U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 24F-2
Annual Notice of Securities Sold
Pursuant to Rule 24f-2
1. Name and address of issuer:
Putnam Tax-Free Income Trust
One Post Office Square
Boston, Massachusetts 02109
2. The name of each series or class of securities for
which
this Form is filed (if the Form is being filed for
all
series and classes of securities of the issuer, check
the
box but do not list series or classes): [ ]
Putnam Tax-Free High Yield Fund
3. Investment Company Act File Number: 811-4345
Securities Act File Number: 2-98790
4(a). Last day of fiscal year for which this Form is filed:
July 31, 1997
4(b). [ ] Check box if this Form is being filed late
(i.e.,
more than 90 calendar days after the end of the
issuer's fiscal year). (See Instruction A.2)
Note: If the Form is being filed late, interest must
be
paid on the registration fee due.
4(c). [ ]Check box if this is the last time the issuer
will
be filing this Form.
5. Calculation of registration fee:
(i) Aggregate sale price of securities sold
during the fiscal year pursuant to section
$585,547,782
24(f):
(ii) Aggregate price of securities redeemed or
$558,936,503
repurchased during the fiscal year:
(iii) Aggregate price of securities redeemed or
$0
repurchased during any prior fiscal year
ending no earlier than October 11, 1995
that were not previously used to reduce
registration fees payable to the
Commission:
(iv) Total available redemption credits [add
$558,936,503
Items 5(ii) and 5(iii):
(v) Net sales - if Item 5(i) is greater than
$26,611,279
Item 5(iv) [subtract Item 5(iv) from Item
5(i)]:
(vi) Redemption credits available for use in
$0
future years - if Item 5(i) is less than
Item 5 (iv) [subtract Item 5 (iv) from
Item 5 (i)]:
(vii) Multiplier for determining registration 1/33rd
of 1%
fee
(see Instruction C.9):
(viii)Registration fee due [multiply Item 5(v)
$8,064.03
by Item 5(vii)] (enter 0 if no fee is
due):
6. Prepaid Shares
If the response to Item 5(i) was determined by
deducting
an amount of securities that were registered under
the
Securities Act of 1933 pursuant to rule 24e-2 as in
effect before October 11, 1997, then report the
amount of
securities (number of shares or other units) deducted
here:
If there is a number of shares or other units that
were
registered pursuant to rule 24e-2 remaining unsold at
the
end of the fiscal year for which this form is filed
that
are available for use by the issuer in future years,
then
state that number here:
7. Interest due - if this Form is being filed more than
90
days after the end of the issuer's fiscal year (see
Instruction D):
+$
8. Total of the amount of the registration fee due plus
any
interest due [line 5(viii) plus line 7]:
=$8,064.03
9. Date the registration fee and any interest payment
was
sent to the Commission's lockbox depository:
October 28, 1997
Method of Delivery:
[ X ] Wire Transfer (CIK 0000771951)
[ ] Mail or other means
SIGNATURE
This report has been signed below by the following person on
behalf of the issuer and in the capacity and on the date
indicated.
By (Signature and Title) /s/ John D. Hughes
___________________________________
John D. Hughes
Senior Vice President and
Treasurer
Date: October 28, 1997
