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Stamp Duty in India: A State-by-State Guide for Property Buyers

4 May 20267 min readBy Calculatorist Finance Editorial Team

Stamp duty is the second-biggest line item in a property purchase after the home itself, often 5-8% of the property value. Rates vary state-by-state, and most states discount stamp duty for female owners or joint registration. Many first-time buyers underestimate this entirely — and discover too late they need ₹4-6 lakh extra in cash that the home loan won't cover. This guide gives you the rates and the math.

What Is Stamp Duty and Who Pays It

Stamp duty is a state-level tax levied on property registration. It is paid by the buyer at the time of registration of the sale deed. The rate is a percentage of the higher of either the agreement value (what you actually paid) or the circle rate (the state's notified minimum value for the property's location and category).

Registration charge is a separate fee, typically 1% of property value, paid to the sub-registrar's office for officially recording the transaction. Total transaction cost = stamp duty + registration + small additional cess + lawyer fees + brokerage. The first three are statutory and unavoidable.

Stamp duty is not financed by the home loan — it must come from your own cash. Banks fund 75-80% of property value as loan; the remaining 20-25% down payment plus the 6-8% stamp duty/registration must come from savings.

Major State Rates (Male Owners, 2026)

Stamp duty + registration combined for the most-searched states:

  • Maharashtra — 5% stamp duty + 1% registration + 1% LBT (Local Body Tax) in some municipalities = ~6-7% total.
  • Karnataka — 5% stamp duty (3% for properties under ₹35L, additional cess applies) + 1% registration = ~5-6% total.
  • Tamil Nadu — 7% stamp duty + 1% registration + 4% local body tax = ~11-12% total. India's highest.
  • Delhi — 6% stamp duty for males / 4% for females + 1% registration = ~5-7%.
  • Uttar Pradesh — 7% stamp duty + 1% registration + 5% land tax surcharge = ~7-8% in NCR districts.
  • Telangana — 4% stamp duty + 0.5% registration + 1.5% transfer duty = ~6%.
  • West Bengal — 5% stamp duty (above ₹1 cr) / 6% (above ₹40L in Kolkata) + 1% registration.
  • Gujarat — 4.9% stamp duty + 1% registration = ~5.9%.
  • Rajasthan — 5% stamp duty + 1% registration + 0.3% surcharge = ~6.3%.
  • Madhya Pradesh — 7.5% combined.
  • Punjab and Haryana — 5-7% combined depending on city.
Tamil Nadu is the costliest

TN's combined ~12% means a ₹1 crore property attracts ~₹12 lakh in stamp duty + registration alone. That's higher than the down payment for some buyers. Plan accordingly.

Female-Owner Discounts

Many states offer a 1-2% discount on stamp duty when the property is registered solely or jointly in a woman's name. Examples for 2026:

  • Delhi — males 6%, females 4% (saves 2%).
  • Haryana — males 7%, females 5%.
  • Punjab — males 7%, females 5%.
  • Rajasthan — males 5%, females 4%.
  • Uttar Pradesh — uniform 7% but ₹1L exemption for women.
  • Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Telangana — no female-specific discount.

On a ₹1 crore property in Delhi, registering in a wife's name (sole or joint with majority share) saves ₹2 lakh in stamp duty. This is a real, simple, legal saving — many buyers default to husband-only registration without realising the cost.

Total Transaction Cost Calculation

For a ₹1 crore home in different cities (male owner, no discounts):

  • Mumbai — Property ₹1 cr + stamp duty/reg ₹6 lakh + brokerage ₹1-2 lakh + interiors ₹5-10 lakh = ₹1.12-1.18 cr total.
  • Bangalore — ₹1 cr + ₹5.5 lakh + ₹1-2 lakh + ₹5-10 lakh = ₹1.11-1.17 cr.
  • Chennai — ₹1 cr + ₹12 lakh + ₹1-2 lakh + ₹5-10 lakh = ₹1.18-1.24 cr (highest stamp duty).
  • Hyderabad — ₹1 cr + ₹6 lakh + ₹1-2 lakh + ₹5-10 lakh = ₹1.12-1.18 cr.
  • Delhi (male) — ₹1 cr + ₹7 lakh + ₹1-2 lakh + ₹5-10 lakh = ₹1.13-1.19 cr.
  • Delhi (female) — ₹1 cr + ₹5 lakh + ₹1-2 lakh + ₹5-10 lakh = ₹1.11-1.17 cr.

Add 8-15% on top of the property price for total true cost. Banks finance 80% of the property value only, so cash needed is roughly 28-35% of the home price (20% down + 6-12% transaction costs).

Common Mistakes

Underestimating cash needed. Buyers think 20% down payment is enough; in Tamil Nadu they actually need 30%+. Plan early.

Skipping female-owner registration when eligible. Delhi's 2% saving on a ₹2 cr property is ₹4 lakh — straightforward to claim by registering joint.

Forgetting circle rate vs agreement value. Stamp duty is on the higher of the two. If the seller agrees to a price below circle rate (informal discount, distress sale), you still pay duty on the circle rate.

Missing stamp duty deduction under Section 80C. Stamp duty paid on a self-occupied property is deductible under 80C up to the ₹1.5L cap, in the year of payment. A ₹4-6 lakh stamp duty often fully utilises 80C for a year.

Use The State-Specific Calculators

We have dedicated calculators for all 28 Indian states with the latest 2026 rates: Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, and 22 more. Each handles male/female differential, additional cess, and shows the total cash-out at registration.

For overall affordability, also use the house affordability calculator which factors in stamp duty when computing your max home price.

Calculate stamp duty for your state

Pick your state, enter the property value, and see the exact stamp duty + registration charges with male/female differential.

Open Stamp Duty

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