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How to Get Your Form 16 from Employer or TRACES

Get Form 16 (Parts A and B) — your annual TDS certificate — from your employer, and what to do if your employer is delayed or refuses to issue it. How Part A is generated on TRACES.

Last verified
21 June 2026
Official site
tdscpc.gov.in ↗
Application Mode
Online & Offline
Validity
Annual
Issuing Authority
Employer via TRACES
Online
Available
Offline
Available

Form 16 is the annual TDS certificate issued by your employer. It has two parts:

  • Part A — generated by the employer from the TRACES portal, signed digitally, carrying a unique certificate number. This is the part that proves TDS was deposited against your PAN.
  • Part B — prepared by the employer, breaking down salary, exemptions (HRA, LTA), deductions (80C, 80D), and final tax. This part is not on TRACES.

You don't download Form 16 directly — only your employer can. Once they share it, verify Part A against Form 26AS: the TDS amounts must match.

If your employer delays Form 16 past 15 June, send a written request. If they still don't issue it, you can file a complaint with the jurisdictional Assessing Officer.

Eligibility

  • You were a salaried employee during the financial year.
  • Your employer deducted TDS on your salary (any amount above zero).

Required documents

  • PAN

    Required

    Identifies you on the TRACES system for TDS credit.

    Your PAN must be on file with the employer.

    PDF

  • Employer's TAN

    Optional

    Identifies the deductor (your employer) on the TRACES system.

    Useful for verifying Form 16 on the TRACES portal.

Step-by-step process

  1. 1

    Approach your HR / payroll team

    Form 16 is issued by your employer — they generate Part A from TRACES and Part B from their payroll system. Most employers email it to your registered email.

  2. 2

    Verify Part A on TRACES

    Part A is the official TDS certificate downloaded by the employer from the TRACES portal — it carries a unique certificate number. Match the TAN, name, TDS amount, and PAN to your own records.

    tdscpc.gov.in ↗
  3. 3

    Check Part B for salary breakdown

    Part B is the employer's breakdown — gross salary, exemptions (HRA, LTA), deductions (80C, 80D), net taxable salary, and final tax. This isn't on TRACES; it's prepared by the employer.

  4. 4

    Cross-check against Form 26AS

    Log in to incometax.gov.in and view Form 26AS / AIS. The TDS shown in Form 16 Part A must match Form 26AS entries against your PAN.

    Read the next guide →
  5. 5

    If employer delays beyond 15 June

    Form 16 must be issued by 15 June following the financial year. If your employer hasn't issued it by then, raise a written request. If still not provided, file a complaint with the Assessing Officer.

  6. 6

    Use Form 16 to file ITR

    Form 16 + Form 26AS + AIS are the three documents used to file ITR-1. Most numbers pre-fill on the e-Filing portal.

Official website

Always confirm critical details here

tdscpc.gov.in

Open tdscpc.gov.in ↗

Who issues this?

Issuing Office
Your employer (deductor), generating Part A via TRACES (TDS Reconciliation Analysis and Correction Enabling System)
Approving Officer
Employer's payroll / accounts team
For Offline Applications
Your employer's HR or payroll department

What happens after applying

  1. 1

    TDS deducted

    Your employer deducts TDS from salary during the financial year and deposits it with the government against your PAN.

  2. 2

    Form 24Q filed

    Employer files quarterly TDS returns (Form 24Q) on TRACES, which maps the TDS to your PAN.

  3. 3

    Part A generated

    After the financial year ends, employer downloads Part A from TRACES. This is signed digitally and carries a unique certificate number.

  4. 4

    Part B prepared

    Employer prepares Part B (salary breakdown) from their payroll system.

  5. 5

    Form 16 issued to employee

    Employer emails or hands over the combined Form 16 (Part A + Part B) by 15 June following the financial year.

Common mistakes & rejection reasons

  • Assuming you can download Form 16 directly

    Why: Only the employer (deductor) can download Part A from TRACES. Employees do not have access to the TRACES download portal.

    Fix: Contact your HR or payroll team and request Form 16. If delayed beyond 15 June, send a formal written request.

  • Not verifying Part A against Form 26AS

    Why: Errors in the employer's TDS return can cause a mismatch between Form 16 and Form 26AS. Filing ITR with mismatched numbers leads to notices.

    Fix: Always cross-check TDS shown in Form 16 Part A against your Form 26AS on the income tax portal before filing ITR.

  • Using Form 16 from a previous FY for current ITR

    Why: Form 16 is issued year-by-year and applies to a specific financial year only.

    Fix: Ensure you have the Form 16 for the relevant financial year (the one you are filing ITR for).

  • Losing Form 16 after receiving it

    Why: EPFO does not store Form 16; only the employer can regenerate it by downloading from TRACES again.

