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2026 federal Form 941 deadlines
Form 941 reports federal income tax withheld from wages and Social Security and Medicare taxes. It is generally due on the last day of the month after each calendar quarter ends. If the due date falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, it moves to the next business day.
| Quarter | Ordinary Form 941 deadline | Deadline if all required deposits were timely and in full |
|---|---|---|
| Q1: Jan. 1–Mar. 31, 2026 | April 30, 2026 | May 11, 2026 (May 10 falls on Sunday) |
| Q2: Apr. 1–Jun. 30, 2026 | July 31, 2026 | August 10, 2026 |
| Q3: Jul. 1–Sep. 30, 2026 | November 2, 2026 (Oct. 31 falls on Saturday) | November 10, 2026 |
| Q4: Oct. 1–Dec. 31, 2026 | February 1, 2027 (Jan. 31 falls on Sunday) | February 10, 2027 |
An employer that deposited the full amount due on time may generally file by the 10th day of the second month after the quarter ends. The later filing date does not extend a deposit deadline. See the 2026 Instructions for Form 941 and the IRS third-quarter and fourth-quarter tax calendars.
How to determine your deposit schedule
For employers filing Form 941, the IRS generally assigns the deposit schedule using the total tax liability in a lookback period: the four quarters from July 1 of the second preceding year through June 30 of the preceding year. It is not based on how often you pay employees.
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- Monthly schedule: Lookback-period liability of $50,000 or less generally means monthly deposits.
- Semiweekly schedule: Lookback-period liability above $50,000 generally means semiweekly deposits.
- New employers: New employers generally begin as monthly schedule depositors in their first year, but the $100,000 next-day rule can change the schedule.
These thresholds and rules are described in the IRS Publication 15 (2026), Employer’s Tax Guide.
Monthly and semiweekly deposit deadlines
Monthly deposits
Deposit taxes on wages paid during a month by the 15th day of the following month. If that date is not a business day, the deadline generally moves to the next business day.
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Semiweekly deposits
The payday determines which deadline applies:
- Taxes on wages paid Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday are generally due the following Wednesday.
- Taxes on wages paid Saturday, Sunday, Monday, or Tuesday are generally due the following Friday.
The IRS Publication 509 (2026), Tax Calendars provides the corresponding calendar dates for semiweekly deposits in 2026.
Important exceptions and payment method
$100,000 next-day rule
If an employer accumulates $100,000 or more in tax liability on a day, it generally must deposit that amount by the next business day. The employer also becomes a semiweekly schedule depositor for the rest of that year and the following year.
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Limited exception for small quarterly amounts
Some Form 941 employers may pay the tax with a timely return instead of making deposits if the tax after adjustments and nonrefundable credits is less than $2,500 for both the current and preceding quarter, and no $100,000 next-day deposit obligation arose in the current quarter. If you are uncertain whether you qualify, the IRS instructions advise using the regular deposit schedule.
Electronic deposits
Federal tax deposits must be made electronically. Employers may make them through a tax professional, financial institution, payroll service, or another trusted third party. The IRS explains deposit requirements in Topic No. 757.
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Form 941 is not the only possible filing
Many employers file Form 941 quarterly, but some employers eligible under IRS rules file Form 944 annually instead. Do not assume you can choose between the forms; eligibility and IRS requirements determine which return applies. See IRS Topic No. 758 for Form 941 and Form 944 filing requirements.
Federal unemployment tax (FUTA) has separate deposit rules and an annual Form 940 return, generally due on the last day of the first month after the calendar year. It does not follow the Form 941 monthly or semiweekly schedule in every case. Consult Publication 509 for the applicable FUTA deposit and filing dates.
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Federal dates do not cover state and local payroll taxes
The dates here apply to federal employer payroll taxes. State, local, and territorial withholding and unemployment-tax deadlines vary by jurisdiction, so check the relevant tax agency’s current calendar as well as the IRS calendar. For your federal obligations, use the IRS 2026 tax calendar and the instructions for the return and filing status that apply to your business.
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