Fixed Asset Physical Verification & Tagging: A CFO’s Checklist for CARO 2020 Compliance in 2026

Fixed asset physical verification services in India are essential for companies to comply with CARO 2020 and maintain accurate FAR records.

Choosing the right Fixed Asset Physical Verification Services in India is essential for meeting the latest CARO 2020 compliance standards. In the current Indian regulatory climate, managing fixed assets is no longer just an internal administrative task—it is a critical statutory requirement. With the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) and the National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA) increasing their scrutiny, the gap between what is on your Fixed Asset Register (FAR) and what is physically present on the floor can lead to severe audit qualifications.

For Indian enterprises, the primary challenge isn’t just “tracking” assets; it’s ensuring that every piece of equipment, from a laptop in Bangalore to a CNC machine in Pune, is accounted for under CARO 2020 (Companies Auditor’s Report Order).

Fixed Asset Physical Verification Services in India using QR tagging

The CARO 2020 Mandate: Why Physical Verification Matters

Under Clause (i) of CARO 2020, auditors are strictly required to report whether:

  1. The company maintains proper records showing full particulars, including quantitative details and situation of Fixed Assets.
  2. These assets have been physically verified by the management at reasonable intervals.
  3. Material discrepancies noticed during verification have been properly dealt with in the books of account.

For a CFO, “reasonable intervals” are no longer a grey area. In a post-digitization era, relying on manual Excel sheets or once-in-three-year audits is a high-risk strategy. Fixed Asset Physical Verification (FAPV) is now a yearly necessity to ensure financial transparency and prevent “Ghost Assets” from inflating your balance sheet.

The Hidden Cost of “Ghost Assets” in Indian Enterprises

A “Ghost Asset” is an item listed in your FAR that is either missing, broken, or sold but never recorded. In large-scale Indian manufacturing or IT sectors, ghost assets typically account for 15% to 25% of the total asset base.

The financial leakage is real:

  • Overpaid Taxes: You are paying property taxes and insurance on assets that don’t exist.
  • Inaccurate Depreciation: Your P&L statement reflects depreciation for non-performing assets, leading to incorrect profit reporting.
  • Audit Risk: Discrepancies during a statutory audit can lead to a “Qualified Opinion,” damaging your company’s reputation with investors and lenders.

Modernizing Fixed Asset Physical Verification Services in India

Traditional verification—using paper checklists and pens—is prone to human error and takes weeks to reconcile. TagMyAsset bridges this gap by combining physical expertise with digital precision. By implementing QR Code or RFID-based asset tagging, we transform your physical environment into a live, scannable database.

Why QR Codes are the Gold Standard for India in 2026: Unlike barcodes, QR codes are durable, hold more data, and can be scanned using mobile devices, making them ideal for the diverse environments of Indian factories and corporate offices. They provide an “Audit Trail” that shows exactly when, where, and by whom an asset was last verified.

Our Fixed Asset Physical Verification Services in India help companies eliminate ghost assets and maintain accurate FAR records.

Steps for Fixed Asset Physical Verification Services in India

Reconciliation is where most Indian firms struggle. It’s the process of matching the “Floor” (physical reality) with the “Book” (the Fixed Asset Register). Here is how TagMyAsset ensures 100% accuracy:

Step 1: Data Preparation & FAR Cleaning

Before hitting the floor, we analyze your current Fixed Asset Register (FAR). Many Indian companies have “bulk entries” (e.g., “Office Furniture – ₹10 Lakhs”). We help break these down into individual, taggable units to ensure every item has a unique digital identity.

Step 2: Smart Tagging (The Physical Phase)

Our field team deploys across your locations. Each asset is cleaned and affixed with a high-durability QR code or RFID tag.

  • Data Capture: We don’t just tag; we capture the asset’s make, model, serial number, user, and current condition (Working/Non-working).
  • Photo Evidence: We take a geo-tagged photo of the asset to provide visual proof for auditors.

Step 3: Floor-to-Book Mapping

This is the “Discovery” phase. We identify assets physically present on-site that are not in your accounting records. In India, this often happens with inter-branch transfers where the asset moved but the paperwork didn’t.

