Circle Rate in Jammu & Kashmir 2026
Jammu & Kashmir's official government property valuation — the rate stamp duty is actually charged on (also called Market value / stamp duty rates (official term)) — how to look it up for Srinagar and Jammu, and what changed in the latest revision.
What is the circle rate?
The circle rate is the minimum value at which a property can be registered in Jammu & Kashmir, notified locality-by- locality by the Department of Registration (Inspectorate General of Registration), Government of Jammu & Kashmir; rates finalized district-wise by committees chaired by Deputy Commissioners and notified for each calendar year. When you register a sale deed, the sub-registrar compares your declared price against this rate and charges stamp duty on the higher of the two. Stamp duty is charged on the higher of the notified market value (circle rate) or the declared consideration.
Jammu & Kashmir specifics: Official documents mostly say 'market value/stamp duty rates' rather than 'circle rate', though the latter is the common usage. Rates run by calendar year. Stamp duty is gender-differentiated: 7% male, 3% female, 5% joint; registration fee 1.2%.
Check the official rate for your locality
Jammu & Kashmir publishes rates on IGR J&K — Stamp Duty Rates of Year 2026. Select your district, area/village and property type to see the notified value per sq metre or sq ft.
Open IGR J&K — Stamp Duty Rates of Year 2026District NIC portals also host the notifications (e.g., jammu.nic.in, srinagar.nic.in) as district-wise PDFs.
Latest revision
Calendar year 2026 rates notified for all 20 districts. J&K revises rates annually by calendar year (not financial year). The IGR J&K portal publishes 2026 rates for all 20 districts (10 Jammu division, 10 Kashmir division); DC-chaired district meetings for the 2026 revision were held in late 2025.
How stamp duty uses this rate in Jammu & Kashmir
Suppose you agree to buy a flat in Srinagar for ₹65,00,000, but the notified government value of that flat works out to ₹70,00,000. Stamp duty is charged on ₹70,00,000 — the higher figure — at 7%, i.e. about ₹4,90,000, plus registration charges. Declaring a lower price in the deed does not reduce the duty.
The same government value also drives income tax: under Section 50C the seller's capital gains are computed as if they received at least this value, the buyer pays tax on the shortfall under Section 56(2)(x) if the price is more than 10% below it, and the buyer's 1% TDS is deducted on the higher value too. This is why lenders, buyers and sellers all check the circle rate before fixing a deal price.
Frequently asked questions
What is the circle rate in Jammu & Kashmir?+
It is the minimum property value fixed by the Department of Registration (Inspectorate General of Registration), Government of Jammu & Kashmir; rates finalized district-wise by committees chaired by Deputy Commissioners and notified for each calendar year for each locality, and it is the floor on which stamp duty and registration charges are computed in Jammu & Kashmir. The same rate is also called Market value / stamp duty rates (official term).
How do I check the circle rate for my area?+
Use the official IGR J&K — Stamp Duty Rates of Year 2026 portal (https://igr.jk.gov.in/PubFeeStructure.html). Select your district, sub-registrar office or village/locality, and property type to see the notified rate. District NIC portals also host the notifications (e.g., jammu.nic.in, srinagar.nic.in) as district-wise PDFs.
When was the circle rate last revised in Jammu & Kashmir?+
Calendar year 2026 rates notified for all 20 districts. J&K revises rates annually by calendar year (not financial year). The IGR J&K portal publishes 2026 rates for all 20 districts (10 Jammu division, 10 Kashmir division); DC-chaired district meetings for the 2026 revision were held in late 2025.
What happens if I buy a property below the circle rate?+
Stamp duty is still charged on the government value — you cannot save duty by declaring a lower price. There is also an income-tax hit on both sides: if the declared price is more than 10% below the government value, Section 50C taxes the seller as if they sold at that value, and Section 56(2)(x) taxes the buyer on the difference as "income from other sources".
Is the circle rate the same as the market rate?+
No. The market rate is what buyers actually pay; the government rate is an administrative floor for duty collection. In prime areas the market price usually runs well above the government rate; occasionally (after a sharp correction) the government rate can be higher than market, which inflates the duty payable.
Sources
- IGR J&K — Stamp Duty Rates of Year 2026
- District Jammu — Stamp Duty Rates for Calendar Year 2026
- District Srinagar — Market value/stamp duty rates 2025
Verified 2026-07. Rates are revised by government notification — always confirm the current notified value with the official portal or sub-registrar before a transaction.