Section 206C of Income Tax Act is one of those provisions where errors are both common and costly. It governs Tax Collected at Source — placing the obligation squarely on the seller or grantor to collect tax at the point of receipt and deposit it with the government. Miss a collection, misclassify a transaction, or ignore a threshold — and you're looking at interest, penalties, and sometimes prosecution.
If you deal in specified goods, mining rights, toll contracts, motor vehicles, or foreign remittances, this provision applies to you. Here's what you actually need to know.
Section 206C means tax collected at source on specified goods, rights, and transactions
Section 206C applicability and section 206C limits differ across sub-sections — there's no single rule
TCS under section 206C(1H) on sale of goods exceeding ₹50 lakh has been removed from April 1, 2025
Budget 2026 proposes rationalising section 206C rates to a more uniform structure — not yet in force
Section 206C of Income Tax Act requires a seller or specified person to collect tax from the buyer or licensee at the time of receiving money for notified goods, rights, or transactions — and then deposit that amount with the government.
So when you're selling certain goods, granting a mining lease, or transferring toll collection rights — you don't just receive the consideration. You collect TCS under 206C on top of it.
The responsibility sits with the collector. Not the buyer. If you fail to collect or deposit 206C TCS correctly, monthly interest at 1% to 1.5% per month kicks in. In some cases, penalty proceedings follow separately.
Section 206C of Income Tax Act is split into multiple sub-sections. Each covers a different category. The rates and thresholds are not uniform across them — which is exactly where most compliance errors begin.
Section
Applicable On
Summary
Section 206C(1)
Specified goods — liquor, tendu leaves, timber, scrap, minerals
TCS on sale of notified goods at prescribed 206C TCS rate
Section 206C(1C)
Lease, licence or transfer of rights in parking lots, toll plazas, mining and quarrying
TCS collected on amount received for specified rights and licences
Section 206C(1F)
Motor vehicles exceeding ₹10 lakh
1% TCS collected by seller on high-value vehicle sale
Section 206C(1G)
Foreign remittance under LRS and overseas tour packages
TCS collected by authorised dealer or seller on remittance or package amount
Section 206C(1H)
Sale of goods exceeding ₹50 lakh
Earlier applied to large sellers — removed from April 1, 2025
Section 206C(1C) is the one most practitioners underestimate. Mining contracts and toll rights are high-value transactions. Missing TCS here creates significant exposure.
At its core, TCS under section 206C applies when two conditions are both met: a seller or specified person receives consideration for notified goods or rights, and the conditions under the relevant sub-section are satisfied.
Breaking it down by sub-section:
Under 206C(1) — TCS applies on sale of specified goods
Under 206C(1C) — TCS applies when a person grants a lease or licence for parking lots, toll plazas, mining or quarrying
Under 206C(1F) — TCS applies on sale of motor vehicles above ₹10 lakh
Under 206C(1H) — seller turnover above ₹10 crore was required; this provision is now removed
Section 206C applicability depends entirely on which sub-section governs your transaction. There is no blanket rule that covers all situations.
TCS under section 206C generally does not apply when:
The buyer is already required to deduct TDS under a separate provision for the same transaction
The transaction falls outside the notified goods or specified rights
The monetary threshold under that specific sub-section has not been crossed
For example — if a mining lease doesn't fall within the conditions prescribed under 206C(1C), TCS would not apply. The nature of rights being granted is what matters, not just the label.
Section 206C limits are not uniform. Each sub-section has its own threshold:
206C(1) goods — No aggregate annual threshold. TCS applies on the specified goods themselves
206C(1C) rights and licences — No turnover threshold. TCS applies on amount received for parking, toll, mining or quarrying rights
206C(1F) motor vehicles — Invoice value must exceed ₹10 lakh
206C(1G) foreign remittance under LRS — Threshold of ₹10 lakh per financial year
206C(1H) sale of goods — Removed from April 1, 2025; previously applied above ₹50 lakh
These section 206C limits are where most confusion lives — especially in rights-based transactions where no clear turnover threshold exists.
Sub-section
Transaction
TCS Rate
206C(1)
Alcoholic liquor for human consumption
1%
Tendu leaves
5%
Timber / forest produce
2.5%
Scrap / minerals
206C(1C)
Parking lot, toll plaza, mining and quarrying rights
2%
206C(1F)
Motor vehicles above ₹10 lakh
206C(1G)
Foreign remittance / LRS
5% (20% above ₹10 lakh)
One thing businesses routinely miss — if the buyer or licensee doesn't furnish a valid PAN or Aadhaar, a higher 206C TCS rate applies as per the law. Validating PAN before collection is not optional. Skipping that step leads to short-collection notices that are entirely avoidable.
