JB PARCEL1031 Exchange Deadline Calculator
The 1031 clock starts the day your relinquished property closes and it does not stop for weekends, holidays, or a slow seller. Here are your exact dates and how many days are left.
How this calculator works
Two clocks start the day after your relinquished property closes and they run at the same time, not one after the other. You have 45 calendar days to identify replacement property in writing, and 180 calendar days total to close on it. Day 46 through day 180 is your closing window, and if you have not identified by day 45, there is nothing left to close on.
Calendar days means calendar days. Weekends count, holidays count, and the deadline does not roll forward if it lands on a Sunday. The IRS grants relief only in federally declared disaster situations. Every experienced intermediary has watched an exchange fail over a deadline someone assumed would be flexible.
The rule most people miss is the tax return cutoff. Your exchange period ends on the earlier of 180 days or the due date of your tax return for the year of the sale, including extensions. Close in November and your 180 days runs past April 15, which means without filing an extension your exchange period is cut short. Filing the extension is the fix and it costs nothing.
The other requirement that kills exchanges has nothing to do with dates: a qualified intermediary must be engaged and the exchange documents in place before the relinquished property closes. If the sale proceeds hit your account, even briefly, you have constructive receipt and the exchange is over. Line up the intermediary while the property is under contract, not after.
Worked example: a sale closing in late August
Relinquished property closes August 21, 2026.
| Day 1 | August 22, 2026 |
|---|---|
| 45-day identification deadline | October 5, 2026 |
| 180-day exchange deadline | February 17, 2027 |
| Tax return due date | April 15, 2027 |
| Actual final deadline | February 17, 2027 |
An August closing is comfortable, because 180 days lands before the return due date either way. Move that closing to November 20 and the picture changes: identification is due January 4, 2027 and 180 days lands on May 19, 2027, which is past April 15, so without an extension your exchange period ends April 15 and you lose over a month. Late-year sellers should plan the extension from the start.
Questions investors ask
When does the 45-day clock start?
The day after the relinquished property closes. Both the 45-day and 180-day periods run from that same start date, concurrently. They are calendar days, including weekends and holidays, with no extension when a deadline falls on a weekend.
How many properties can I identify?
Three common rules. The three-property rule lets you identify up to three properties of any value. The 200 percent rule lets you identify any number as long as their combined fair market value does not exceed 200 percent of what you sold. The 95 percent rule lets you identify any number of any value, but you must actually acquire 95 percent of the identified value. Most exchangers use the three-property rule. Identification must be in writing, signed, and delivered to your qualified intermediary.
What happens if I miss a deadline?
The exchange fails and the sale becomes fully taxable in the year of the sale, including depreciation recapture. There is no partial credit and no appeal outside of federally declared disaster relief. This is why experienced exchangers identify more than one property and put a backup under contract early.
Do I have to buy something more expensive?
To fully defer, generally yes: buy replacement property of equal or greater value, reinvest all the net equity, and replace the debt you paid off or make up the difference with cash. Anything you hold back, cash or debt relief, is boot and is taxable. A partial exchange is allowed and is sometimes the right answer, you just pay tax on the boot.
What is a qualified intermediary and when do I need one?
A qualified intermediary is an independent party who holds the sale proceeds and handles the exchange documents so you never take constructive receipt. You must have one engaged and the exchange agreement signed before the relinquished property closes. Your attorney, your CPA, and your real estate agent generally cannot serve as your intermediary because of disqualified person rules. Line one up while the property is under contract.
Can I exchange into a different type of property?
Yes. Like-kind for real property is broad: you can exchange a rental house for a strip center, farmland for an apartment building, or a single property for several. What you cannot do since 2018 is exchange personal property, and the property must be held for investment or productive use in a trade or business on both sides. Your primary residence does not qualify.
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