Section 10 - Composition levy
Chapter III - Levy and Collection of Tax
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Finin2min Summary - Section in 2 Minutes
Offers turnover-based composition schemes
with reduced tax and simplified compliance,
but no tax collection and no ITC.
The general statutory threshold can be
raised by notification up to ₹1.5 crore; the
notified limit applies subject to State
category.
Limited services are permitted under the
ten-per-cent/₹5 lakh rule for the goods
composition scheme.
A separate section 10(2A) route applies up
to ₹50 lakh for eligible service/mixed
suppliers.
Inter-State outward supplies and specified
disqualifications remain critical.
All registrations under the same PAN must
opt together.
Exact operative text
10. Composition levy.-(1) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Act but subject to the provisions of sub-
sections
(3) and
(4) of section 9, a registered person, whose aggregate turnover in the preceding financial year did not exceed fifty lakh rupees,
may opt to pay, in lieu of the tax payable by him under sub-section
(1) of section 9, an amount of tax calculated at such rate as may be prescribed, but not exceeding,-
(a) one per cent. of the turnover in State or turnover in Union territory in case of a manufacturer,
(b) two and a half per cent. of the turnover in State or turnover in Union territory in case of persons engaged in making
supplies referred to in clause
(b) of paragraph 6 of Schedule II, and
(c) half per cent. of the turnover in State or turnover in Union territory in case of other suppliers, subject to such conditions and
restrictions as may be prescribed:
Provided that the Government may, by notification, increase the said limit of fifty lakh rupees to such higher amount, not
exceeding one crore and fifty lakh rupees, as may be recommended by the Council:
Provided further that a person who opts to pay tax under clause
(a) or clause
(b) or clause
(c) may supply services (other than those referred to in clause
(b) of paragraph 6 of Schedule II), of value not exceeding ten per cent. of turnover in a State or Union territory in the preceding
financial year or five lakh rupees, whichever is higher.
Explanation.-For the purposes of second proviso, the value of exempt supply of services provided by way of extending
deposits, loans or advances in so far as the consideration is represented by way of interest or discount shall not be taken into
account for determining the value of turnover in a State or Union territory.
(2) The registered person shall be eligible to opt under sub-section
(1), if:-
(a) save as provided in sub-section
(1), he is not engaged in the supply of services;
(b) he is not engaged in making any supply of goods or services which are not leviable to tax under this Act;
(c) he is not engaged in making any inter-State outward supplies of goods or services;
(d) he is not engaged in making any supply of services through an electronic commerce operator who is required to collect tax
at source under section 52; Omitted
(e) he is not a manufacturer of such goods as may be notified by the Government on the recommendations of the Council; and
(f) he is neither a casual taxable person nor a non-resident taxable person:
Provided that where more than one registered persons are having the same Permanent Account Number (issued under the
Income-tax Act, 1961 (43 of 1961), the registered person shall not be eligible to opt for the scheme under sub-section
(1) unless all such registered persons opt to pay tax under that sub-section.
(2A) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Act, but subject to the provisions of sub-sections
(3) and
(4) of section 9, a registered person, not eligible to opt to pay tax under sub-section
(1) and sub-section
(2), whose aggregate turnover in the preceding financial year did not exceed fifty lakh rupees, may opt to pay, in lieu of the tax
payable by him under sub-section
(1) of section 9, an amount of tax calculated at such rate as may be prescribed, but not exceeding three per cent. of the turnover
in State or turnover in Union territory, if he is not-
(a) engaged in making any supply of goods or services which are not leviable to tax under this Act;
(b) engaged in making any inter-State outward supplies of goods or services;
(c) engaged in making any supply of services through an electronic commerce operator who is required to collect tax at source
under section 52;
(d) a manufacturer of such goods or supplier of such services as may be notified by the Government on the recommendations
of the Council; and
(e) a casual taxable person or a non-resident taxable person:
Provided that where more than one registered person are having the same Permanent Account Number issued under the
Income-tax Act, 1961 (43 of 1961), the registered person shall not be eligible to opt for the scheme under this sub-section
unless all such registered persons opt to pay tax under this sub-section.
