# FBR IRIS is back up: tax return deadline still 30 September, 11 days left Source: Searchable (https://searchable.pk/news/economy/fbr-iris-tax-return-deadline-30-september-2026) Type: News article Author: Searchable Published: 17 Sept 2026 Updated: 19 Sept 2026 Retrieved: 19 Sept 2026 > The FBR says the filing portal is working normally again after faults from 15 September, and processed over 50,000 forms on each of Wednesday and Thursday. No extension has been granted despite tax bar requests. **Updated 19 September, 9:50am.** The FBR says the IRIS portal is **operating normally again**. It processed more than **50,000 forms on Wednesday and again on Thursday**, and the board has asked taxpayers to report any remaining difficulty. The deadline has not moved. The FBR tax return deadline for tax year 2026 is still **30 September 2026**, which leaves **11 days**. A late filer pays a **Rs 25,000** surcharge to get back on the Active Taxpayer List (ATL). ## What happened to IRIS The portal ran intermittently from Tuesday 15 September. On 16 September the FBR acknowledged on X that taxpayers were facing "intermittent problems", said its teams were working on a fix and promised an update. On Friday 18 September it confirmed the portal was back to normal and thanked filers for their patience. The board has not published a cause. The **Lahore Tax Bar Association** had complained of persistent glitches and delays for taxpayers, consultants and lawyers nationwide, and its chairman Waheed Butt asked for an extension so that honest filers are not penalised for a system failure. ## The extension question The **Karachi Tax Bar Association** formally asked the FBR for an extension at a meeting on 9 September, citing both the volume of information now required in a return and the IRIS faults. The FBR did not grant one. It committed instead to keep working with the KTBA on the portal, to build a mechanism for timely refunds under **section 7E**, and to issue instructions prioritising genuine refund claims. Filing is running ahead of last year. About **2.2 million** returns had been filed by 9 September, against **1.724 million** at the same point a year earlier. The FBR has extended the deadline in past years, but only by formal notification, usually in the last days of September. Until one appears, plan for 30 September. We will update this story if the date changes. ## Why the 30 September date matters - **Rs 25,000 late surcharge:** a return filed after the deadline only puts you on the ATL once you pay a surcharge, raised from Rs 1,000 to Rs 25,000 in the budget. - **Non-filer rates:** until you are on the ATL, banks, car dealers and property registrars deduct withholding tax at the higher non-filer rates. On cash withdrawals a non-filer pays 0.8 percent once the day's total passes Rs 50,000: check the cost with our [cash withdrawal tax calculator](/tools/tax/cash-withdrawal-tax-calculator). - **Refunds and adjustments:** only a filed return lets you claim back excess tax deducted from your salary or profit. ## What to do in the 11 days left 1. **File now, not on the 29th.** The portal is working today. The predictable failure point is the last 48 hours, when everyone who waited arrives at once. 2. **Get your numbers ready offline first.** Salary tax certificate from your employer, bank withholding certificates, property and vehicle details. Work out your salary tax with our [income tax calculator](/tools/tax/income-tax-calculator) and check the [2026-27 slabs](/guides/taxes/income-tax-slabs-2026-27) before you open IRIS. 3. **Save each section as a draft** as you go, so a session timeout does not cost you an evening. 4. **Use Tax Asaan** for a simple salaried return. The FBR's mobile app is an official filing route. 5. **Freelancers:** foreign earnings taxed at 0.25 percent through your bank still need a return for the tax to count as final. Estimate it with the [freelancer tax calculator](/tools/tax/freelancer-tax-calculator). 6. **Keep proof of any error.** Screenshots with date and time help if you later ask the commissioner to condone a late return. 7. **Stuck completely?** FBR facilitation centres and tax offices also accept returns. ## Frequently asked questions **Is the FBR IRIS portal working?** Yes. The FBR confirmed on 18 September 2026 that IRIS is operating normally after intermittent faults that began on 15 September. It processed more than 50,000 forms on each of Wednesday and Thursday. **What is the last date to file income tax return 2026 in Pakistan?** 30 September 2026 for tax year 2026. The FBR has not granted an extension despite requests from the Karachi and Lahore tax bar associations. **What happens if I file my tax return after 30 September 2026?** Your return is accepted, but you are only added to the Active Taxpayer List after paying a Rs 25,000 surcharge, and until then you pay withholding tax at non-filer rates. ## Sources - FBR Restores IRIS Portal Again (18 Sep 2026) (ProPakistani): https://propakistani.pk/2026/09/18/fbr-restores-iris-portal-again/ - Tax Lawyers Ask FBR to Extend Return Deadline (Sep 2026) (TechJuice): https://www.techjuice.pk/tax-lawyers-ask-fbr-to-extend-return-deadline/ - FBR Finally Admits IRIS Is Not Working (16 Sep 2026) (ProPakistani): https://propakistani.pk/2026/09/16/fbr-finally-admits-iris-is-not-working/ - FBR fixes Sept 30, 2026 as tax returns deadline (14 Sep 2026) (24 News HD): https://www.24newshd.tv/14-Sep-2026/fbr-fixes-sept-30-2026-tax-returns-deadline - File Your Tax Returns on Time or Pay FBR Rs. 25,000 Fine (28 Jun 2026) (ProPakistani): https://propakistani.pk/2026/06/28/file-your-tax-returns-on-time-or-pay-fbr-rs-25000-fine/ - IRIS 2.0 filing portal (FBR): https://iris.fbr.gov.pk/ How to cite: "FBR IRIS is back up: tax return deadline still 30 September, 11 days left", Searchable, 19 Sept 2026, https://searchable.pk/news/economy/fbr-iris-tax-return-deadline-30-september-2026