Section 63 - Tax audit
Tax audit applies when turnover, gross receipts or specified presumptive conditions cross the statutory tests. Rule 47 prescribes the audit report and forms.
Reviewed by CA Nikhil Gupta · Updated 9 October 2026
Section 63 is presented using the consolidated Income-tax Act, 2025 as amended by the Finance Act, 2026. The general commencement date is 1 April 2026. Earlier years and saved proceedings may remain governed by the Income-tax Act, 1961 and the repeal/savings framework.
2-minute professional decode
Tax audit applies when turnover, gross receipts or specified presumptive conditions cross the statutory tests. Rule 47 prescribes the audit report and forms.
Who should test this section?
Section 63 should be tested by businesses, professionals, non-residents and advisers whenever the computation touches tax audit; the special rule must be checked before the ordinary business-profit machinery is applied.
Evidence to retain
For section 63, retain the contracts, ledgers, invoices, banking evidence, prescribed reports and computation papers that specifically prove the factual trigger and quantum for tax audit.
1961 Act bridge
| Legacy provision | Legacy heading | Mapping |
|---|---|---|
| 44AB | Audit of accounts by certain persons carrying on profession or business. | Renumbered / mapped |
The bridge is a research aid. Legacy case law carries over only after the current wording and transition rules are matched.
Rules and forms linked to this section
Worked application
A business has turnover above Rs. 1 crore but both cash receipts and cash payments are within the 5% tests. Check whether the Rs. 10 crore threshold applies and calculate the audit-report deadline as one month before the section 263(1) return due date.
Common mistake
A recurring section 63 error is to carry the book or ordinary tax treatment into tax audit without first testing the provision-specific override, eligibility conditions and linked Rule/Form requirements.
Compliance approach
Identify the statutory trigger for section 63, lock the relevant tax year, reconcile the facts to the operative sub-section, preserve the evidence trail and separately test every linked Rule, Form, Schedule and exception before finalising the return position.
Numeric / timing checkpoints in the operative text
- Business tax audit threshold: turnover/gross receipts above Rs. 1 crore.
- Enhanced business threshold: Rs. 10 crore where both cash receipts and cash payments do not exceed 5% of their respective totals.
- Professional tax audit threshold: gross receipts above Rs. 50 lakh.
- Specified date: one month before the due date for furnishing the return under section 263(1).
Related provisions
- Section 58
- Section 263
- Section 62
- Section 64
Current statutory text
Primary-source trail
- Consolidated Income-tax Act, 2025 (as amended by Finance Act, 2026) (official external source)
- Income Tax Department - Act/Rules/Forms hub (official external source)
- CBDT commencement material - Act operative from 1 April 2026 (official external source)
- Income-tax Rules, 2026 - Notification No. 22/2026 (official external source)
Source status: full Section 63 statutory text in the local source corpus; reconciled to the current consolidated Act control on 8 October 2026.