Launch offer — 25% off with code LAUNCH-25 See plans →
Microlesson · 5-min read

Rates of Depreciation and Half-Rate Rule

# Rates of Depreciation under Section 32

## Depreciation Rate Table

RateAssets Covered
5%Residential buildings
10%General buildings, Furniture
15%Plant & Machinery (normal), Motor Vehicle (normal), Oil wells, Windmills installed before 01.04.2014
20%Ships
25%Intangible Assets (know-how, patents, copyrights, etc.)
30%Motor vehicles used for hire
40%Electric vehicles, Computers/Laptops, Aircraft, Books (any), Pollution control equipment, Temporary buildings, Windmills installed on or after 01.04.2014

## Building Classification

TypeRate
Residential5%
General (commercial/factory)10%
Temporary structures40%

## Important Classifications

### Computers and Related

  • Mobile phones / EPABx → NOT computers → depreciation 15%
  • UPS / Printer / Scanner & other computer accessories → treated as part of computer block → 40%

### Plant & Machinery — What's Included

Included: Ships, Vehicles, Books, Scientific Appliances, Surgical Equipments

NOT Included: Tea Bushes, Livestock, Building, Furniture

## Half-Rate Depreciation Rule (Proviso to Sec 32(1))

If an asset is acquired AND put to use for less than 180 days during the previous year → Half rate depreciation allowed.

### Cut-off Date

  • Assets acquired & put to use on or before 3rd October → Full rate
  • Assets acquired & put to use on or after 4th October → Half rate

### Important Limitation

  • This proviso applies ONLY in the first year of acquisition.
  • Once full year passes, full-rate depreciation applies even if used for fewer days in subsequent years.

### Acquisition vs Put-to-Use Timing

If asset is acquired in P.Y. 2024-25 but put to use in P.Y. 2025-26:

  • Even if used for less than 180 days in PY 2025-26, FULL rate of depreciation is allowed (because the half-rate proviso applies only in the year of acquisition).

## Proportionate Depreciation for Mixed Use

If an asset is not exclusively used for business, deduction is restricted to the proportionate part used for business.

Worked example

### Example 1

Example: ABC Ltd. purchases a laptop on 5th October 2024 for ₹1,00,000 and puts it to use immediately.

Treatment:

  • Rate of depreciation = 40% (computers)
  • Used for less than 180 days → Half rate
  • Depreciation = ₹1,00,000 × 40% × ½ = ₹20,000

### Example 2

Example: Mr. Y, a doctor, uses his car (₹10 lakh) 70% for clinic and 30% for personal use.

Treatment: Depreciation @ 15% × ₹10,00,000 = ₹1,50,000. But only 70% is allowed = ₹1,05,000.

### Example 3

Example: A printer (₹50,000) is bought on 30th March 2025 and used immediately.

Treatment: Printer is part of computer block → 40% × ½ = 20% in PY 2024-25. Depreciation = ₹10,000.

⚠️ Common exam mistakes

  • Applying 40% rate to mobile phones / EPABx — they are NOT computers; rate is 15%.
  • Applying full-year depreciation when the asset is used for less than 180 days in the year of acquisition.
  • Using half-rate in the year following acquisition when asset is used for less than 180 days — half-rate proviso applies only in the year of acquisition.
  • Including tea bushes and livestock in Plant & Machinery block.
  • Forgetting that windmills installed before vs after 01.04.2014 have different rates (15% vs 40%).
Bare-Act text Proviso to Section 32(1) · Income-tax Act, 1961 · click to expand
Proviso to Section 32(1)(ii): Where an asset is acquired by the assessee during the previous year and is put to use for the purposes of business or profession for a period of less than one hundred and eighty days in that previous year, the deduction in respect of such asset shall be restricted to fifty per cent of the amount calculated at the percentage prescribed.
Now that you've read this — what's next?
Move from understanding → mastery in 3 clicks. Each option below picks up from this lesson's topic.
Start 15-min diagnostic