Leasing and rental services under group 9973 are treated as supply of services under GST, even when the underlying item is a movable good. The taxable value usually includes the base rental charge, operator or driver fees where machines are supplied with manpower and any maintenance or handling fees that form part of the contract. Refundable security deposits and pure reimbursements of government levies can be kept outside the taxable value only when the conditions given in GST law are fully met.
After the September 2025 GST rate changes, most taxable leasing and rental services that are not covered by a special concessional entry are generally placed in the 18% slab with input tax credit for eligible registered business customers. Service providers should still check the latest notifications and circulars, as certain government schemes or specified sectors may enjoy different treatment for particular types of rental contracts.
The table below shows the latest standard GST rate for SAC code 997316 for telecom and networking equipment rental services.