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The Global Insight

Can you claim HRA if self-employed?

Author

Mia Phillips

Updated on March 07, 2026

HRA exemption rules state that HRA deduction is only allowed for salaried and self-employed individuals who live in rented accommodation. This means that even if your salary structure has an HRA section or component if you are not paying rent, the entire amount will become taxable.

Is owning rental property considered self-employed?

No. Rental income is usually considered passive income and will not be subject to self-employment taxes unless you are a real estate professional.

What is the basic salary for HRA?

HRA received from your employer. Actual rent paid minus 10% of salary. 50% of basic salary for those living in metro cities. 40% of basic salary for those living in non-metro cities.

Can rent paid be deducted from income tax?

For them, Section 80 (GG) of the Income-tax Act offers help. An individual paying rent for a furnished/unfurnished accommodation can claim the deduction for the rent paid under Section 80 (GG) of the I-T Act, provided he is not paid HRA as a part of his salary by furnishing Form 10B.

Do I need to submit any proof for my HRA claim?

How to submit HRA proof for ITR? Documents like rent receipts, and rent agreement will be required to be submitted to the employer for claiming deduction for house rent allowance. If the payment of rent is more than Rs 1 lakh per annum, then PAN of the house owner will be required to be submitted.

Is self rental passive income?

Rental real estate activities generally are considered passive activities regardless of whether the taxpayer materially participates. That means your self-rental profits can’t be offset by passive losses, and the self-rental losses generally can offset only passive income.

Is Airbnb considered self-employment?

Typically since Airbnb requires active management, it is considered an active trade or business. This classification renders hosts as self-employed businesses. As a self-employed individual you are responsible for reporting and remitting your taxes on your own, since an employer isn’t withholding for you.

Can HRA be 100% of basic?

Your allotted HRA cannot exceed more than 50% of your basic salary. As a salaried employee, you cannot claim for the full rental amount you are paying.

Can a landlord rent to a self employed person?

Indeed, approving a self-employed rental applicant can prove to be a tricky process for landlords. That said, there are great income opportunities for self-employed individuals. However, for landlords, the challenge becomes finding ways to verify income stream when there is no verifiable employer reference.

How can I find out if my tenant is self employed?

At both the state and federal level there is a requirement that those that are self-employed file their exact income numbers annually. These numbers can give you an idea of what their actual income happens to be. You can obtain a self-employed tenant’s tax returns in two ways should you want official copies of the returns:

Can a self employed person rent a house in Maryland?

There are a number of other ways to prevent a self-employed tenant with insufficient income from renting your Maryland home and skipping out on payments. Require a co-signer. A co-signer is someone who will take responsibility for missed payments on the part of your tenant should their income level prevent them from paying.

What kind of references do I need for a self employed tenant?

Referencing a self-employed tenant, or any other tenant for that matter, shouldn’t begin and end with proof of income. There are other references you should ask for. The most basic of references but do ask to see photographic ID. This could be a driving licence or passport and confirms your tenant’s identity.