Half pay leave (HPL) is credited as 20 days a year (10 on 1 January and 10 on 1 July) and is paid at half of your pay. Commuted leave converts HPL into full-pay leave, but 2 days of HPL are debited for every 1 day.
Commuted leave is limited to half the HPL due and needs a medical certificate in most cases.
Source: Rules 29, 30 and 40, CCS (Leave) Rules, 1972 (updated 24 September 2024) Confirmed · Updated 28 October 2026
Half pay leave and commuted leave at a glance
| Item | Half pay leave | Commuted leave |
|---|---|---|
| Rule | Rule 29 | Rule 30 |
| Credit / limit | 10 days on 1 Jan + 10 days on 1 Jul each year | Not more than half the HPL due |
| Leave salary | Half of pay (Rule 40(3)) | Full pay, same as earned leave (Rule 40(4)) |
| HPL debited | 1 day per day taken | 2 days per day taken |
| Medical certificate | Not needed: medical or private affairs (Rule 29(4)) | Needed, except the cases in Rule 30(1-A) and Rule 43-C(6) |
| Special case | Fraction of a day in credit is rounded to nearest day | Up to 180 days of HPL for approved study can be commuted without a certificate |
How is half pay leave credited?
Rule 29(1) credits half pay leave in advance in two instalments of ten days on 1 January and 1 July. That is 20 days a year. A person appointed during a half-year gets 5/3 days for each completed calendar month the person is likely to serve in that half-year (Rule 29(2)(a)).
- On retirement or resignation: 5/3 days per completed month up to the date of retirement or resignation.
- On death in service: 5/3 days per completed month up to the date of death.
- Dies non in a half-year: the next credit is cut by one-eighteenth of the dies non period, subject to a maximum of ten days.
- Departmental leave (Rule 49) holders get 20 days of HPL on completing twelve months of actual duty.
- Vacation department staff get earned leave instead of half pay leave.
How much salary do you get on half pay leave?
Rule 40(3) gives half of the leave salary that applies on earned leave. Leave salary on earned leave equals the pay drawn just before going on leave (Rule 40(1)). Half pay leave can be taken on medical certificate or for private affairs (Rule 29(4)).
Worked example: basic pay ₹44,900
Take basic pay of ₹44,900 (the starting cell of Level 7 in the 7th CPC pay matrix). Our calculation
| Leave type | Basic pay for a month of this leave | HPL debited for 30 days |
|---|---|---|
| Half pay leave | ₹22,450 | 30 days |
| Commuted leave | ₹44,900 | 60 days |
What are the rules for commuted leave?
- Limit: not more than half the half pay leave due (Rule 30(1)).
- Debit: twice the commuted leave is debited from the HPL due (Rule 30(1)(d)).
- Condition: the leave authority must be satisfied there is a reasonable prospect of you returning to duty on expiry (Rule 30(1)(a)).
- Even if earned leave is due: commuted leave may be granted at your request (Note to Rule 30).
- Study: up to 180 days of HPL may be commuted in the entire service without a medical certificate for an approved course certified to be in the public interest (Rule 30(1-A)).
- Quitting: if you resign or retire voluntarily without returning to duty, the leave is treated as HPL and the extra leave salary is recovered. No recovery if retirement is due to ill-health or death (Rule 30(2)).
Worked example: 30 days of commuted leave
Suppose you have 100 days of HPL due. The limit for commuted leave is half, which is 50 days. If you take 30 days of commuted leave, 60 days of HPL are debited and 40 days of HPL remain. Our calculation from Rule 30(1).
What is leave not due?
Rule 31 allows leave not due up to 360 days in the entire service, for a person in permanent or quasi-permanent employment, on medical certificate. It is paid at half pay (Rule 40(3)) and is debited against the HPL you will earn later. It is limited to the HPL you are likely to earn thereafter. Leave not due is also open to temporary staff with TB, leprosy, cancer or mental illness, with at least one year of service (Rule 31(1-A)).
Can leave be commuted afterwards?
Rule 10(1) lets the sanctioning authority commute leave retrospectively into another kind that was due and admissible, but you cannot claim it as of right. The request must reach the authority within 30 days of joining duty after that spell. Leave salary is then adjusted: excess is recovered and arrears are paid (Rule 10(2)).
Half pay and commuted leave: frequently asked questions
How many half pay leaves are credited in a year?
Twenty days a year: ten days on 1 January and ten days on 1 July (Rule 29(1), CCS Leave Rules).
How much salary is paid on half pay leave?
Half of the leave salary applicable on earned leave, that is half of the pay drawn just before the leave (Rule 40(1) and (3)).
Is a medical certificate needed for half pay leave?
No. Rule 29(4) says half pay leave may be granted on medical certificate or on private affairs.
How many days of HPL are debited for commuted leave?
Twice the commuted leave. One day of commuted leave uses two days of HPL (Rule 30(1)(d)).
What is the maximum commuted leave allowed?
Not more than half the half pay leave due, normally on medical certificate (Rule 30(1)).
What is the limit of leave not due?
A maximum of 360 days in the entire service on medical certificate, for permanent or quasi-permanent staff (Rule 31(1)).
Related: Child care leave rules · 7th CPC pay matrix · DA hike tracker · 7th CPC salary calculator.
Official sources
Figures marked “Our calculation” are worked out by 8thpaycalculator.in from these rules. See our editorial policy and corrections policy.