Step 4: Book-to-Floor Gap Analysis

This is the “Missing Asset” phase. We identify items listed in your books that cannot be found on the floor. These are flagged as potential “Ghost Assets” that need to be written off to save on insurance and taxes.

Step 5: Final Reconciliation & CARO-Ready Reporting

The final output is a comprehensive reconciliation report. We provide:

  • Matched Assets: Items successfully verified and tagged.
  • New Discoveries: Assets found but missing from books.
  • Missing Assets: Items in books but missing physically.
  • Condition Report: A health check of your assets to help with future CAPEX planning.

Comparison: Manual Audit vs. TagMyAsset Digital Audit

FeatureTraditional Manual AuditTagMyAsset Digital Audit
Speed4-6 Weeks1-2 Weeks
AccuracyHigh Human Error (60-70%)99.9% Digital Accuracy
Audit TrailPaper-based / ExcelDigital Logs & Geo-tagged Photos
ComplianceHard to satisfy CARO 2020Guaranteed Audit-Ready
Asset LocationKnown only at time of auditReal-time location tracking

Export to Sheets


Why Indian Businesses Choose TagMyAsset

Operating in India presents unique challenges—from dusty factory floors in Gujarat to high-security IT hubs in Bangalore. Our tags are tested for:

  • Heat Resistance: Ideal for Indian manufacturing environments.
  • Tamper-Evident Material: Ensures tags aren’t swapped or removed.
  • Multi-Location Coordination: We manage the logistics of verifying 50+ branches simultaneously so your finance team doesn’t have to.

Our Fixed Asset Physical Verification Services in India help companies eliminate ghost assets and maintain accurate FAR records. Our fixed asset physical verification services in India ensure full CARO 2020 compliance and accurate FAR reconciliation.

The Top FAQs for Fixed Asset Verification in India

Here are the questions Indian CFOs and Auditors are actually searching for:

Q1: Is physical verification of fixed assets mandatory under the Companies Act 2013? A: Yes. Under the Companies (Auditor’s Report) Order (CARO 2020), management is required to physically verify fixed assets at reasonable intervals. Failure to do so, or failing to reconcile discrepancies, can lead to a qualified report by the statutory auditor.

Q2: What is a “reasonable interval” for asset verification in India? A: While the law doesn’t define a specific day, the standard practice in India is once every three years. However, for high-value assets or IT-heavy companies, annual verification is recommended to ensure the Fixed Asset Register (FAR) remains accurate for tax and insurance purposes.

Q3: Can we use QR codes for tagging assets in manufacturing plants? A: Absolutely. Modern QR codes used by TagMyAsset are made from tamper-evident, heat-resistant materials (like anodized aluminum or polyester) specifically designed to withstand the harsh, dusty, and high-temperature environments of Indian factories.

Q4: How does physical verification help in reducing insurance costs? A: By identifying “Ghost Assets” (assets that no longer exist but are still on your books), you can stop paying insurance premiums on non-existent items, directly reducing your annual operational expenditure.

Conclusion: Partnering for Compliance-Ready Asset Management

Achieving total transparency in your financial reporting starts with professional Fixed Asset Physical Verification Services in India. As we have explored, the shift toward CARO 2020 compliance means that spreadsheets are no longer sufficient for modern statutory audits. By implementing a digital, tag-based system, your organization can eliminate ghost assets, reduce unnecessary insurance premiums, and ensure your Fixed Asset Register (FAR) is always audit-ready.

At TagMyAsset, we specialize in providing end-to-end Fixed Asset Physical Verification Services in India, tailored to the unique challenges of the Indian industrial and corporate sectors. Whether you are managing a single facility or a PAN-India network of offices, our app-based reconciliation process provides the accuracy and visual evidence your auditors require. Don’t wait for your next audit cycle to discover discrepancies—secure your assets today.

Ready to streamline your audit process? Contact us for a custom quote on Fixed Asset Physical Verification Services in India today.


Good Reads

https://www.icai.org

https://tagmyassets.com/inventory-verification-services-india/

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Tag My Asstes Team
Tag My Asstes Team

We work with the latest technology available for helping organizations of all sizes manage and maintain their assets including fleets, facilities, consumables, equipment, property and infrastructure efficiently and cost-effectively.

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