Tax Guide · 27 April 2026
Form 12BB (Now Form 124): Submitting Rent Receipts to HR
Form 12BB is the investment declaration form prescribed under Rule 26C of the Income Tax Rules, 1962 (renumbered as Form 124 from 1 April 2026 under the Income Tax Rules, 2026). Salaried employees submit it to their employer at the start of each financial year (April) to declare planned investments and rent payments, then again in January–February with actual supporting proof. Employers use Form 12BB / Form 124 to compute correct TDS on salary. Missing or late submission means TDS is deducted on the full HRA amount, recoverable only via ITR refund.
By Mrs. Kritika Joshi
Last reviewed
7 May 2026
In this section
Answers
- Form 12BB (Now Form 124): Submitting Rent Receipts to HR
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What is Form 12BB?
Form 12BB (renumbered as Form 124 from 1 April 2026 under the Income Tax Rules, 2026) is the investment declaration form prescribed under Rule 26C of the Income Tax Rules, 1962 and has been in force for every salaried Indian since 1 June 2016. The landlord PAN becomes mandatory the moment annual rent exceeds Rs. 1,00,000. Missing the proof leaves the employer obliged to compute TDS on the full HRA amount under Section 192 (now Section 392 under the Income-tax Act, 2025 for Tax Year 2026-27 onwards). Employees submit Form 12BB / Form 124 to their employers at the start of the financial year (April) to declare planned investments and rent payments. Employers use it to estimate TDS for the year. Most employers ask for a revised submission in January-February with actual proof attached.
What to Include for HRA
In the HRA section of Form 12BB, you must provide:
• Name and address of your landlord
• Landlord's PAN (mandatory if annual rent > Rs. 1,00,000). See our HRA-without-landlord-PAN guide if your landlord refuses
• Monthly rent amount
• Rental period (from month to month)
Attach your rent receipts (one per month) as supporting documents. For the exact 14 fields each receipt must contain, or to generate compliant monthly receipts, use our purpose-built tool. To verify the exact HRA exemption you should declare on the form, run the numbers on our Tax Optimization Calculator. It applies the FY 2026-27 Rule 279 metro logic, so you do not need to memorise which cities take the 50% cap.
When to Submit
Most employers follow a two-stage process:
1. April: Submit Form 12BB with estimated figures (no receipts needed yet)
2. January-February: Submit Form 12BB again with actual receipts for the full year
Some employers ask for quarterly submissions. Check with your HR department for your company's specific schedule.
What Happens if You Don't Submit
If you do not submit rent receipts by your employer's deadline, they will deduct TDS on the full HRA component. You can still claim the exemption while filing your ITR and get a refund, but this delays your money and may trigger queries from the IT department.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
1. Missing landlord PAN when rent exceeds Rs. 8,334/month
2. Receipts without the landlord's signature
3. Mismatched periods. Receipt dates don't cover the full claim period
4. Claiming HRA under the New Tax Regime (not allowed). See income tax slabs FY 2026-27 for the regime comparison
5. Both spouses claiming HRA on the same property
For the underlying HRA math, see how to calculate HRA exemption.