Stamp Duty Calculator

⚡ In shortBuying property? Estimate the stamp duty and registration charges for your state — free and instant. Stamp duty is one of the biggest add-on costs of a property purchase.

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How it is calculated

Stamp duty is a state tax charged as a percentage of the property's value (commonly 5–7%), and registration fee is usually around 1% (higher in a few states). Many states offer a lower stamp-duty rate for women buyers. Rates vary by city, property type and current notifications, so always confirm with your Sub-Registrar.

Stamp duty is a state subject, so there is no national rate

Stamp duty is levied by the state, which is why the same transaction costs a different amount in Maharashtra than in Karnataka or Delhi, and why any single figure quoted as the Indian rate is wrong. Rates are typically expressed as a percentage of the property value and commonly sit somewhere in the range of four to seven per cent, with a separate registration fee on top. Several states apply a lower rate for women buyers, and some offer concessions for first-time purchasers, agricultural land or property within particular municipal limits — these change with state budgets, so verify against the state's own registration department rather than a summary. Urban local bodies sometimes add a surcharge or cess of their own. Because the duty is one of the largest single costs in a purchase after the price itself, it belongs in the budget from the outset rather than as an afterthought at registration.

Duty is charged on the higher of consideration or circle rate

The value on which duty is computed is not simply what you agreed to pay. It is the higher of the actual consideration and the government-notified reference value for that locality — variously called circle rate, ready reckoner rate, guidance value or collector rate depending on the state. If you buy below that notified value, duty is still charged on the notified value, so the saving you thought you negotiated does not reduce the duty at all. There is a second consequence that catches people out: where the consideration falls short of the notified value beyond a small tolerance, the difference can be treated as income in the hands of the buyer under the income tax provisions, and it also affects the seller's capital gains computation. So an under-valued agreement can produce a tax cost on both sides of the transaction as well as no stamp duty benefit.

Under-stamping is not a saving, it is a deferred cost

An instrument that has not been adequately stamped is not simply cheaper — it is impaired as evidence. A document on which proper duty has not been paid is generally inadmissible in evidence in a civil proceeding until the deficiency and a penalty have been made good, and the penalty can be a multiple of the shortfall rather than a small fixed sum. That means the cost surfaces at the worst possible moment: when there is a dispute and you need to rely on the document. Registering authorities can also impound an under-stamped instrument. The practical position is straightforward — the duty saved is small relative to the exposure created, and the deficiency does not go away with time. If you have inherited a transaction where duty looks short, it is better to have it assessed and regularised deliberately than to discover the problem in litigation.

Pay before or at execution, and register on time

Stamp duty is payable before or at the time of executing the instrument, not afterwards, and most states now offer e-stamping which removes the need to source physical stamp paper and produces a certificate that can be verified online. Registration is a separate step with its own fee, and it carries its own deadline: a document requiring registration must generally be presented within four months of execution, with a further period available on payment of a penalty at the registrar's discretion. Both parties, or their duly authorised representatives, normally need to appear with witnesses and identification. Miss the registration window entirely and the document may be incapable of being registered at all, which for a transaction that legally requires registration is a serious defect in title. Keep the e-stamp certificate, the registration receipt and the registered deed together — you will need them again when you sell.

Concessions worth checking before you sign

Several states reduce the rate where the buyer is a woman, and the difference is usually a full percentage point or so — meaningful on a large transaction, and sometimes enough to make joint ownership with a female family member worth considering on its own terms. Some states offer reductions for first-time buyers, for properties below a value threshold, or within particular development areas, and a few have run temporary reductions to stimulate the market. These are announced in state budgets and change more often than the headline rate, so check the position as it stands on the date of execution rather than relying on an article. Concessions are generally not automatic: they have to be claimed at the time of stamping, with supporting proof, and they cannot usually be obtained by way of refund afterwards. Ask the sub-registrar's office or your advocate what applies before the instrument is drawn up.

Duty applies to far more than sale deeds

Stamp duty attaches to instruments rather than to transactions in the abstract, and a wide range of documents attract it at rates that differ from the sale rate. A gift deed is chargeable, though many states apply a concessional rate where the gift is to a close relative. A lease attracts duty computed on the rent and the term, and leases beyond a defined period also require registration — this is the rule that drives the ubiquitous eleven-month rent agreement. A mortgage deed, a power of attorney, particularly one coupled with possession, a partition deed, a release deed and a development agreement each have their own treatment. Because the rate varies by instrument, describing a transaction as one thing while it functions as another is a common source of later dispute. Have the instrument drawn for what it actually is, and stamp it accordingly.

What the day of registration involves

Registration is a separate step from stamping and has its own fee, commonly around one per cent of value with a cap in some states. Both parties or their duly constituted attorneys generally attend the sub-registrar's office with two witnesses, carrying identification, PAN, photographs and the e-stamp certificate. Biometric capture is standard in most states now, and many allow the appointment and much of the data entry to be completed online beforehand, which shortens the visit considerably. The document requiring registration must ordinarily be presented within four months of execution; beyond that a further period may be allowed on payment of a penalty at the registrar's discretion, and beyond that it may not be registrable at all. Once done, obtain the registered deed with the endorsement and the receipt, and check the details on it — errors in name, area or boundaries are far easier to rectify immediately than years later.

Frequently asked questions

Is stamp duty the same across India?

No. It is a state levy, so the rate differs by state and sometimes by locality within a state, commonly falling somewhere between four and seven per cent with a separate registration fee. Several states apply a lower rate for women buyers. Verify with the state registration department for the date of execution.

What happens if a document is under-stamped?

It is generally inadmissible in evidence in civil proceedings until the deficiency and a penalty are paid, and the penalty can be a multiple of the shortfall. Registering authorities can also impound the instrument. The cost surfaces exactly when you need to rely on the document.

How much is stamp duty in India?

It varies by state — commonly 5–7% of the property value — plus a registration fee usually around 1%. Several states offer a lower rate for women buyers.

Is registration fee separate from stamp duty?

Yes. Stamp duty validates the document; the registration fee (often ~1%) is charged separately to register the sale deed with the Sub-Registrar.

Is this an exact figure?

No — it is an estimate. Confirm the current rate, surcharges and any caps with your local Sub-Registrar before paying.