A professional tax is a direct tax levied by the government on employees and professionals. The Professional Tax is a source of revenue for the state governments, which helps implement schemes for the welfare and development of the region.
The professional tax is a state tax, and the tax rates vary from state to state. Down below, we have dedicated state-wise pages with state-specific information and references.
Just like the income tax, the professional tax is linked to the income slabs. It is deducted at the source by the employer. It is a nominal tax and never exceeds a few hundred rupees a month. The maximum amount of Professional Tax that any state can impose in India is ₹2500. Further, the total amount of Professional Tax paid during the year is allowed as a deduction under the Income Tax Act.
The objective of this article is to provide a broad overview of the subject in general terms and the various state links. We recommend that you double-click into each of these state-wise links for more detailed information, including slab rates.
Each state has passed its Professional Tax Act with local compliances. These acts are also amended from time to time. Check out the specifics by clicking on one of the states shown below.
Professional tax is not applicable in the states mentioned below:
| Andaman and Nicobar Islands | Arunachal Pradesh | Chandigarh | Dadra and Nagar Haveli |
| Daman and Diu | Delhi | Goa | Haryana |
| Himachal Pradesh | Ladakh | Lakshadweep | Rajasthan |
| Uttaranchal | Uttar Pradesh |
The professional tax applies to employees (wage earners) of almost all industries. It's also applicable to professionals like doctors, chartered accountants (CAs), consultants, traders, and other self-employed individuals.
Apart from individuals, the professional tax applies to various other "persons." The definition of a legal person is broad and extends to organizations and groups like:
There are exemptions provided for specific individuals to pay Professional Tax under the Professional Tax Rules. The following individuals are exempt from paying professional tax:
Even for "persons" who are non-exempt, most do not have to pay professional tax if their income is below a certain threshold.
The above is a broad list of exemptions. Please refer to the rules for the individual states below for specific information related to your state.
The employer is responsible for registering, deducting, and paying the professional tax to the government regularly for employees and wage earners. Failure to comply has consequences like fines and penal tax.
However, in self-employed professionals, the individuals are personally responsible for paying their professional tax. They will first need to enroll and obtain a Certificate of Enrollment from the tax department.
Fails to Get Registration: The person or company will be liable to a penalty for the period during which it remains unregistered.
Fails to Deposit to the Government/ Late Deposition: Will be liable to a penalty for the delay duration.
Non-Deposition of Amount: The officials have the power to recover such amount along with applicable penalty and interest from the assets of such defaulter. Moreover, they can even attach the bank account also. In severe cases, defaulters can be prosecuted.