    Fix: Save the PDF in a secure location immediately. If lost, ask your employer to re-issue it from TRACES.

  • Not declaring income from multiple employers

    Why: If you worked for two employers in the same year, each issues a separate Form 16. Filing ITR with only one means underreporting income.

    Fix: Collect Form 16 from each employer. Combine all incomes in the ITR, mentioning the TAN of each employer.

  • PAN not updated with employer

    Why: If your PAN was not on file when TDS was deducted, TDS gets deposited under a wrong mapping, causing Form 26AS to show no credit against your PAN.

    Fix: Ensure your PAN is updated with your employer from day one. If already deducted incorrectly, your employer must file a correction statement on TRACES.

Special situations

Left job mid-year before Form 16 was issued▾

Your previous employer is still required to issue Form 16 for the period you worked with them. Contact HR of the previous company.

Employer shut down or untraceable▾

Download Form 26AS from the income tax portal to confirm TDS credited. Use this as the basis for ITR filing even without Form 16.

TDS not deducted because income was below threshold▾

If your salary fell below the basic exemption limit and no TDS was deducted, Form 16 may not be issued. You can still file ITR using salary slips and bank statements.

Employer issued Part A but not Part B▾

Part B (salary breakdown) is essential for accurately computing deductions and taxable income. Follow up with HR specifically for Part B.

Form 16 shows wrong figures▾

Ask your employer to correct the TDS return on TRACES and re-issue Form 16 with the corrected certificate. Do not file ITR with incorrect figures.

Frequently asked questions

By when must my employer give me Form 16?▾

By 15 June following the end of the financial year (FY ending 31 March, Form 16 due by 15 June).

Can I download Form 16 myself from any portal?▾

No. Only the deductor (your employer) can download Part A from TRACES. You receive it from them — by email or HR portal.

What if I worked for two employers in the same year?▾

You'll receive one Form 16 from each. While filing ITR, declare income from both.

What if my employer refuses to issue Form 16?▾

Write a formal request first. If denied, file a complaint with your jurisdictional Assessing Officer. The Income Tax Act mandates issue of Form 16 when TDS is deducted.

What is the difference between Form 16 Part A and Part B?▾

Part A is the official TDS certificate generated from TRACES by your employer — it confirms TDS deposited against your PAN. Part B is the employer's salary breakdown including exemptions, deductions, and taxable income. Both together form your complete Form 16.

What if Form 16 and Form 26AS show different TDS amounts?▾

This is a mismatch that will create problems during ITR filing. Inform your employer immediately — they need to file a TDS correction return on TRACES to reconcile the figures.

Is Form 16 the same as Form 16A?▾

No. Form 16 is for salaried employees and covers TDS on salary. Form 16A is for TDS on non-salary income such as interest, professional fees, or rent. If you have both, you'll have separate documents.

Do I need Form 16 if no TDS was deducted?▾

If TDS was not deducted (income below the threshold), the employer is not required to issue Form 16. You can file ITR using salary slips, bank statements, and Form 26AS.

Can I use Form 16 from the previous year for the current ITR?▾

No. Form 16 is year-specific. Each financial year requires its own Form 16 for that year's income and TDS.

What is a unique certificate number on Form 16 Part A?▾

It is a system-generated number assigned by TRACES when the employer downloads Part A. This number allows the employee and tax authorities to verify the certificate's authenticity on the TRACES portal.

My employer uses a third-party payroll system. Can I get Form 16 from there?▾

Some payroll platforms (e.g., Darwinbox, Greythr, Keka) allow employees to download Form 16 directly from the HRMS. Check your employee portal. Regardless of the platform, Form 16 Part A must originate from TRACES.

What if my PAN was not submitted to the employer during the year?▾

TDS may have been deducted at a higher rate (20%) and deposited without a PAN link. Contact your employer to file a PAN correction on TRACES so the credit appears against your PAN on Form 26AS.

I resigned mid-year. Will my employer give me Form 16?▾

Yes. Your former employer is legally required to issue Form 16 for the period of employment during that financial year, even after you leave.

Do startups and small companies also need to issue Form 16?▾

Yes. Any employer that deducts TDS on salary — regardless of company size — must issue Form 16. The company size does not change the obligation.

How do I verify if Form 16 Part A is genuine?▾

Go to the TRACES portal (tdscpc.gov.in), use the 'Verify TDS Certificate' option, and enter the certificate number, TAN, and your PAN. This confirms if the certificate was actually downloaded by the employer.

Official sources

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Disclaimer: This guide is for informational purposes only. Government portals, document requirements, and fees can change without notice. Always verify the latest requirements on the official website before you apply. Last verified on 21 June 2026.

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