The fundamentals
Section 10(13A) exempts HRA from taxable income — but only up to a cap. The cap is the MINIMUM of three values, all computed annually:
Cap 1: The actual HRA you received from your employer. Cap 2: 50% of your basic salary (if you live in a metro — Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata) OR 40% of basic (everywhere else). Cap 3: Actual rent paid minus 10% of basic salary.
Whichever of the three is LOWEST is your HRA exemption. The remaining HRA is fully taxable. Almost everyone claims either Cap 1 (the full HRA component) or Cap 2 (50% of basic) — but Cap 3 (rent − 10% of basic) is usually the binding cap, and that's where the under-claim comes from.
The three caps — you claim the minimum
Three-cap formula, worked for a Bangalore renter (basic ₹6L, HRA ₹3L, rent ₹30K/month)
| Cap | Formula | This example |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Actual HRA received | HRA line on payslip × 12 | ₹3,00,000 |
| 2. Metro 50% / non-metro 40% of basic | 50% × basic (metro) OR 40% × basic | 40% × ₹6L = ₹2,40,000 |
| 3. Rent paid − 10% of basic | Annual rent − 10% × basic | ₹3.6L − ₹60K = ₹3,00,000 |
| Final exemption | MIN of the three | ₹2,40,000 (cap 2 binds) |
Metros for HRA: Delhi · Mumbai · Chennai · Kolkata only. Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune, Ahmedabad are 40% per IT-Act. The non-claimed remainder of HRA is fully taxable. Old regime only — new regime forfeits HRA entirely.
Why most renters under-claim
Payroll computes HRA from one cap (usually the metro/non-metro one against basic) and never recomputes against actual rent. If your rent is high relative to basic, cap 3 dominates — and your employer's payroll TDS leaves money on the table. Reconcile all three at ITR time, not before.
Documentation that survives scrutiny
Monthly rent receipts (revenue stamp on ≥ ₹5K), rental agreement, bank-statement evidence of rent debits, and landlord's PAN (mandatory if rent > ₹1L/year). Cash rent + verbal agreement = the claim won't survive an assessing officer's review.
Worked example
Worked: Bangalore renter, ₹15L CTC, basic ₹6L, HRA ₹3L, rent ₹30,000/month (₹3.6L/year). Old regime.
Naïve claim (what most do)
Claims ₹3L (full HRA). This passes ITR initially but fails on scrutiny. Bangalore is non-metro for IT-Act, so Cap 2 is 40% of ₹6L = ₹2.4L. The naïve claim over-states exemption by ₹0.6L. At 30% marginal rate, that's ₹18,000 of tax you'd owe back with interest if assessed.
Correct claim (three-cap)
MIN(₹3L HRA, 40% × ₹6L = ₹2.4L, ₹3.6L − 10% × ₹6L = ₹3L) = ₹2.4L. Saves ₹2.4L × 30% = ₹72,000 of tax. Reliable through scrutiny.
The naïve claim isn't ALWAYS too high — sometimes it's too low. A ₹50K/month renter in Mumbai (basic ₹4L) has Cap 3 = ₹6L − ₹40K = ₹5.6L, but most claim only the HRA component of ₹2L. They UNDER-claim by ₹3.6L. The point: always compute all three caps, not just the obvious one.
All numbers FY 2025-26, old regime only. New regime forfeits HRA entirely (worth running both regimes through Sajag before electing).
Important caveats
Non-metro vs metro: the IT-Act only lists Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata as metros for HRA purposes. Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune, Ahmedabad, etc. are 'non-metro' — you get 40% of basic, not 50%. This trips up a lot of urban claimants.
If annual rent > ₹1,00,000, you MUST provide your landlord's PAN to your employer or in ITR. No PAN = no exemption. Some landlords refuse to share PAN — that's a deal-breaker for the deduction.
Rent paid to parents IS allowed (if you actually pay) and the parent files it as house-property income. Rent paid to spouse is NOT allowed (Section 10(13A) excludes spouse).
If you live in your OWN home, you cannot claim HRA — even if your salary has an HRA component. The whole HRA component becomes taxable.
HRA is OLD-REGIME ONLY. Under the new regime, the entire HRA component is taxable. This single fact decides the regime for most metro renters with substantial rent.
Common questions
I claim HRA from my employer through payroll. Do I still need to compute the three caps?
Yes. What your employer deducts in TDS may not match what you're actually entitled to claim in your ITR. The three-cap computation is what the assessing officer applies — match it, and your ITR will reconcile cleanly with your Form 16.
Can I claim HRA if I pay rent to my parents?
Yes, provided three things: (a) your parents actually own the property (not just are residing there), (b) you actually transfer rent to their bank account, (c) they report it as house-property income in their ITR. Cash 'rent' to your own parents fails scrutiny.
My company says Bangalore is a metro — should I claim 50%?
Your company can choose to apply 50% in payroll if they want, but the IT-Act lists only the four metros (Delhi/Mumbai/Chennai/Kolkata) for the 50% cap. If you claim 50% for Bangalore in your ITR, the cap on scrutiny will be 40% and you'll owe tax + interest on the difference.
I work-from-home in Pune but my company is registered in Mumbai. Which city counts?
The city where you ACTUALLY pay rent. If you rent in Pune (non-metro), Cap 2 is 40% — regardless of where your employer is based.
Can I claim HRA and Section 24 home-loan interest at the same time?
Yes — if you genuinely live in rented accommodation while owning a home that's let out (or vacant in another city). The home you live in must be rented; the home you own must NOT be self-occupied. Many salaried families with home-town parental property + city rental fit this exactly.
When this doesn’t apply
- • You're on the new regime — HRA is fully taxable. The exemption is old-regime-only.
- • You don't have rent receipts or your landlord won't share PAN (rent > ₹1L/year). The claim won't survive ITR processing.
- • You live in employer-provided housing — that's perquisite, not HRA. Different tax treatment entirely.
Related guides
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