If you live in a General Pool Residential Accommodation (GPRA) quarter, hostel, or have a servant quarter/garage allotted independently, your monthly licence fee deduction has changed. The Directorate of Estates, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, issued an Office Memorandum on 17 July 2026 revising the flat rates of licence fee under Rule 74 of the Central Government General Pool Residential Accommodation Rules, 2017 — with effect from 1 July 2026.
What Changed and From When
Under the provisions of Rule 74 of the "Central Government General Pool Residential Accommodation Rules, 2017", the Government has revised the flat rates of licence fee recoverable for residential accommodation available in the General Pool and in Departmental Pools of Ministries/Departments throughout the country. The revised rates take effect from 1 July 2026, even though the OM itself is dated 17 July 2026 — so the recovery is retrospective to the start of the month.
The revision excludes substandard/unclassified accommodation of the Ministry of Defence, accommodation for service personnel of the Ministry of Defence, and accommodation under the control of the Ministry of Railways, which continue to follow their own separate arrangements.
Revised Flat Rates — Type I to Type VIII
| Type | Living Area (sq. mtr.) | Revised Rate (Rs./month) |
|---|---|---|
| I | Upto 30 | 230 |
| II | 26.5 to 50 | 490 |
| III | 44 to 65 | 740 |
| IV | 59 to 91.5 | 980 |
| IV (Special) | 59 to 91.5 | 1,040 |
| VA | Upto 106 | 1,850 |
| VB | Beyond 106 | 1,960 |
| VIA | Upto 159.5 | 2,430 |
| VIB | Beyond 159.5 | 2,900 |
| VII | 189.5 to 224.5 | 3,400 |
| VIII | 243 to 522 | 6,070 |
Rates are rounded to the nearest Rs. 10 for the concerned type, as notified in the Annexure to the OM.
Servant Quarters and Garages
Where a Servant Quarter or Garage is allotted independently of the regular accommodation, licence fee is recovered separately at these revised flat rates:
| Particulars | Revised Rate (Rs./month) |
|---|---|
| Servant Quarters | 100 |
| Garages | 70 |
Hostel Accommodation
A separate schedule applies for Hostel Accommodation, based on the category of suite and living area:
| Category of Suite | Living Area (sq. mtr.) | Revised Rate (Rs./month) |
|---|---|---|
| Single Room (without Kitchen) | 21.5 to 30 | 620 |
| Single Room (with Kitchen) | 30.5 to 39.5 | 870 |
| Double Room | 47.5 to 60 | 1,200 |
Who Needs to Act
The OM requests all Ministries/Departments to take action to recover the revised licence fee in respect of accommodation under their control, all over the country, in accordance with these orders. In practice, this recovery is usually reflected as a deduction in the monthly salary bill of the allottee, so GPRA allottees should expect their licence fee deduction line to change from the July 2026 payroll cycle, possibly with a retrospective adjustment for the part of July already processed before the OM was issued.
Approval Basis
The revision issues with the concurrence of the Integrated Finance Wing of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, vide their note dated 07.07.2026, and is signed by the Deputy Director of Estates (Policy), Directorate of Estates.
Practical Notes for Allottees
- Check which Type your allotted quarter falls under (as per your allotment letter) and cross-reference the table above for your new monthly rate.
- If you have a separately allotted Servant Quarter or Garage, expect an additional line-item deduction as per the revised rates.
- Since the effective date (1 July 2026) precedes the OM's issue date (17 July 2026), keep an eye on your next one or two salary slips for any retrospective adjustment.
- This revision is independent of your HRA entitlement calculations — if you are comparing GPRA allotment against drawing HRA, factor in the new licence fee figures.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1. From when are the revised GPRA licence fee rates effective?
The revised flat rates of licence fee are effective from 1 July 2026, as notified vide O.M. No. 18011/2/2015-Pol.III dated 17 July 2026 issued by the Directorate of Estates, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
Q2. Which accommodation types are covered by this revision?
The revision covers all Types of General Pool Residential Accommodation (GPRA) from Type I to Type VIII, including Type IV (Special), Type VA/VB and Type VIA/VIB, throughout the country, in both General Pool and Departmental Pools.
Q3. Is Ministry of Defence or Railways accommodation covered?
No. The OM specifically excludes substandard/unclassified accommodation of the Ministry of Defence, accommodation for service personnel of the Ministry of Defence, and accommodation under the control of the Ministry of Railways.
Q4. What is the revised licence fee for a Type IV quarter?
For Type IV accommodation (living area 59 to 91.5 sq. mtr.), the revised flat rate is Rs. 980 per month. Type IV (Special) accommodation of the same area range is revised to Rs. 1,040 per month.
Q5. Are Servant Quarters and Garages covered separately?
Yes. Where a Servant Quarter or Garage is allotted independently of the regular accommodation, licence fee is recovered separately at the revised flat rate of Rs. 100 per month for Servant Quarters and Rs. 70 per month for Garages.
Q6. What are the revised rates for hostel accommodation?
For hostel accommodation, the revised rates are Rs. 620 per month for a Single Room without kitchen (21.5 to 30 sq. mtr.), Rs. 870 per month for a Single Room with kitchen (30.5 to 39.5 sq. mtr.), and Rs. 1,200 per month for a Double Room (47.5 to 60 sq. mtr.).
Q7. Who approved this revision?
This issues with the concurrence of the Integrated Finance Wing of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, vide their note dated 07.07.2026, and has been signed by the Deputy Director of Estates (Policy).
Q8. Where does this licence fee get deducted from?
Licence fee for GPRA accommodation is ordinarily recovered from the allottee's monthly salary. Ministries and Departments have been requested to take action to recover the revised licence fee under their control accordingly.
Related Reading
Official Source: O.M. No. 18011/2/2015-Pol.III dated 17.07.2026, Directorate of Estates, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. View on Directorate of Estates ↗