What is stamp duty on property purchase in Karnataka in 2026?

Stamp duty in Karnataka is 5% of the property market value or guidance value (whichever is higher). An additional 10% surcharge (cess) applies, making the effective stamp duty rate 5.5% in most cases. Women buyers get a 2% concession in some property categories.

What is the registration charge for property in Karnataka?

Registration charges in Karnataka are 1% of the property value, subject to a minimum of Rs 500 and a maximum of Rs 20 lakh. For high-value properties above Rs 20 lakh, the registration charge is capped at Rs 20 lakh regardless of property value.

What is guidance value in Karnataka and how does it affect stamp duty?

Guidance value (also called circle rate) is the minimum price set by the government for property transactions in a given area. Stamp duty is calculated on the higher of the actual sale price or guidance value. If you pay below guidance value, stamp duty is still calculated on the guidance value.

How much should I budget for stamp duty and registration on a Rs 50 lakh Karnataka property?

On a Rs 50 lakh property, stamp duty is approximately Rs 2.75 lakh (5.5% effective rate) and registration charges are Rs 50,000 (1%). Total transaction costs add up to approximately Rs 3.25 lakh — around 6.5% of property value. Budget this in addition to the purchase price.

Is there any stamp duty exemption for agricultural land purchase in Karnataka?

Agricultural land purchased by agriculturists for agricultural purposes has a reduced stamp duty rate of 3% in Karnataka. However, NRIs purchasing agricultural land face additional FEMA restrictions. Consult a Karnataka-registered advocate for the applicable rate for your specific transaction.

When is stamp duty paid for a property purchase in Karnataka?

Stamp duty is paid before or at the time of executing the sale deed. In practice, stamp duty is paid at the Sub-Registrar's office during registration. Non-judicial stamp paper or franking is used. Underpayment of stamp duty attracts a penalty of up to 10 times the deficit amount.

What is the difference between stamp duty and registration charges?

Stamp duty is a state tax on the legal document recording the property transfer, calculated as a percentage of property value. Registration charges are a fee paid to the Sub-Registrar for registering the document in the official records. Both are mandatory for a legally valid property transfer in Karnataka.

Can stamp duty be paid online in Karnataka?

Yes. Karnataka's KAVERI online portal (kaveri.karnataka.gov.in) allows online payment of stamp duty and scheduling of Sub-Registrar appointments. The portal also enables online document registration for many property transaction types. This has significantly reduced the time and complexity of registration.

What documents are required at the Sub-Registrar office for property registration in Karnataka?

Required documents include the original sale deed (on stamp paper), identity proof of buyer and seller, PAN card of both parties (mandatory above Rs 50 lakh), passport photos, two witnesses with identity proof, and property documents including encumbrance certificate, RTC, and previous title documents.

Are stamp duty and registration charges the same across all Karnataka districts?

Stamp duty rates are uniform across Karnataka at 5% (plus cess). Registration charges are also uniform at 1% capped at Rs 20 lakh. However, guidance values vary significantly between districts and localities, which affects the base on which stamp duty is calculated. Coastal Karnataka guidance values are generally lower than Bangalore.

Stamp Duty and Registration Charges for Property in Karnataka: 2026 Guide

Stamp duty and registration charges are the largest transaction costs in any Karnataka property purchase — and the ones most buyers either underestimate or discover too late. Here is exactly what you will pay and how to plan for it.

The total cost of buying property in Karnataka is not just the sale price. On top of that, every buyer pays stamp duty to the state government and a registration fee to the Sub-Registrar's office. For a ₹50 lakh coastal plot, these charges add ₹3–4 lakh to your outlay. For a ₹1 crore transaction, the additional cost crosses ₹7 lakh. Understanding these charges before you negotiate the sale price is not optional — it is part of calculating whether the deal makes financial sense.

What is Stamp Duty?

Stamp duty is a state government tax levied on the legal document that transfers property ownership — the Sale Deed. It is paid before or at the time of registration at the Sub-Registrar's office. The duty is calculated as a percentage of the property's value — either the actual sale consideration or the government guidance value (also called the circle rate or ready reckoner rate), whichever is higher.

In Karnataka, stamp duty is governed by the Karnataka Stamp Act, 1957. The rates are set by the state government and are revised periodically.

Current Stamp Duty Rates in Karnataka (2026)

Properties above ₹45 lakh: 5% stamp duty + 1% registration fee + 0.5% BBMP/local body cess (where applicable) = effectively 6–6.5% total
Properties between ₹21 lakh and ₹45 lakh: 3% stamp duty + 1% registration fee
Properties below ₹20 lakh: 2% stamp duty + 1% registration fee

For rural coastal Karnataka land — Kundapur, Byndoor, Marvante, Murudeshwar — most investment-grade plots fall in the above ₹45 lakh bracket, making the effective transaction cost 5–6% of the guidance value or sale consideration (whichever is higher).

What is the Guidance Value and Why Does It Matter?

The guidance value is the minimum value per square foot or per cent set by the Karnataka government for each locality, updated periodically by the stamps and registration department. Stamp duty is calculated on the higher of the actual sale price or the guidance value.

This matters significantly for coastal Karnataka land because actual transaction prices in premium micro-locations like Marvante, Trasi, and Koteshwara are often 2–4 times the guidance value. In these cases, stamp duty is calculated on the actual sale price — meaning the stamp duty bill is proportionally higher.

Conversely, in emerging locations where guidance values have not yet been revised upward, the guidance value may be close to or equal to the transaction price. Always check the current guidance value for the specific survey number before signing the sale agreement.

Registration Fee

The registration fee is 1% of the property value (same basis as stamp duty — higher of guidance value or sale consideration), subject to a maximum of ₹1,50,000. This cap is relevant for high-value transactions — for a ₹2 crore plot, the registration fee is capped at ₹1.5 lakh rather than the uncapped 1% of ₹2 lakh.

Other Charges at Registration

Scanning fee: ₹300–500 per document
User charges: ₹200–400
Advocate fees: For drafting the Sale Deed — typically ₹5,000–15,000 depending on complexity
Witness fees: Nominal

Example: Total Cost for a ₹60 Lakh Coastal Plot

Sale price: ₹60,00,000
Stamp duty (5%): ₹3,00,000
Registration fee (1%, max ₹1.5L): ₹60,000
Scanning + user charges: ₹1,000
Advocate fees: ₹10,000
Total transaction cost over sale price: ₹3,71,000
Total outlay: ₹63,71,000

Stamp Duty for NRI Buyers

NRIs pay the same stamp duty and registration charges as resident Indian buyers. There is no surcharge or differential rate for NRI purchasers. The payment must come from an NRE or NRO account via banking channels — cash payments are not accepted.

Agricultural Land — Stamp Duty After DC Conversion

If you are purchasing agricultural land that has been DC Converted to residential use, stamp duty applies to the residential classification rate — not the agricultural rate. The conversion itself does not attract stamp duty, but the subsequent sale does. Ensure the DC Conversion order and RTC update are complete before registration to avoid complications with the duty classification.

When is Stamp Duty Paid?

Stamp duty must be paid before or at the time of execution of the Sale Deed. In Karnataka, this is done through e-stamping — an online payment system that generates a stamp certificate used at registration. Your advocate will handle the e-stamping process as part of the registration procedure.

How SSV Realty Helps Buyers Plan Transaction Costs

Every property enquiry we handle includes a full transaction cost estimate — stamp duty, registration fee, advocate charges, and any outstanding conversion or mutation fees — so buyers have a clear picture of total outlay before they commit. View available properties or contact our team for a cost estimate on any specific plot you are evaluating.