Last Updated: March 2026

Professional Tax Calculator — State-Wise PT Slabs 2026

TL;DR

This Professional Tax Calculator computes your monthly and annual PT for any Indian state — including Maharashtra's gender-specific slabs and the special ₹300 month (March for Maharashtra, February for Karnataka). Select your state, enter gross salary, and get instant results with the applicable slab breakdown. Constitutional cap: ₹2,500/year. States like Delhi, UP, Rajasthan, Haryana, and Punjab don't levy PT at all.

Calculate Your Professional Tax

What Is Professional Tax?

Professional Tax (PT) is a state-level direct tax levied on individuals earning income from employment, profession, trade, or business. Despite the name, it applies to all salaried employees — not just professionals. It is authorised under Article 276 of the Indian Constitution with a constitutional ceiling of ₹2,500 per year per person.

For salaried employees, the employer deducts PT from monthly salary and remits it to the state government — similar to TDS. Self-employed individuals pay PT directly. The amount varies by state and salary slab. PT paid is fully deductible from salary income under Section 16(iii) of the Income Tax Act under both old and new tax regimes.

Professional Tax Basics

Constitutional Maximum: ₹2,500/year (Article 276)
Levied by: State governments (21 states + 1 UT)
Deducted by: Employer (from salary)
Tax Deduction: Section 16(iii) — both old & new regime
Tax Saving: ₹2,500 × 31.2% (30% slab + cess) = ₹780 saved

CA Tip: Professional Tax is one of the few deductions available under the new tax regime (via Section 16(iii)). Even though ₹2,500 seems small, ensure your employer is deducting the correct amount — errors are common especially for Maharashtra female employees and for employees who changed states mid-year. Verify your Form 16 Part B against the applicable state slab. Reference the Ministry of Labour for state-wise PT acts.

State-Wise Professional Tax Slabs (FY 2025-26)

Each state has its own PT Act with unique slabs, payment frequency, and exemptions. Below are the major states. Rates are indicative — always verify with the official state PT portal.

Maharashtra

Governed by the Maharashtra State Tax on Professions Act, 1975. Maharashtra is unique for having gender-specific slabs with a higher exemption for women.

Salary Slab (Monthly)Male (₹/month)Female (₹/month)
Up to ₹7,500NilNil
₹7,501 – ₹10,000₹175Nil
Above ₹10,000₹200 (₹300 in March)Nil
Above ₹25,000₹200 (₹300 in March)₹200 (₹300 in March)

Annual PT: Males above ₹10,000 = ₹2,500 (₹200 × 11 + ₹300). Females above ₹25,000 = ₹2,500. Females ₹10,001–₹25,000 = ₹0 (exempt).

Karnataka

Salary Slab (Monthly)PT (₹/month)
Up to ₹25,000Nil
Above ₹25,000₹200 (₹300 in February)

Annual PT: ₹2,500 (₹200 × 11 + ₹300 in February). Karnataka PT portal →

Tamil Nadu

Salary Slab (Half-Yearly)PT (₹/half-year)
Up to ₹21,000Nil
₹21,001 – ₹30,000₹135
₹30,001 – ₹45,000₹315
₹45,001 – ₹60,000₹690
₹60,001 – ₹75,000₹1,025
Above ₹75,000₹1,250

West Bengal

Salary Slab (Monthly)PT (₹/month)
Up to ₹10,000Nil
₹10,001 – ₹15,000₹110
₹15,001 – ₹25,000₹130
₹25,001 – ₹40,000₹150
Above ₹40,000₹200

Gujarat

Salary Slab (Monthly)PT (₹/month)
Up to ₹5,999Nil
₹6,000 – ₹8,999₹80
₹9,000 – ₹11,999₹150
Above ₹12,000₹200

Note: PT slabs are periodically revised by state governments. The rates above are for FY 2025-26. Always verify with your official state PT portal before making deductions. Patron Accounting maintains updated multi-state PT tables as part of its PT compliance services.

Professional Tax Compliance for Employers

Registration Requirements

Employers must obtain a PT registration certificate (PTRC in Maharashtra, equivalent in other states) within 30 days of hiring their first employee in the state. Self-employed professionals need an enrolment certificate (PTEC). Registration is typically done online through the state's commercial tax or GST portal — for Maharashtra, this is mahagst.gov.in.

Payment & Filing

Employers must deduct PT from employee salary monthly and deposit it with the state government by the specified due date — typically the last day of the following month. Annual returns are usually due by 31st March or 30th April depending on the state. In Maharashtra, monthly payment is due by the last date of the month for employers with more than 20 employees; quarterly for others.

Penalties for Non-Compliance

Late payment attracts interest at 1-1.5% per month on the outstanding amount in most states. Additional penalties range from 10% to 100% of the PT due depending on the state and duration of default. In Maharashtra, the penalty can be up to ₹5 per day of delay. Persistent non-compliance can result in prosecution and suspension of business licences.