(3) The option availed of by a registered person under sub-section
(1) or sub-section
(2A), as the case may be, shall lapse with effect from the day on which his aggregate turnover during a financial year exceeds
the limit specified under sub-section
(1) or sub-section
(2A), as the case may be,.
(4) A taxable person to whom the provisions of sub-section
(1) or, as the case may be, sub-section
(2A) apply shall not collect any tax from the recipient on supplies made by him nor shall he be entitled to any credit of input
tax.
(5) If the proper officer has reasons to believe that a taxable person has paid tax under sub-section
(1) or sub-section
(2A), as the case may be, despite not being eligible, such person shall, in addition to any tax that may be payable by him under
any other provisions of this Act, be liable to a penalty and the provisions of section 73 or section 74 or section 74A shall,
mutatis mutandis, apply for determination of tax and penalty.
Explanation 1.-For the purposes of computing aggregate turnover of a person for determining his eligibility to pay tax under
this section, the expression “aggregate turnover” shall include the value of supplies made by such person from the 1st day of
April of a financial year up to the date when he becomes liable for registration under this Act, but shall not include the value of
exempt supply of services provided by way of extending deposits, loans or advances in so far as the consideration is
represented by way of interest or discount.
Explanation 2.-For the purposes of determining the tax payable by a person under this section, the expression “turnover in
State or turnover in Union territory” shall not include the value of following supplies, namely:-
(i) supplies from the first day of April of a financial year up to the date when such person becomes liable for registration under
this Act; and
(ii) exempt supply of services provided by way of extending deposits, loans or advances in so far as the consideration is
represented by way of interest or discount.
Paragraph-wise decode
Offers turnover-based composition schemes with reduced tax and simplified compliance, but no tax collection and no ITC. The general statutory threshold can be raised by notification up to ₹1.5 crore; the notified limit applies subject to State category. Limited services are permitted under the ten-per-cent/₹5 lakh rule for the goods composition scheme. A separate section 10(2A) route applies up to ₹50 lakh for eligible service/mixed suppliers. Inter-State outward supplies and specified disqualifications remain critical. All registrations under the same PAN must opt together.
Section-Rule-Form-Notification bridge
The mapping is a legal concordance, not a round-robin related-link list. It is limited to instruments certified in this phase.
Practical example
A small trader below the notified limit also earns minor service income. The service amount must fit the statutory tolerance and all PAN-linked registrations must satisfy the scheme. PROFESSIONAL ALERT Crossing the threshold or breaching a condition ends the option from the date of breach, not the next financial year.
Professional alert
Confirm the transaction-date amendment and commencement position before reliance.
Implementation checklist
- Fix the transaction, taxable period and jurisdiction.
- Read every subsection, proviso, explanation and omission marker.
- Open the mapped Rule, form, notification and circular.
- Test State/UT variation and portal version.
- Preserve evidence, approvals, working papers and acknowledgements.
- Record the conclusion, assumptions, source date and reviewer.
Evidence and retention checklist
- Contract, purchase order, invoice or underlying transaction document.
- Registration, return, ledger, challan and portal acknowledgement.
- Official Act/Rule/notification version used and effective date.
- Internal tax position paper, computation and management approval.
- Correspondence, notices, replies, orders and appeal papers where applicable.
Practical Q&A
- What does section 10 regulate?
- It regulates composition levy. Read the exact text, conditions, exceptions and transaction date together.
- Which subordinate law should be checked?
- Rule 3, Rule 4, Rule 5, Rule 6, Rule 7. Notifications, circulars, forms and the corresponding SGST/UTGST layer may also apply.
- What evidence should be retained?
- Preserve the contract or transaction record, invoice or form, portal acknowledgement, payment/ledger evidence, correspondence, legal working and the official source version used.
- Can portal behaviour override the statute?
- No. Portal functionality is operational evidence; legal entitlement and liability remain controlled by the Act, Rules, notifications and binding decisions.