.
- Employees receive Form 130, issued through TRACES after the quarterly statements are processed, not generated by the employer.
- Keep using the old names in conversation for a while: payslips, policies and employee communication that mention "Form 16" or "12BB" will still be understood.
In AdviHR
Screens and documents show the new name with the earlier name in brackets, for example "Form 124 (Form 12BB)". AdviHR generates the Form 138 text file for quarters one to three from payroll and challan data, and the declaration form with landlord and lender details. Form 130 is issued through TRACES, so AdviHR prepares the Part B details that accompany it.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Form 16 abolished?
The certificate continues, numbered Form 130 from 1 April 2026 and issued through TRACES.
Does Form 124 replace Form 12BB completely?
Yes for the 2026-27 tax year onwards. It serves the same purpose: the employee declares tax-saving details to the employer.
Can I file Form 138 for the fourth quarter now?
Not yet. The file format for that quarter has not been published. The return is due 31 May 2027.
Do I still need to file every quarter?
Yes. Quarterly statements are still required.
Sources
- Income-tax Act 2025 and rules, effective 1 April 2026
- Protean (NSDL) e-TDS downloads: Form 138 file specification
How sure are we? These figures use the same rules AdviHR payroll applies. We publish what has been checked against an official source and what has not, on the statutory accuracy page.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Confirm against the official notification and your adviser before acting.
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