Partnership firms in India can be divided into two categories namely, registered partnership or unregistered partnership. Registered partnership firms are those firms having a registration certificate from the Registrar of Firms. All other partnerships that do not have a registration certificate would be classified as an unregistered partnership firm. Under Income Tax Act, a partnership firm is defined as “Persons who have entered into a partnership with one another are called individually “partners” and collectively “a firm”, and the name under which their business is carried on is called the “firm name”.

Partnership firms are liable to pay income tax at the rate of 30% of total income. In addition to the income tax, a partnership firm is liable to pay income tax surcharge on the amount of income tax at the rate of 12%, when total income exceeds Rs.1 crores. In addition to the income tax and surcharge, a partnership firm must pay education cess and secondary higher education cess.

Education Cess is applicable on the amount of income tax and the applicable surcharge at the rate of 2%. Secondary and higher education cess is applicable on the amount of income tax and the applicable surcharge at the rate of 1%.