01 What is RFA?
RFA = Accommodation given by employer to employee at zero rent.
CRA = Accommodation given at a rent lower than market value.
Both are perquisites taxable under the head "Salaries". The employee does not pay rent, but pays tax on the value of this benefit.
Accommodation Types (RFA includes)
Flat · House · Guest House · Hotel · Service Apartment · Caravan · Mobile Home
RFA Category
Unfurnished — No furniture/appliances provided
Furnished — TV, AC, fridge, furniture, etc. included
02 What counts as "Salary" for RFA calculation?
Basic Pay
Dearness Allowance (DA)*
Bonus
Commission
All Taxable Allowances
* DA is included only if it forms part of salary for retirement benefit calculations.
03 Unfurnished RFA — Perquisite Value
🏛
Government Employee: Perquisite value = License fee fixed by the Central/State Government. No percentage calculation applies.
Non-Government Employer — Accommodation OWNED by Employer
| City Population |
Perquisite Value (Rate × Salary) |
| Up to 10 Lakh |
5% of Salary |
| 10 Lakh – 15 Lakh |
5% of Salary |
| 15 Lakh – 25 Lakh |
7.5% of Salary |
| 25 Lakh – 40 Lakh |
7.5% of Salary |
| Above 40 Lakh |
10% of Salary |
Non-Government Employer — Accommodation LEASED by Employer
Perquisite = Lower of:
(a) Actual lease rent paid by the employer
(b) 10% of Salary
04 Furnished RFA — Perquisite Value
1
Calculate perquisite value as if it were unfurnished (use Section 03 above).
2
Add furniture value:
· If furniture is owned by employer → Add 10% of original cost of furniture per year
· If furniture is hired by employer → Add actual hire/rent charges paid
3
Deduct any rent actually paid by the employee to arrive at the final taxable perquisite value.
05 Hotel Accommodation
Stay < 15 Days
NOT TAXABLE
No perquisite value added.
Stay ≥ 15 Days
Perquisite = Lower of:
(a) 24% of Salary
(b) Actual hotel charges paid
Transfer Situation (Employee retains old + gets new accommodation):
| Duration of New Accommodation |
What gets taxed? |
| Up to 90 days |
Only one accommodation — whichever has the lower perquisite value |
| More than 90 days |
Both accommodations are taxed separately |
⚠ Hotel accommodation rules apply only to permanent employees. Temporary / project / offshore employees are excluded.
06 Valuation in Subsequent Years (CII Method)
If the same RFA continues in year 2, 3, etc., the perquisite value for that year = Lower of:
Option A
Fresh calculation for that year using current salary and applicable rate (as per Section 03/04 above)
07 Tax Exemptions — RFA is NOT taxable in these cases
✓
Accommodation is provided in a remote area.
✓
Hotel stay is for less than 15 days on account of transfer.
✓
RFA is provided to: Supreme Court Judge · High Court Judge · Union Minister · Member of Parliament · UPSC Member · Leader of Opposition in Parliament.
08 Worked Example (FY 2023-24)
Given Information
City
Jamshedpur (~16 Lakh pop.)
Accommodation
Unfurnished, owned by employer
DA (retirement)
₹1,50,000 p.a.
Total Salary
₹6,00,000 p.a. → ₹50,000/month
Applicable Rate
7.5% (15–25 Lakh city)
Rate effective from
01.09.2023
Calculation (FY 2023-24 uses split: old rate Apr–Aug, new rate Sep–Mar)
| Period |
Months |
Monthly Salary |
Rate |
Perquisite Value |
| Apr 2023 – Aug 2023 |
5 |
₹50,000 |
10% (old) |
₹25,000 (50K×5×10%) |
| Sep 2023 – Mar 2024 |
7 |
₹50,000 |
7.5% (new) |
₹26,250 (50K×7×7.5%) |
| Total Taxable Perquisite Value (FY 2023-24) |
₹51,250 |
This ₹51,250 gets added to Mr. Prabhat's salary income and taxed at his applicable slab rate.
09 Must-Remember Rules
→Rent actually paid by the employee to the employer is always deducted from the computed perquisite value (applies to both accommodation and furniture).
→New rates (w.e.f. 01.09.2023) apply only from September. For FY 2023-24, use split calculation: old rate for Apr–Aug (5 months), new rate for Sep–Mar (7 months).
→Hotel accommodation rules (15-day rule, 90-day transfer rule) apply only to permanent employees.
→For government employees, no percentage formula. Only the government-fixed license fee applies.
Source: Income Tax Act, Rule 3 · ClearTax
Rates w.e.f. 01.09.2023 only