Synopsis: This article explains the major changes made on HRA claim rules under the New Draft Rules, 2026. It discusses the key changes, who will be benefited, and the HRA exemption calculation with an example.
House Rent Allowance has been considered one of the most common tax-saving tools that have been used by salaried employees in India. As the proposed HRA claim rule reforms take effect beginning April 1, 2026, the government is both increasing compliance and at the same time, providing targeted relief to those employees in the high-rent cities.
Overview of HRA Under Indian Tax Law
House Rent Allowance (HRA) is a component of the salary provided to salaried employees by the employer which is to meet the rental housing expenses. Among taxpayers, especially those who live in rental accommodation, this has been a common tool used to save tax.
However, the HRA exemption is not automatic instead it must be claimed with proper proof. To claim HRA exemption under Section 10(13A), all three of the following conditions must be satisfied:
- Employees should receive the HRA from the employer, and therefore, self-employed employees can’t claim HRA exemption under this provision.
- The taxpayer must be staying in a rented accommodation and proper rent receipts, a lease agreement and proof of relevant bank transactions should be submitted to claim HRA exemption.
- The employee should not own the rented property at the same location as the employment.
Key HRA Rule Changes Proposed in 2026
1. Landlord Relationship Disclosure: Earlier, under Form 12BB, employees were able to claim HRA by transferring rental payments to family members as the relationship with the landlord was not required to be disclosed. However, under the new form, Draft Form No.124, which will replace Form 12BB, salaried taxpayers must declare the relationship they have with the landlord if the annual rent crosses 1 lakh.
2. Stricter Compliance and Documentation: Landlord’s full name, PAN card, complete address of the rented property and declaration of the relationship with landlord has become mandatory. Stricter verification on written rental agreements, digital transactions, and rent receipts are few changes coming with the New Draft Rules, 2026
3. Expansion of HRA Exemption City List: Salaried taxpayers from metro cities were allowed to claim HRA exemption up to 50% of salary, whereas those from non-metro cities can claim up to 40%. However, now the list of metro cities has been expanded by adding Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune and Ahmedabad. Previously, only Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Kolkata were considered as metro cities.
Also read: What is Advance Tax? How Missing It Can Cost You Thousands in Penalties
Who Gets More HRA Benefit Under New Rules
Salaried taxpayers from the updated list of metro cities can now claim up to 50% of their salary as HRA exemption. This will benefit more mid and high-income salaried employees living and working from these metro cities to save more on tax.
Also, taxpayers who choose the old tax regime can claim the benefits of HRA exemption. Taxpayers who choose the new tax regime are not eligible for HRA exemption, no matter which city they are from.
HRA Exemption Calculation
Under Section 10(13A), the lowest of the following three amounts is allowed to be tax-exempt as HRA:
- HRA received from the employer
- Rent paid minus 10% of salary
- 50% or 40% of salary, depending on metro or non-metro cities.
Note that salary here includes basic salary as well as Dearness Allowance(DA). For an employee living in a metro city like Bengaluru, under the old tax regime, the HRA exemption calculation would be as follows:
| Particulars | Amount (p.a) |
| Basic Salary | ₹6,00,000 |
| DA | ₹1,00,000 |
| Salary for HRA calculation | ₹7,00,000 |
| HRA received | ₹4,80,000 |
| Rent Paid | ₹3,60,000, which is ₹30,000 p.m |
HRA exemption will be the lowest of the following three:
| Particulars | Amount (p.a) |
| HRA received | ₹4,80,000 |
| Rent Paid – 10% of salary | ₹2,90,000 |
| 50% of salary (since Bengaluru is a metro city) | ₹3,50,000 |
Here, the lowest amount is the rent paid minus 10% of the salary, which is ₹2,90,000. So after deducting the exempted amount from the total HRA received ( i.e ₹4,80,000), the taxable HRA is ₹1,90,000. This taxable portion of the HRA is added to the individual’s salary and taxed at slab rates.
Conclusion
HRA planning will cease to be casual when dealing with salaried employees. Effective rental agreements, online payment history, proper disclosures, and a considerate decision of the old tax regime or the new tax regime will be important in maintaining tax benefits. With the implementation of these rules, timely planning and decision making will be the balance to lessons in order to attain the maximum HRA exemptions and remain well within the 2026 taxation system.
Written by Nila Maria Jacob
