Cost Guide
Stamp duty & registration in Bengaluru
What the Karnataka government takes on every sale, and how to compute it before you sign.
Updated 2026-07-11
The 2025 change many websites still miss
Effective August 31, 2025, Karnataka doubled its property registration charge from 1% to 2% of property value — the first revision since 2003. Plenty of established guides still quote the old 1%, which understates your closing costs by a full percent of the property price. On a ₹75 lakh flat, that's ₹75,000 of surprise. The numbers on this page reflect the current structure.
Karnataka stamp duty slabs (2026)
| Base stamp duty | Effective duty in urban Bengaluru* | |
|---|---|---|
| Below ₹20 lakh | 2% | ~2.24% |
| ₹20–45 lakh | 3% | ~3.36% |
| Above ₹45 lakh | 5% | ~5.6% |
*Effective = base duty + 10% cess + 2% urban surcharge (both computed on the duty). Registration charge of 2% of property value applies on top. Rural surcharge is 3%.
A worked example: ₹75 lakh flat in Bengaluru
Take a ₹75 lakh resale flat inside BBMP limits. Stamp duty: 5% = ₹3,75,000. Cess: 10% of the duty = ₹37,500. Surcharge: 2% of the duty = ₹7,500. Registration: 2% of value = ₹1,50,000. Total: about ₹5,70,000 — roughly 7.6% of the property value, on top of the price, payable at registration. This is why the buyer's guide insists you budget the gap between sticker and all-in before you shortlist. (Buying under-construction? GST is a separate, additional layer — see new launch vs resale.)
How and where you pay
Stamp duty and registration are paid at the sub-registrar's office when the sale deed is registered, with the process running through Karnataka's Kaveri online portal (document entry, fee calculation and appointment booking). Duty is calculated on the higher of the sale price or the government guidance value for the property — you can't register below guidance value to save duty. Karnataka applies the same rates regardless of the buyer's gender, and the structure is uniform across its cities.
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Get your free AI report →Frequently asked questions
How much is stamp duty on a flat in Bengaluru in 2026?
5% base duty for properties above ₹45 lakh (most Bengaluru flats), which becomes ~5.6% effective with cess and urban surcharge — plus 2% registration on top.
Did Karnataka registration charges increase?
Yes — from 1% to 2% of property value, effective August 31, 2025. Many older guides still show 1%; budget with 2%.
Is stamp duty lower for women in Karnataka?
No — unlike some states, Karnataka applies the same rates regardless of gender.
Is stamp duty negotiable or avoidable?
No — it's statutory, and it's charged on the higher of your sale price or the government guidance value, so under-reporting doesn't work and is illegal.
Do NRIs pay different stamp duty?
No — rates are the same regardless of residency status.