What does IFRS 15 not apply to?

Asked by: Mrs. Lempi Ritchie V  |  Last update: October 11, 2026
Score: 4.1/5 (59 votes)

IFRS 15, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, does not apply to specific contracts already governed by other standards. Key exclusions include lease contracts (IFRS 16), insurance contracts (IFRS 17), financial instruments (IFRS 9, 10, 11), and non-monetary exchanges between entities in the same line of business.

What are the limitations of IFRS 15?

Although it might be argued that certain costs might be lower if an entity was not involved in obtaining sales contracts, IFRS 15 does not permit contracts to be analysed on a portfolio basis. Instead, the focus is on whether costs attributable to each individual contract are incremental.

Does IFRS 15 apply to all industries?

International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS) 15: Revenue from Contracts with Customers was introduced by the International Accounting Standards Board to provide one comprehensive revenue recognition model for all contracts with customers to improve comparability within industries, across industries, and across ...

What does IFRS 15 apply to?

IFRS 15 — Revenue from Contracts with Customers. IFRS 15 prescribes the accounting for revenue from sales of goods and rendering of services to a customer. The standard applies only to revenue that arises from a contract with a customer.

Which of the following is an exception for application of IFRS 15?

Lease contracts and insurance contracts are exceptions to the application of IFRS 15.

IFRS 15 Revenue from Contracts with Customers summary (applies in 2026) + FREE Practical Checklist

28 related questions found

Which of the following is not permitted under IFRS?

LIFO is banned under IFRS due to potential financial distortions. LIFO can understate company earnings and lead to outdated inventory values. Under LIFO, tax liabilities are reduced but at the cost of outdated inventory values.

Does IFRS 15 apply to leases?

Paragraph 17 of IFRS 16 requires a lessor to allocate the consideration in a contract that contains lease and non-lease components by applying IFRS 15 requirements on the allocation of the transaction price to performance obligations.

Does IFRS 15 apply to insurance companies?

72 IFRS 15 specifies the accounting of an individual contract with a customer as the unit of account, as a practical expedient an insurer may apply IFRS 15 to a portfolio of contracts (or performance obligations) with similar characteristics if the insurer reasonably expects that the effects on the financial statements ...

What is IFRS 15 in nutshell?

IFRS 15 introduces a unified Five-Step Model for revenue recognition, replacing a myriad of previous guidelines and interpretations. It emphasizes performance obligations, transaction price allocation, and enhanced disclosure requirements, offering a more consistent and detailed approach to revenue recognition.

What are the 4 criteria for recognizing revenue?

In this instance, revenue is recognized when all four of the traditional revenue recognition criteria are met: (1) the price can be determined, (2) collection is probable, (3) there is persuasive evidence of an arrangement, and (4) delivery has occurred.

Does IFRS apply to private companies?

IFRS for Private Entities are intended for any entity that does not have public accountability. In developing IFRS for Private Entities, the IASB focused on the typical needs of a typical mid-size private company; however, IFRS for Private Entities may be used by any non-publicly accountable entity regardless of size.

Which method is not allowed under IFRS?

Both GAAP and IFRS allow First In, First Out (FIFO), weighted-average cost, and specific identification methods for valuing inventories. However, GAAP also allows the Last In, First Out (LIFO) method, which is not allowed under IFRS.

Which accounting treatment is not allowable under IFRS for SMEs?

In addition, there are certain accounting treatments that are not allowable under the SMEs Standard. Examples of these disallowable treatments are the revaluation model for property, plant and equipment and intangible assets, and proportionate consolidation for investments in jointly controlled entities.

What are the 4 limitations of financial statements?

1. What are the 6 limitations of financial statements? The six main limitations of financial statements are: historical cost basis, lack of inflation adjustment, exclusion of non-financial data, subjective judgments in asset valuation, the risk of fraudulent practices, and the non-recognition of intangible assets.

Is IFRS mandatory for all companies?

While IFRS compliance is not mandatory for all companies, certain entities are required to follow Ind-AS, including: Listed companies. Unlisted companies with a net worth of Rs. 250 crore or more.

Is IFRS 15 still applicable?

IFRS 15 Revenue from Contracts with Customers is being applied to an ever-expanding population of contracts, some dealing with products and services that did not even exist when the standard originally came into effect. Yet throughout these changes, the standard and its five-step model have held up well.

Is IFRS 15 difficult to understand?

IFRS 15 'Revenues from Contracts with Customers' provides comprehensive guidance on accounting for revenue recognition. Nonetheless, there are some aspects of IFRS 15 that are complex and can pose practical challenges for reporting entities to apply and implement effectively.

What are the 5 principles of revenue recognition?

GAAP Revenue Recognition Principles

Identify the performance obligations in the contract. Determine the transaction price. Allocate the transaction price to the performance obligations. Recognize revenue when (or as) the entity satisfies a performance obligation.

What is the difference between IFRS 15 and IFRS 17?

IFRS 17 applies to insurance contracts whereas IFRS 15 applies to revenue from non-insurance contracts. I understand that the revenues for a brokerage firm would be in the form of commissions only and therefore applying IFRS 15 is correct.

What are the 4 pillars of IFRS?

The four pillars of IFRS S1 and S2 are governance, strategy, risk management and metrics and targets.

What does IFRS 13 not apply to?

The guidance in IFRS 13 does not apply to transactions dealt with by certain IFRS® Accounting Standards, for example, share-based payment transactions in IFRS 2 Share-based Payment, leasing transactions in IFRS 16 Leases, or to measurements that are similar to fair value but are not fair value, for example, net ...

What is the difference between IFRS 15 and IAS 11?

IAS 11 permits a broader range of pre-contract costs to be capitalised, i.e. not just those that are incremental, when it is probable that the contract will be obtained. IFRS 15 allows incremental costs of obtaining a contract and fulfilment costs to be capitalised when they are expected to be recovered.

What is the 90% rule in leasing?

The 90% rule in leasing is an accounting guideline for classifying leases, stating that if the present value (PV) of a lessee's minimum lease payments equals or exceeds 90% of the leased asset's fair market value (FMV), the lease should be treated as a finance lease (or capital lease) rather than an operating lease, reflecting essentially a purchase for accounting purposes. This rule helps determine if the lease transfers substantially all the risks and rewards of ownership, requiring balance sheet recognition of the asset and liability. 

What are the 4 types of construction contracts?

The four main types of construction contracts are Lump Sum (Fixed Price), where a single price is set for the entire project; Cost-Plus, where the owner pays actual costs plus a fee; Time and Materials (T&M), paying hourly/daily rates plus material costs; and Unit Price, paying for measured units of work like cubic yards or linear feet, with Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) also common as a hybrid. These contracts allocate risk differently and suit various project types, from well-defined to those with uncertain scopes.
 

Does IFRS require all leases to be capitalized?

IFRS 16 lessee lease classification

These leases are capitalized and presented on the balance sheet as assets, known as the right-of-use ( ROU ) asset, and liabilities, unless subject to any of the exemptions prescribed by the standard.