Income Tax Department Merges Forms 15G and 15H into Form 121

The Income Tax Department has announced that Forms 15G and 15H will merge into a single Form No. 121 for tax years beginning on or after 1st April 2026. The revised framework operates under the Income Tax Rules, 2026 and Section 393(6) of the Income Tax Act, 2025. Tax officials will also allot a single Unique Identification Number per PAN for each tax year across all payers.

Replacement of Forms 15G and 15H with Form No. 121

Under the Income Tax Act, 1961, Section 197A governed self-declarations in Form 15G and Form 15H. Taxpayers submitted these forms to payers like banks to request non-deduction of TDS. Under the Income Tax Act, 2025, the corresponding provision is Section 393(6). The eligibility criteria remain unchanged under the 2025 Act. Resident individuals under 60 years file declarations subject to income thresholds, while senior citizens aged 60 or above also qualify. Taxpayers previously faced confusion when selecting between Form 15G and Form 15H. The Income Tax Department merged both forms into Form No. 121 under the Income Tax Rules, 2026 to eliminate ambiguity. Declarations for tax years starting on or after 1st April 2026 must use Form No. 121.

Single UIN Allotment across Payers

Under the earlier framework, each payer generated a separate Unique Identification Number for every Form 15G or 15H received. Duplicate entries caused practical difficulties during reconciliation for tax authorities and payers. The Income Tax Department will now allot a single Unique Identification Number for each Permanent Account Number for a given tax year. All declarations submitted by a taxpayer to different payers will link to this single number. Payers can fetch the relevant Unique Identification Number directly from the departmental portal. The updated system ensures consolidated tracking and removes duplication across financial institutions.

Changes to Other Declarations and Tax Forms

The Income Tax Department introduced updates to several other forms under the Income Tax Rules, 2026. Individuals without a Permanent Account Number entering specified transactions must file Form No. 97 instead of Form 60 under Rule 159(2). Payers receiving Form No. 97 must submit half-yearly statements in Form No. 98. Taxpayers seeking a lower or nil withholding certificate under Section 395(1) of the Income Tax Act, 2025 must apply using Form No. 128 through TRACES or the e-filing portal. Existing certificates issued under Section 197 of the old Act remain valid for payments on or after 1st April 2026 if issued for tax year 2026-27. Relief for salary received in arrears or advance moves from Form 10E to Form No. 39 under Section 157. Additionally, foreign remittances on or after 1st April 2026 require Form No. 145 and Form No. 146 under Section 397(3)(d), replacing Forms 15CA and 15CB.

Sources

• Income Tax Forms FAQs — Income Tax Department (checked 10 Oct 2026)