Budget 2026 has proposed a rationalisation of section 206C rates.
The key proposals are:
Streamlining multiple rates into a uniform 2% rate for certain goods currently covered under 206C(1)
Simplifying the rate structure to reduce compliance complexity across categories
Until these proposals are enacted into law, the current section 206C TCS rates continue to apply in full. Don't switch to the proposed rates prematurely.
TCS under section 206C does not apply in all situations. Common exemptions include:
Cases where TDS is applicable under another provision for the same transaction — TCS and TDS don't run simultaneously on the same receipt
Government bodies and specified entities, subject to prescribed conditions
Certain LRS remittances where Budget 2026 has proposed relief — again, not yet in force
Under section 206C(1C) specifically — if the rights granted don't fall within the listed categories of parking, toll, mining or quarrying, TCS does not apply. Classification of the right being transferred is everything.
Getting section 206C wrong isn't just a paperwork issue.
Interest at 1% per month for failure to collect TCS
Interest at 1.5% per month for failure to deposit TCS after collection
Penalty equal to the TCS amount in certain default cases
Prosecution provisions may apply in serious or repeated non-compliance situations
Most defaults don't happen because someone got the rate wrong. They happen because of wrong timing of collection, incorrect classification of transactions, or missed PAN validation. Those are the real pressure points in 206C TCS compliance.
Two forms matter here:
Form 27EQ — Quarterly TCS return filed by the collector
Form 27D — TCS certificate issued to the buyer or licensee so they can claim credit against their tax liability
Both are mandatory. Delays in filing 27EQ attract late fees and can trigger demand notices.
A: 206C TCS is tax collected at source by a seller or specified person on notified goods, rights, or transactions under section 206C of Income Tax Act. The obligation to collect and deposit lies entirely with the seller or grantor — not with the buyer. If you sell specified goods, grant mining or toll rights, or receive LRS remittances above thresholds, this applies to you.
A: Section 206C(1C) covers lease, licence, or transfer of rights in parking lots, toll plazas, mining and quarrying. TCS is collected at 2% on the amount received for these rights. This sub-section is frequently overlooked in practice, which makes it one of the higher-risk areas for compliance gaps.
A: Yes. Section 206C(1H) — which required TCS on sale of goods exceeding ₹50 lakh by sellers with turnover above ₹10 crore — was removed with effect from April 1, 2025. Sellers who were previously collecting TCS under this sub-section are no longer required to do so.
A: A higher TCS rate under section 206C applies when the buyer or licensee fails to furnish a valid PAN or Aadhaar. This is a mandatory compliance check that sellers must run before collection. Skipping it routinely results in short-collection notices from the tax department.
A: Under section 206C(1G), TCS applies on foreign remittances under the Liberalised Remittance Scheme above ₹10 lakh per financial year. The rate is 5% up to that threshold and 20% beyond it. Overseas tour package sellers also fall under this sub-section, regardless of the remittance amount.
A: Yes. The buyer or licensee can claim credit for TCS under section 206C in their income tax return. If the total tax collected exceeds actual tax liability, the difference is refundable. The Form 27D certificate issued by the collector is the document needed to claim this credit.
A: Failure to collect TCS attracts interest at 1% per month from the date it was due. Failure to deposit after collection attracts 1.5% per month. In addition, a penalty equal to the TCS amount may be imposed. Prosecution provisions can apply in serious non-compliance cases under section 206C of Income Tax Act.
A: Budget 2026 has proposed rationalising section 206C rates by moving certain goods under 206C(1) to a uniform 2% rate. The intent is to simplify the rate structure and reduce compliance complexity. These changes are proposed and not yet enacted — current 206C TCS rates remain applicable until they are.
A: No. Section 206C(1F) applies only when the invoice value of the motor vehicle exceeds ₹10 lakh. If the vehicle is priced at or below that threshold, TCS under section 206C does not apply on that transaction. The ₹10 lakh limit is assessed per invoice, not in aggregate.
A: Form 27EQ is the quarterly TCS return filed by collectors under section 206C of Income Tax Act. After filing, Form 27D is issued to the buyer or licensee as a TCS certificate. Both are mandatory — delays in 27EQ attract late fees and can trigger demand notices from the tax department.
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