0000205802 2022-05-27 2022-05-27 0000205802 PTAEX:S000006568Member 2022-05-27 2022-05-27 0000205802 PTAEX:S000006568Member PTAEX:C000017918Member 2022-05-27 2022-05-27 0000205802 PTAEX:S000006568Member PTAEX:C000017919Member 2022-05-27 2022-05-27 0000205802 PTAEX:S000006568Member PTAEX:C000017917Member 2022-05-27 2022-05-27 0000205802 PTAEX:S000006568Member PTAEX:C000202806Member 2022-05-27 2022-05-27 0000205802 PTAEX:S000006568Member PTAEX:C000060417Member 2022-05-27 2022-05-27 iso4217:USD pure 0000205802 false 497 Putnam Tax Exempt Income Fund N-1A 2022-01-30 ~ http://putnam.com/role/ShareholderFeesData column period compact * column dei_LegalEntityAxis compact PTAEX_S000006568Member column rr_ProspectusShareClassAxis compact * row primary compact * ~ Fees and expenses <p id="xdx_A87_err--ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock_zHeHKknctdT1" style="font: 12pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"><span style="font-size: 11pt">The following tables describe the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the fund. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the tables and examples below. <span id="xdx_90A_err--ExpenseBreakpointDiscounts_dU_c20220527__20220527__dei--LegalEntityAxis__custom--S000006568Member_z66CkMrngcy4">You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least <span id="xdx_907_err--ExpenseBreakpointMinimumInvestmentRequiredAmount_dU_c20220527__20220527__dei--LegalEntityAxis__custom--S000006568Member_zXKZXhKBwHYc">$50,000</span> in class A shares of Putnam funds.</span> More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and in <i>How do I buy fund shares?</i> beginning on page </span>15 <span style="font-size: 11pt">of the fund’s prospectus, in the Appendix to the fund’s prospectus, and in How to buy shares beginning on page II-1 of the fund’s statement of additional information (SAI).</span></p> <p style="font: 12pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"><b> </b></p> You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in class A shares of Putnam funds. 50000 Shareholder fees (fees paid directly from your investment) 0.0400 0.0100 0 0.0500 0 0.0100 0 0 0 0 Applies only to certain redemptions of shares bought with no initial sales charge. This charge is phased out over six years. This charge is eliminated after one year.