Tax Audit Applicability Checker
Find out if a tax audit under Section 44AB applies to you — enter your turnover, cash ratio and presumptive scheme and get the exact clause and threshold instantly.
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Fill in the details — the answer on the right updates as you go.
Turnover vs applicable threshold
| Particular | Amount / status |
|---|
Get your tax audit & Form 3CD filed by a CA
We confirm applicability, prepare Form 3CA/3CB + 3CD and file before the 30 September deadline.
Disclaimer: Indicative check based on Section 44AB of the Income-tax Act, 1961 for FY 2026-27. Actual applicability can depend on losses, prior-year 44AD election, income vs basic exemption and other clauses. Confirm with a chartered accountant.
Section 44AB tax-audit thresholds
A tax audit under Section 44AB is a mandatory audit of your books by a chartered accountant once your turnover or receipts cross the limits below. The clause that applies depends on whether you run a business or a profession, how much of your dealings are in cash, and whether you have opted for a presumptive scheme.
| Category | Condition | Threshold |
|---|---|---|
| Business — cash > 5% | Turnover exceeds limit — Sec 44AB(a) | ₹1 crore |
| Business — cash ≤ 5% | Both cash in & out within 5% (proviso) | ₹10 crore |
| Profession | Gross receipts exceed limit — Sec 44AB(b) | ₹50 lakh |
| Presumptive 44AD | Profit < 8% (6% digital) & income > exemption — 44AB(e) | Any turnover |
| Presumptive 44ADA | Profit < 50% & income > exemption — 44AB(d) | Any receipts |
How the check works
The checker walks the same four steps a chartered accountant follows to decide whether Section 44AB applies to your case for the year.
Business or profession
Business uses the ₹1cr / ₹10cr limits under 44AB(a); a profession uses the ₹50 lakh limit under 44AB(b).
Cash ratio
For business, if cash receipts and payments are each ≤ 5% of total, the higher ₹10 crore threshold applies instead of ₹1 crore.
Compare turnover
If turnover / gross receipts exceed the applicable threshold, an audit is required under clause (a) or (b).
Presumptive check
If you opted 44AD/44ADA but declare below the deemed profit and income exceeds the basic exemption, audit is required under 44AB(e)/(d).
Key terms explained
Form 3CA / 3CB + 3CD
The audit report is filed in Form 3CA (when accounts are already audited under another law) or Form 3CB (otherwise), always accompanied by the statement of particulars in Form 3CD.
Due date — 30 September
The tax-audit report must be filed by 30 September of the assessment year, and the return by 31 October. Report first, return after.
Penalty — Section 271B
Failure to get accounts audited attracts a penalty of 0.5% of turnover, capped at ₹1,50,000 — unless there is reasonable cause under Sec 273B.
Presumptive taxation (44AD / 44ADA)
Small businesses can declare 8% (6% digital) of turnover as profit; professionals 50% of receipts. Declaring less, with taxable income, forces a full audit.
Questions people ask
Short answers on Tax Audit (44AB) Checker. Tap a question to open it.
01When is a tax audit required for a business?
Where turnover exceeds ₹1 crore. The limit rises to ₹10 crore where cash receipts and cash payments each do not exceed 5% of the total — so a fully banked business is audited only above ₹10 crore.
02When is it required for a profession?
Where gross receipts exceed ₹50 lakh in the year. The 5% cash relaxation does not apply to professionals.
03Can a tax audit apply below the turnover limit?
Yes. A person who declared income under section 44AD in an earlier year but declares lower income in a later year, and whose total income exceeds the basic exemption limit, must get the accounts audited. The same applies where income is declared below the presumptive rate under 44ADA or 44AE.
04What is the due date and what is filed?
The audit report in Form 3CA or 3CB with Form 3CD must be filed by 30 September, and the return by 31 October. Both dates are frequently extended by CBDT notification.
05What is the penalty for not getting audited?
Under section 271B, 0.5% of turnover or gross receipts subject to a maximum of ₹1,50,000. The penalty is not levied where there is reasonable cause.
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Disclaimer: This tool gives indicative results for general guidance only and is not professional advice. Please verify with a qualified CA before acting on the numbers.