Multi-State PT Compliance? If your company has employees across multiple states, each state's PT must be calculated and deposited separately. Patron Accounting handles multi-state PT registration, computation, payment, and filing for businesses with distributed teams across India. Get PT compliance help →

Professional Tax for Remote Workers

Remote work creates interesting PT scenarios. The general rule: PT is levied based on where the employee works, not where the employer is registered. If you work from home in Maharashtra but your company is headquartered in Delhi (no PT state), you are liable for Maharashtra PT. Your employer should ideally register for PT in your state and deduct it from your salary.

For employees who split time across states, the PT is typically based on the primary work location as declared to the employer. Multi-state PT compliance is one of the biggest payroll challenges for companies with distributed teams. Using professional payroll services that handle multi-state PT automatically is the most practical solution for growing companies.

Frequently Asked Questions About Professional Tax

Professional Tax is a state-level direct tax on income from employment, profession, or trade. Authorised under Article 276 of the Constitution with a ₹2,500/year maximum. Currently 21 states + Puducherry levy it. Employers deduct PT from salary and deposit with the state government. It is deductible from taxable income under Section 16(iii) — available under both old and new tax regimes.
PT is levied in Maharashtra, Karnataka, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, Assam, Bihar, Odisha, Jharkhand, Meghalaya, Tripura, Manipur, Sikkim, Chhattisgarh, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Puducherry. States without PT include Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu & Kashmir.
₹2,500 per year per person — constitutional ceiling under Article 276(2). No state can exceed this. Maharashtra and Karnataka both reach this cap by charging ₹200 for 11 months and ₹300 in one special month (March for Maharashtra, February for Karnataka). Most other states cap at ₹2,400 or ₹2,500 through their slab structures.
Maharashtra has gender-specific slabs. Males: up to ₹7,500 nil, ₹7,501-₹10,000 at ₹175/month, above ₹10,000 at ₹200/month (₹300 in March). Females: up to ₹25,000 nil (much higher threshold!), above ₹25,000 at ₹200/month (₹300 in March). Annual total for both: ₹2,500 when applicable. Women earning ₹10,001-₹25,000 save ₹2,500/year vs men at the same salary.
Yes — fully deductible under Section 16(iii) under both old and new tax regimes. For someone in the 30% bracket paying ₹2,500 PT annually, the income tax saving is approximately ₹780 (₹2,500 × 30% × 1.04 cess). The effective PT cost after tax benefit is only ₹1,720. This deduction is applied automatically in salary income computation on your Form 16.
Women earning up to ₹25,000/month are fully exempt in Maharashtra — compared to ₹7,500 for men. Women earning between ₹7,501 and ₹25,000 save up to ₹2,500/year compared to male colleagues. Above ₹25,000, both genders pay the same rates. This is one of the most generous gender-specific PT exemptions in India and is unique to Maharashtra.
Maharashtra charges ₹300 in March (instead of ₹200) to reach the ₹2,500 annual cap: ₹200 × 11 + ₹300 = ₹2,500. Karnataka does the same in February. This special month adjustment is unique to these two states. All other states either have flat monthly rates or different slab structures that naturally reach their annual caps without needing a special month.
Late payment attracts 1-1.5% monthly interest plus penalties of 10-100% depending on the state and duration. Maharashtra charges up to ₹5/day delay. The employer is liable for non-deduction — not the employee. Persistent non-compliance can lead to prosecution and business licence suspension. Always pay by the due date (typically last day of the following month).
Yes — self-employed professionals (doctors, lawyers, CAs, architects, business owners) must obtain a PTEC (Professional Tax Enrolment Certificate) and pay PT directly. In Maharashtra, self-employed above ₹10,000/month pay ₹2,500/year. Payment frequency varies by state — monthly, quarterly, or annually. Non-registration attracts penalties.
PT is based on work location, not employer location. Working from home in Maharashtra for a Delhi company means Maharashtra PT applies. The employer should register for PT in the employee's state. Multi-state compliance is a major payroll challenge — companies with distributed teams need systematic PT tracking for each state where employees are located.
PTRC (Professional Tax Registration Certificate) is for employers who deduct PT from employee salaries. PTEC (Professional Tax Enrolment Certificate) is for individuals paying PT on their own income — self-employed, freelancers, business owners. Both are separate registrations required under the Maharashtra State Tax on Professions Act 1975. Apply online at mahagst.gov.in within 30 days of liability arising.
Exemptions vary by state. In some states, individuals above 65 years are exempt regardless of income. Other common exemptions: parents/guardians of disabled children (40%+ disability), armed forces personnel, and individuals with permanent physical disability. Check your specific state's PT Act for applicable exemptions. Our calculator accounts for these where applicable.
Yes — a CA handles PTRC/PTEC registration, monthly computation for all employees across states, timely deposit and return filing, and multi-state compliance for distributed teams. Patron Accounting provides complete payroll including PT, EPF, ESI, and TDS computation and filing for businesses across India. We also handle PT registration for new branches in any state.
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