Professional Tax
Professional Tax in Kerala — Half-Yearly Slabs Explained
Kerala bills professional tax half-yearly, not monthly — slabs run ₹320 to ₹1,250 per half-year (₹2,500/year at the top), deducted around August and February.
Like Tamil Nadu, Kerala assesses professional tax half-yearly rather than monthly — deducted around the two statutory due dates, 31 August (for April–September) and 28 February (for October–March), under the Kerala Panchayat Raj (Profession Tax) Rules, 1996.
Kerala uses a more granular six-tier slab than most states, stepping from ₹320 to ₹1,250 per half-year across six income bands, rather than the three or four tiers common elsewhere.
The figure this calculator shows is a monthly equivalent (the half-yearly amount ÷ 6) for comparability with other states — an actual Kerala payslip shows two lump-sum deductions a year, not a small recurring monthly one. Missing either due date adds a 1% monthly penalty on the unpaid amount.
Worked example
A standard month works out to ₹125.00. A ₹50,000-a-month salary falls in the ₹45,000–₹99,999 band: ₹750 deducted once around August and again around February — ₹1,500 for the year.
Frequently asked questions
Why does this show a monthly figure if it's paid twice a year?
For comparability with states that deduct monthly. What you'll actually see on a Kerala payslip is a larger deduction twice a year, around August and February, each half of the annual total.
What happens if a due date is missed?
A 1% monthly penalty applies on the unpaid tax from the due date — 31 August for the first half, 28 February for the second.
Is Kerala also capped at ₹2,500 a year?
Yes — the top slab (₹1,250 per half-year) totals ₹2,500 a year, the constitutional maximum under Article 276(2).