Stamp duty and registration charges in India, state by state (2026)
Design IRL Editorial · Figures checked 7 November 2026 · For anyone buying a flat, house or plot · How we make our guides
Stamp duty and registration usually add 5–10% to the price of a home in India: as checked in November 2026, stamp duty runs from 4.9% in Gujarat to about 8% in Kerala and Rajasthan, and registration from 0.5% to 2% in most states. The bank won't lend for them on most homes, so they come out of your own money.
What drives the cost
- The state, and sometimes the city or whether the area is urban or rural.
- The value: duty is worked on the higher of the price in your agreement and the government's circle rate, also called the ready reckoner or guideline value.
- Who buys: several states charge women less, but only if the woman buys alone or is a named owner.
- Value bands: some states charge more above a value, such as Delhi above ₹25 lakh and West Bengal above ₹1 crore.
Rates in eleven states
| State | Stamp duty: men | Women | Joint | Registration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maharashtra (Mumbai) | 6% | 5% | 6% | 1%, capped at ₹30,000 |
| Maharashtra (Pune, Thane, Nagpur) | 7% | 6% | 7% | 1%, capped at ₹30,000 |
| Karnataka | 5%, plus about 0.6% cess and surcharge | Same | Same | 2% (from 31 August 2025) |
| Delhi | 6%; 7% above ₹25 lakh | 4%; 5% above ₹25 lakh | 5%; 6% above ₹25 lakh | 1%, plus ₹100 pasting fee |
| Haryana (urban) | 7% | 5% | 6% | By slab, up to ₹50,000 |
| Uttar Pradesh | 7% | 6% up to ₹1 crore | 7% | 1% |
| Tamil Nadu | 7% | 7% | 7% | 2%; 1% for women buying alone, up to ₹10 lakh guideline value |
| Telangana | 7% (5.5% duty + 1.5% transfer duty) | Same | Same | 0.5% |
| Gujarat | 4.9% | 4.9% | 4.9% | 1%; none for women buying alone |
| West Bengal (Kolkata) | 6% up to ₹1 crore, 7% above | Same | Same | 1% |
| Kerala | 8% | 8% | 8% | 2% |
| Rajasthan | About 8% (6% plus a surcharge on the duty) | About 6.65% (5% plus surcharge) | About 8% | 1% |
Some figures need care. Telangana's 5.5% duty on a sale deed and 0.5% registration are from the state's 2021 orders; with transfer duty the total is 7.5%. Delhi adds 1% MCD transfer duty above ₹25 lakh; sources differ on joint buyers. Rajasthan's surcharge is reported to take the duty to about 8% for men and 6.65% for women. Tamil Nadu's registration fee is 2% in most sources and 4% in some. Haryana's rural rates are 2% lower.
Concessions for women
In Maharashtra, Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, women pay a lower rate. In Gujarat they pay the same duty but no registration fee. In Tamil Nadu, women pay 1% registration on homes with a guideline value up to ₹10 lakh.
- Maharashtra's 1% concession applies to a woman buying a home in her name alone. A joint purchase with a man pays the men's rate.
- Uttar Pradesh gives 1% off on homes up to ₹1 crore, so the most you save is ₹1 lakh.
- Delhi charges a man and a woman buying together 5%, between the two rates.
Ownership is real
Putting a home in a woman's name to save duty makes her a legal owner. Think about it as an ownership decision first. A lawyer can explain what it means for you.
A worked example
A woman buys a flat in Pune alone. The agreement says ₹80 lakh. The circle rate for the flat works out to ₹85 lakh, so duty is on ₹85 lakh.
- Stamp duty at 6%: ₹5,10,000.
- Registration at 1% would be ₹85,000, but it is capped at ₹30,000.
- Total: ₹5,40,000. A man buying the same flat would pay 7%, or ₹5,95,000 plus ₹30,000: ₹6,25,000.
