Calculate gratuity payouts under the Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972 (15/26 formula) and Section 10(10) ₹20 Lakh tax exemption.
₹ 0
Statutory gratuity calculated from service tenure₹ 0
Exempt from income tax (up to ₹20,00,000 cap)₹ 0
Added to salary income & taxed at slab rateOur free gratuity calculator allows you to calculate your eligible retirement or resignation gratuity payout along with exact tax-exempt limits in real time. Follow these simple steps:
Gratuity is a defined statutory monetary benefit paid by an employer to an employee as a token of gratitude for rendering continuous, long-term service to the organization. In India, it is governed by the Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972, which applies to all factories, mines, oilfields, plantations, ports, railway companies, shops, and commercial establishments employing 10 or more persons on any day of the preceding 12 months.
Under Section 4(1) of the Act, gratuity is payable to an employee upon separation from service after rendering continuous service for not less than 5 years in any of the following circumstances:
A common point of confusion is what salary figure to use in the gratuity calculation formula. According to Indian labor law:
For employees in organizations covered under the Act, wages for 15 working days are calculated based on a 26-day working month (excluding 4 Sundays):
Tenure Rounding Rule: If you work for more than 6 months in your final year of service, that fraction is rounded up to the next full year. For instance:
For establishments not covered under the Gratuity Act, the calculation is based on 30 calendar days per month (half a month's salary for every completed year):
Note: For non-covered employees, only completed years of service are considered, and fractional months are ignored.
Below is a quick reference matrix showing the total gratuity payout across common basic salary levels and service tenures in the gratuity calculation formula for private employees:
| Monthly Basic + DA (₹) | 5 Years Service (₹) | 10 Years Service (₹) | 15 Years Service (₹) | 20 Years Service (₹) | 25 Years Service (₹) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ₹25,000 | ₹72,115 | ₹1,44,231 | ₹2,16,346 | ₹2,88,462 | ₹3,60,577 |
| ₹50,000 | ₹1,44,231 | ₹2,88,462 | ₹4,32,692 | ₹5,76,923 | ₹7,21,154 |
| ₹75,000 | ₹2,16,346 | ₹4,32,692 | ₹6,49,038 | ₹8,65,385 | ₹10,81,731 |
| ₹1,00,000 | ₹2,88,462 | ₹5,76,923 | ₹8,65,385 | ₹11,53,846 | ₹14,42,308 |
| ₹1,50,000 | ₹4,32,692 | ₹8,65,385 | ₹12,98,077 | ₹17,30,769 | ₹20,00,000 (Cap) |
| ₹2,00,000 | ₹5,76,923 | ₹11,53,846 | ₹17,30,769 | ₹20,00,000 (Cap) | ₹20,00,000 (Cap) |
Under Section 10(10) of the Income Tax Act, gratuity received by employees enjoys significant tax exemption benefits:
The tax-exempt amount is the least (minimum) of the following three figures:
Gratuity received by central government, state government, defense, and local authority employees is 100% exempt from income tax without any upper monetary ceiling.
If your gratuity exceeds ₹20 Lakhs and is taxed in the year of receipt, you can claim tax relief under Section 89 of the Income Tax Act by filing Form 10E on the income tax portal, which allows you to spread the tax burden across past financial years.
| Feature | Covered Private Employees | Non-Covered Private Employees | Government Employees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Applicable Law | Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972 | Employment Contract / Policy | CCS (Pension) Rules / 7th Pay |
| Calculation Formula | (15 × Salary × Years) ÷ 26 | (15 × Salary × Years) ÷ 30 | 1/4th Basic + DA per 6-mo period |
| Tenure Rounding | >6 Months rounded to next year | Only completed years counted | Every 6 months counted |
| Tax Exemption Limit | ₹20,00,000 (Section 10(10)) | ₹20,00,000 (Section 10(10)) | 100% Tax-Free (No Limit) |
| Mandatory 5-Year Rule | Yes (Waived on death/disability) | Yes (Subject to contract) | 5 Years minimum qualifying service |
For employees covered under the Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972, gratuity is calculated using the formula: (15 × Last Drawn Basic Salary + DA × Tenure in Years) ÷ 26. In this formula, 26 represents the working days in a month, and service tenure exceeding 6 months is rounded up to the next full year.
Yes, completing 5 years of continuous service with the same employer is mandatory to become eligible for gratuity. However, the 5-year requirement is waived in the unfortunate event of the employee's death, permanent disability resulting from an accident or disease, or for fixed-term contract employees under recent labor rules.
Gratuity calculation is strictly based on the Last Drawn Basic Salary plus Dearness Allowance (DA) and fixed commission on sales (if applicable). Other allowances such as House Rent Allowance (HRA), Special Allowance, medical allowance, performance bonus, and employer PF contributions are excluded.
Under Section 10(10) of the Income Tax Act, the maximum tax-free gratuity limit for private-sector employees (both covered and not covered under the Act) is ₹20,00,000 (₹20 Lakhs). For central and state government employees, gratuity is 100% exempt from income tax without any monetary cap.
For employees covered under the Act, if the fractional period of service exceeds 6 months (i.e., 7 months or more), it is rounded up to the next full year. For example, a tenure of 6 years and 7 months is treated as 7 full years. If the fraction is 6 months or less (e.g., 6 years and 4 months), it is counted as 6 years.
For employees not covered under the Act, gratuity is calculated as: (15 × Last Drawn Basic Salary + DA × Completed Years of Service) ÷ 30 (or half a month's salary per completed year). In this case, only completed years of service are counted, and fractional months are ignored.
Yes. Any gratuity amount received over and above the statutory exemption limit of ₹20,00,000 is added to your taxable income under 'Income from Salaries' and taxed at your applicable income tax slab rate. You may claim tax relief under Section 89 of the Income Tax Act.
Yes, an employer can voluntarily pay an ex-gratia or higher gratuity amount than what is mandated by the statutory formula as a reward for long-standing service. However, tax exemption will still be restricted to the statutory limit of ₹20 Lakhs.