Download Form 131 (Form No.16A) TDS Certificate: Complete Guide, Sample Form & PDF Download
Everything you need to know about the new TDS certificate for non-salary income — who needs it, what it contains, and how to get yours.
Sample Form 131 TDS Certificate — PDF
Download the official gazette format to see exactly what your certificate looks like.
Taxes can feel like a maze, especially when new rules replace old ones. If you earn income from fixed deposits, pensions, or other non-salary sources, you may have noticed a change recently. The familiar Form 16A has been replaced by a brand new document under the Income-tax Act of 2025.
Understanding how to track the tax deducted from your non-salary income is vital for your financial health. This guide walks you through everything about Form 131 in plain, simple language. By the end, you will know who needs it, why it matters, and exactly how to download it.
What is the Form 131 (Form No.16A) TDS Certificate?
The Form 131 TDS Certificate is an official tax document introduced under Section 395(4) of the Income-tax Act, 2025. Deductors issue this certificate to prove they have deducted tax at source (TDS) from your non-salary income and deposited it with the government.
Think of it as a receipt. When a bank deducts tax from the interest on your fixed deposit, they give you this certificate to prove they sent that money to the Income Tax Department. You then use this receipt to claim tax credits when you file your Income Tax Return (ITR).
What does Section 395(4) mean in simple terms?
It is the specific rule that makes it mandatory for a deductor to issue a TDS certificate for non-salary income. If a bank, financial institution, post office, or company cuts tax from your earnings, the law forces them to give you a formal record of that deduction.
Who issues it and who receives it?
- The Deductor (issuer): The entity paying you — a bank paying interest, a company paying dividends, or a tenant paying rent above a certain limit.
- The Deductee (receiver): You — the person whose tax was deducted. You receive the certificate as proof that your tax was paid on your behalf.
How to download Form 131 TDS Certificate PDF
The certificate must be downloaded from the official TRACES (TDS Reconciliation Analysis and Correction Enabling System) portal. Any certificate prepared offline or manually is legally invalid — always check for the TRACES watermark or official digital signature.
Log in to TRACES
Visit the official TRACES website at tdscpc.gov.in. Enter your User ID, Password, and TAN to log in as a deductor.
File the TDS statement first
You must file your quarterly TDS statement (Form 140 or Form 144) before the system will allow certificate generation. The portal will not process requests for unfiled returns.
Navigate to the Download section
Click the "Downloads" tab in the top menu and select "Requested Downloads" from the dropdown.
Place a certificate request
Select the relevant form (Form 131), enter the financial year, quarter, and PAN of the deductee (the person to whom you are issuing the certificate).
Download, sign, and share
Once the request is processed, download the PDF. Digitally sign it before sending to the deductee. Taxpayers must receive this document within 15 days of the deductor filing their quarterly TDS return.
Who should use Form 131?
This certificate is for anyone earning income outside of a standard monthly salary. Here are the most common groups:
Senior citizens
Earning interest from FDs, savings accounts, or senior citizen savings schemes. Banks deduct TDS if interest exceeds the limit.
Pensioners
Family pensions or non-standard retirement income that attracts TDS under specific rules.
Freelancers & consultants
Clients deduct TDS on professional fees. You need a certificate from every client who deducts tax.
Landlords
Tenants paying rent above the specified limit deduct TDS and must issue you this certificate.
Investors
Dividend income from shares or mutual funds can attract TDS, requiring this certificate.
Depositors
Anyone with fixed deposits in banks, post offices, or NBFCs where interest TDS is deducted quarterly.
Ramesh is a 65-year-old retiree earning ₹60,000 a year in fixed deposit interest. His bank deducts TDS on this amount. At the end of the quarter, the bank must issue Ramesh a Form 131 certificate so he can prove the tax was paid when he files his ITR — and can claim a refund if his total income is below the taxable limit.
Why is Form 131 so important?
Skipping or ignoring this document can lead to real financial loss. Here is why you must always collect it every quarter.
1. Claiming your tax credits
When you file your ITR, you need to show how much tax has already been paid on your behalf. This certificate is your concrete proof. Without it, the tax department may not give you credit for the TDS — forcing you to pay the tax again.
2. Preventing double taxation
Nobody wants to pay tax on the same income twice. By keeping a clear record of your TDS, you ensure the government knows your dues are settled. This prevents unexpected tax demands later in the financial year.
3. Verifying deductor honesty
Sometimes mistakes happen. A deductor might cut tax from your payment but forget to deposit it with the government. Since this certificate is generated from the official TRACES portal, holding it proves the deductor actually deposited your money.
Key details inside Form 131
- PAN details: Your exact Permanent Account Number and the deductor's PAN or TAN.
- Income summary: Total amount paid or credited to you during the specific quarter.
- TDS information: Exact amount of tax deducted and the rate at which it was cut.
- Challan details: Proves the money reached the government — date and challan serial number of the deposit.
Form 131 — Full Form Content and Sample Filing
Below is the official Form 131 as notified in the Gazette of India under the Income-tax Act, 2025. A sample has been filled in to show you what a real certificate looks like when issued by a bank to a depositor.
