The 31 October Tax Deadline: Lodge It Yourself or Get on a Tax Agent’s List This Week

If your 2025–26 tax return is still sitting on the to-do list, this is the week to deal with it. For anyone lodging their own return, the 31 October tax deadline is the big date on the ATO calendar. But there’s a second option that many people don’t know about: if you engage a registered tax agent before the deadline, you may get a lot more time to lodge.

Here’s what the 31 October tax deadline means for you this year, how a tax agent’s lodgement program works, and what to do in the next few days.

When is the 31 October tax deadline in 2026?

If you’re lodging your own tax return, the ATO says it’s due by 31 October each year. If 31 October falls on a weekend, the due date moves to the next business day.

In 2026, 31 October is a Saturday, so self-lodgers have until Monday 2 November 2026.

That’s handy breathing room. However, don’t count on it. If you hit a snag at the last minute (a missing income statement, a question about a deduction), you’ll want time to sort it out.

What if you owe tax?

According to the ATO, if you lodge your own return between 1 July and 31 October and it results in a tax bill, payment is due by 21 November. If your assessment issues after 31 October, payment is due 21 days after the assessment is issued. So if paying on time looks hard, contact the ATO early, as payment plans may be available.

How a registered tax agent can give you more time

Registered tax agents have access to the ATO’s registered agent lodgment program. As the ATO puts it, agents generally have special lodgement schedules and can lodge returns for their clients later than 31 October.

For the 2026 tax return, the ATO’s lodgment program lists these key dates for individuals:

• 15 May 2027: most individuals who aren’t required to lodge earlier (including new registrations).
• 5 June 2027: a concession for returns due 15 May, as long as any tax payable is also paid by that date.
• 31 March 2027: individuals whose latest return resulted in a tax liability of $20,000 or more.
• 31 October 2026: anyone who had one or more prior-year tax returns outstanding as at 30 June 2026.

The ATO can also ask for a return to be lodged earlier than the program date, so the lodgment program is a concession, not a guarantee.

The catch: you must be on the agent’s list by 31 October

This is the part people miss. To be covered by an agent’s lodgment program, your tax agent needs to have notified the ATO that they act for you, by adding you to their client list, by 31 October 2026.

However, the weekend rule that helps self-lodgers doesn’t help here. The ATO is clear that agents can’t notify it on the next business day. With 31 October falling on a Saturday, it makes sense to get in touch with a tax agent by Friday 30 October at the latest, and earlier in the week if you can.

Behind on past returns?

If you have older tax returns that haven’t been lodged, the lodgment program won’t stretch your 2026 deadline. Under the ATO’s rules, all prior-year returns need to be lodged (not just last year’s) by 31 October 2026 for the 2026 return to get the agent’s later due date. As a result, if you’re in this boat, talk to a tax agent now. Catching up is usually much less painful than people expect.

Should you lodge yourself or use a tax agent?

Plenty of people with simple affairs lodge through myTax, and that’s fine. A tax agent tends to be worth it when:

• you’re a sole trader or tradie reporting business income and expenses in your individual return
• you have rental properties, shares or crypto
• you’ve had a big life change (new job, redundancy, a business start-up or wind-down)
• you’re behind on previous years
• you simply need more time to get your paperwork together.

We cover more of the pros and cons in our article on why Australians choose a tax agent.

Whatever you decide, remember you’re still responsible for what’s in your return. Moneysmart also recommends checking that any agent you use is listed on the Tax Practitioners Board’s register.

Your 31 October tax deadline checklist

Whether you lodge yourself or hand it to an agent, the ATO recommends having these ready:

• Bank account details (BSB and account number) for any refund
• Income statements or payment summaries from all employers
• Centrelink payment summaries, if relevant
• Receipts or statements for the deductions you plan to claim
• Your spouse’s income, if you have a spouse
• Private health insurance details, if you have cover.

For sole traders and small business owners, also pull together:

• your business income and expense records, ideally reconciled
• details of any assets bought for the business
• motor vehicle logbook or kilometre records, if you’re claiming car expenses
• home office records.

If your bookkeeping is a bit behind, don’t let that stop you engaging an agent before the deadline. Getting on the client list first buys you time to tidy the numbers properly. Also, if your books need a proper catch-up, our sister business BN Books can help with your bookkeeping.

What to do before the 31 October tax deadline

1. Decide your path today. If you’re confident and your affairs are simple, lodge through myTax before Monday 2 November.
2. If you want a tax agent, call before Friday 30 October. Your agent needs time to add you to their client list before 31 October.
3. Gather your documents using the checklist above.
4. Flag any outstanding older returns so they can be dealt with first.
5. Can’t lodge or pay on time? Contact the ATO or your tax agent before the due date, not after.

How BN Tax can help

BN Tax is a registered tax agent with more than 20 years’ experience helping individuals, sole traders and small businesses across Australia. We work 100% remotely, so it doesn’t matter where you are. If you’d like us to look after your 2026 tax return, we’ll add you to our client list so you can benefit from our lodgement program, then work through the details with you.

Give us a call on 1300 790 113 or visit our tax returns page to book in. Prefer to write? Use our contact page. Just please don’t leave it until the weekend, because the 31 October tax deadline won’t move for agents.

This article is general information only and doesn’t take your personal circumstances into account. Dates are current as published by the ATO at the time of writing.

Sources: ATO: Preparing your tax return · ATO: Registered agent lodgment program, individuals and trusts