The same ₹80 lakh flat in Bengaluru, with no higher circle rate, would carry about 5.6% duty (₹4,48,000) and 2% registration (₹1,60,000): about ₹6,08,000 for any buyer.
How to pay and register
- Check the circle rate for the property on the state's registration website.
- Work out the duty on the higher of that and your agreement value.
- Pay the duty. Most states use e-stamping, run through Stock Holding Corporation of India, either online or at authorised centres. Some states use their own online challan.
- Book a slot at the sub-registrar's office, often online.
- Attend with the seller, two witnesses, ID, photographs and the e-stamp certificate. Fingerprints and photos are taken there.
- Collect the registered deed, then apply to change the property tax and utility records to your name.
Mistakes to avoid
- Budgeting on the agreement value when the circle rate is higher.
- Using old rates from a website. Karnataka doubled its registration fee in August 2025, and older pages still say 1%.
- Leaving duty out of the down payment. Banks don't fund it on most homes.
- Under-stating the price in the agreement. It can bring penalties and trouble at resale.
Check before you pay
Stamp duty rules change with state budgets. Confirm the rate with the state's registration department or a property lawyer, and ask your CA about tax on the purchase.
Who helps
A property lawyer checks the title and drafts the deed. Your bank checks the papers if you take a loan. For a house you will build, the architect needs the registered deed to apply for building sanction.
Common questions
How much are stamp duty and registration charges in India?
Stamp duty and registration usually add 5–10% to the price of a home in India. As checked in November 2026, stamp duty runs from 4.9% in Gujarat to about 8% in Kerala and Rajasthan, and registration from 0.5% to 2% in most states.
What is the stamp duty in Maharashtra?
Stamp duty in Maharashtra is 6% for men in Mumbai and 7% in Pune, Thane and Nagpur, with women buying alone paying 1% less. Registration is 1%, capped at ₹30,000. A joint purchase with a man pays the men's rate.
Do women pay less stamp duty?
In Maharashtra, Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, women pay a lower stamp duty rate. In Gujarat women pay the same duty but no registration fee, and in Tamil Nadu they pay 1% registration on homes with a guideline value up to ₹10 lakh. The concession usually needs the woman to buy alone or be a named owner.
Is stamp duty charged on the agreement value or the circle rate?
Stamp duty is worked on the higher of the price in your agreement and the government's circle rate, also called the ready reckoner or guideline value. If a Pune flat's agreement says ₹80 lakh but the circle rate is ₹85 lakh, duty is on ₹85 lakh.
What are the registration charges in Karnataka?
Karnataka's registration fee is 2%, from 31 August 2025, after the state doubled it. Older pages still say 1%. Stamp duty is 5% plus about 0.6% cess and surcharge, so an ₹80 lakh flat in Bengaluru carries about ₹6,08,000 in all.
How is stamp duty paid?
Most states use e-stamping, run through Stock Holding Corporation of India, online or at authorised centres, while some use their own online challan. You then book a slot at the sub-registrar's office and attend with the seller, two witnesses, ID, photographs and the e-stamp certificate.
Related guides
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- Home construction loan disbursement in India, by stage (2026)How a construction loan is released in stages, what the bank needs at each one, and how to line up your contractor's payments with it.
- Mera pehla ghar: how to plan and buy your first home in India (2026)Why a first home matters so much in India, what Design IRL's survey of 2,230 people found, and the steps from choosing a city and project to checking papers, getting the loan, possession and interiors.
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Sources
Most published cost figures come from firms that sell the work. We give ranges and you should get 2–3 quotes.
- TaxAJ: stamp duty and registration charges state-wise (October 2026)
- Telangana Registration and Stamps Department: registration fees, 0.5% on urban sale deeds (from 2 September 2021)
- KS&K: Karnataka doubles property registration fee (2025)
- Telangana Registration and Stamps Department: stamp duty order G.O.Ms.No.59, 5.5% on sale (from 22 July 2021)
- StockHolding: e-stamping