FORM NO. 131
Certificate under section 395(4) of the Income-tax Act, 2025
For tax deducted at source other than on salary · [See rule 215(1) Table: Sl. No. 2]
Also covers: other than pension or interest income of specified senior citizen under section 393(1)
| Sl. No. | Nature | Amount (₹) | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Interest on Fixed Deposit | 15,000 | 30/06/2025 |
| Total | ₹15,000 | ||
| Quarter | Receipt No. | TDS | Rate | Deposited |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 | 12345678 | 1,500 | 10% | 1,500 |
| Amount | BSR | Date | CIN | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,500 | 0015342 | 07/07/2025 | 00187 | Matched |
I, Suresh Patel having PAN ABCXP1234Z working as Branch Manager of State Bank of India, Mohali Branch certify that ₹1,500 has been deducted and deposited to the credit of the Central Government.
Place: Mohali Date: 15/07/2025
Name: Suresh Patel
Designation: Branch Manager
• Name should be full without abbreviation.
• Address must include full details.
• Non-government deductors fill challan section only.
• Amount includes TDS + surcharge + cess.
Form 131 vs other tax forms — full comparison
It is easy to mix up these forms. Here is a complete side-by-side comparison of all related forms under the new Income-tax Act, 2025:
| Form | Old equivalent | Who issues it? | Type of income | Who receives it? | On TRACES? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Form 130 | Form 16 | Employer | Salary only | Salaried employee | ✔ Yes |
| Form 131 | Form 16A | Bank, client, tenant, company | Non-salary (FD interest, professional fees, rent, dividend) | Depositor, freelancer, landlord, investor | ✔ Yes |
| Form 132 | Form 16B | Property buyer | Sale/purchase of immovable property | Property seller | ✔ Yes |
| Form 121 | Form 15G / Form 15H | You (the taxpayer) | Self-declaration to prevent TDS deduction | Submitted to bank / deductor | Self-declaration |
| Form 26AS / AIS | Form 26AS | Income Tax Department | All income and TDS consolidated | All taxpayers | Income Tax Portal |
Common mistakes to avoid with Form 131
Dealing with tax documents is easy to get wrong. Here are the four most frequent errors — and how to avoid them:
Accepting offline/manual certificates
Any certificate not downloaded from TRACES is legally invalid. Always check for the official TRACES watermark or digital signature before accepting.
Ignoring PAN mismatches
A wrong PAN means the tax credit goes to someone else's account. Check your PAN on the certificate immediately on receipt and report errors to your deductor.
Missing the 15-day deadline
By law, deductors must issue certificates within 15 days of filing their quarterly TDS return. Ask proactively every quarter — do not wait until tax season.
Not cross-checking Form 26AS
Your Form 131 figures must match your Annual Information Statement exactly. If there is any difference, contact your deductor immediately to file a correction.
Latest updates for 2026
The Income-tax Act of 2025 brought several important changes that are now fully in effect for the 2025–26 tax year:
Full digitisation
All TDS certificates must now be generated digitally. Paper-based manual receipts are legally obsolete and will not be accepted by the tax department.
Stricter quarterly rules
Deductors face heavier penalties for delaying the issuance of quarterly TDS certificates beyond the 15-day window.
Simplified structure
The new form design aligns directly with the Annual Information Statement, making it much easier for senior citizens to read and verify their tax credits.
TIN 2.0 integration
Challan matching is now done against TIN 2.0, making deposit confirmation faster and reducing mismatches in taxpayer records.
Frequently asked questions
Form 131 TDS Certificate is a mandatory tax document issued under Section 395(4) of the Income-tax Act, 2025, for non-salary income. It proves that a bank, client, or institution deducted tax from your payment and deposited it with the Central Government. It replaces the old Form 16A.
Anyone earning non-salary income on which TDS is deducted needs this form. This includes: senior citizens earning FD interest, freelancers earning professional fees, landlords receiving rent, investors receiving dividends, and pensioners receiving family pension or non-standard retirement income.
You do not download it yourself. The person or bank who deducted your tax must log into the TRACES portal, download it, digitally sign it, and provide it to you within 15 days of filing their quarterly TDS return. If you have not received it, follow up with your bank or client proactively.
No. Salary income TDS is reported on a completely separate document — Form 130 (the replacement for old Form 16), issued by your employer. Form 131 is strictly for non-salary earnings such as interest, rent, dividends, or professional fees.
Do not worry. Simply contact your deductor (bank, company, etc.) and ask them to generate a duplicate. They can re-download it from the TRACES portal at any time. The data is always available on the government system.
No, you do not need to attach it to your Income Tax Return. The TDS data is already available to the tax department through the TRACES system. However, you must keep it safely in your own records in case the department raises a query or scrutiny notice.
Form 121 (replacing old 15G/15H) is a self-declaration you submit to your bank or deductor to prevent TDS from being deducted in the first place — useful if your total income is below the basic exemption limit. Form 131 is issued to you after TDS has already been deducted, as proof that the money was deposited with the government. Both are important tools but serve opposite purposes.
CIN is a unique three-part identifier that proves a specific tax payment reached the government. It consists of: (1) BSR Code of the bank branch where tax was deposited, (2) date on which the tax was deposited, and (3) challan serial number. When the CIN matches TIN 2.0, the status in the form shows "Matched" — confirming the deposit is verified.
If there is a mismatch, you cannot claim the full TDS credit until it is resolved. Contact your deductor immediately and ask them to file a correction in their quarterly TDS statement on TRACES. Once the correction is filed and processed, the data in Form 26AS / AIS will be updated and your credit will reflect correctly.
CA Sagar Batra
CA Sagar Batra is a practicing Chartered Accountant with over a decade of experience in taxation, compliance, and financial advisory. He specializes in income tax regulations, TDS compliance, and helping individuals and businesses stay aligned with the latest legal frameworks.
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