Landlord Filing Deadlines: The Federal Calendar Every Landlord Should Know

The federal deadlines that apply to almost every landlord

Owning a rental creates a handful of recurring federal obligations. These are uniform across all 50 states (your state and city may add more — see the Compliance Calendar tool for a personalized list). General information, not tax advice.

The big three: report your rental income on Schedule E with your Form 1040 (due April 15); pay quarterly estimated taxes if you expect to owe $1,000+ (roughly April 15, June 15, September 15, and January 15); and, if you paid any unincorporated contractor $600 or more for work on the property, file a 1099-NEC and send the contractor a copy by January 31.

Don't get caught by the January 31 contractor deadline

The 1099-NEC trips up the most landlords. If you paid a handyman, plumber, or landscaper $600+ over the year (and they're not a corporation), you owe them and the IRS a 1099-NEC by January 31 — a tight window right after year-end. The fix: collect a W-9 from every contractor before you pay them, so you have the information ready in January.

Your state and city add more

If you hold the property in an LLC, your state almost certainly requires an annual or biennial report (and sometimes a separate tax filing). Many cities require annual rental registration on top of that. Those vary too much to list here — build your personalized list, with sources and dates, in the free Compliance Calendar and export it to your phone's calendar.