Bangalore · Rent agreements
Rent Agreement Stamp Duty in Bangalore (Karnataka): E-Stamp, Cost & Registration
Ask five Bangalore guides what an 11-month rent agreement costs to stamp and you get a flat ₹200, a flat ₹500 cap, 0.5% and 1% of the rent. This page lays out why they differ, what is consistent (e-stamp, 11 months, who pays), and how to check the real figure for your agreement in minutes.
Why the numbers disagree
| Figure reported | Where | What it seems to describe |
|---|---|---|
| Flat ₹200 e-stamp | A 2026 Karnataka guide | The value commonly bought for an 11-month residential agreement |
| 1% of annual rent plus deposit, capped at ₹500 (₹100 minimum) | Another guide | A formula-with-cap version of the same short agreement |
| 0.5% of average annual rent plus advance, capped at ₹500 | Guides citing Article 30 | Residential lease of up to one year |
| 1% of total rent for 1 to 10 years | A guide on longer leases | Registered lease, with registration at the sub-registrar |
Read together, the pattern is: most guides cap short residential agreements (up to a year) at ₹500, while registered leases of 12 months or more are percentage-based and sit on top of a registration fee. We found no official Karnataka notification to settle it, so treat all of these as reported figures.
What is consistent
- E-stamp, not stamp paper. Several 2025-26 guides say Karnataka rental agreements must now be e-stamped (through SHCIL or the state's Kaveri channel) and that physical stamp paper is not accepted, citing a 1 July 2025 change. We found no official notification, so confirm before you buy.
- 11 months avoids registration. Under the Registration Act, 1908, only leases above one year must be registered. One guide quotes a registration fee of 1% of annual rent or ₹1,000, whichever is higher.
- Tenant pays by default. Most guides say the tenant usually pays, but the parties can split it in writing.
The Bangalore wrinkle: large deposits
Bangalore deposits are among the highest in India, commonly several months' rent. On a ₹45,000 flat with a ₹4,50,000 deposit, a formula that includes the deposit gives a very different base from one that uses rent alone. In a 2025 ruling reported by legal blogs, the Karnataka High Court held that a refundable security deposit is not "money advanced" under Article 30 of the Karnataka Stamp Act, so duty is charged on the average annual rent only; some calculators still add the deposit, so ask the sub-registrar if yours does. Whatever the stamp, record the deposit and the refund terms clearly in the agreement and in a separate written receipt; that record decides most disputes (see our security deposit guide).
How to check your number before you pay
- Use the e-stamp calculator or the state's Kaveri / e-stamp channel, enter the lease type, rent, deposit and term, and read the value it asks for.
- If an agent tells you the stamp is "₹500 for everything", ask which formula and which date; rates and practice change.
- Buy the e-stamp in the name of the party who will bear the cost and before anyone signs.
If you live abroad
The e-stamp is bought online, so the stamp is not the obstacle; signing is. Use courier-and-scan, or an electronic signature through a service that supports Aadhaar eSign if you have an Indian mobile linked to your Aadhaar. Registration (for 12-plus months) needs presence before the sub-registrar, which is why owners abroad usually stay on 11-month agreements and renew them. Pair the agreement with tenant registration with Bengaluru police.
Where Rent Connect fits
The paperwork around a tenancy is easier when it lives in one place. Rent Connect is a property management tool for owners who rent out property in India, currently in early access. It sends WhatsApp rent reminders, records each payment as pending, overdue or paid, and generates a rent receipt when a payment is marked paid. Tenant details, the agreement and maintenance issues (with photos) sit on one tenancy record, and a Deposit Ledger records the agreed deposit and any move-out deductions. The ledger is a shared record only: Rent Connect does not hold the money.
It does not file police intimations, compute or deposit TDS, or file tax returns for you. Those stay with you, your tenant and your CA. To follow the launch, join the waitlist.
How this page was checked
Figures here were compiled on 16 October 2026 from the sources below. Where we could not open an official page, the note at the end says so. Government portals and rates change, so confirm the live number or form with the office before you pay or file.
- Vault Proptech: stamp paper for rental agreement, Karnataka 2026 e-stamp guide
- Vault Proptech: how much is stamp duty for a lease agreement in Bangalore
- Godrej Properties: stamp duty and registration charges in Bangalore 2026
What we could not verify: The Karnataka registration department's own pages could not be opened, and the Article of the Karnataka Stamp Act for leases could not be confirmed. The July 2025 e-stamp mandate is from blogs only; the High Court ruling on deposits is from a law blog, and we did not read the judgment.
Frequently asked questions
What is the stamp duty for an 11-month rent agreement in Bangalore?
Guides report anything from a flat ₹200 e-stamp to 1% of annual rent plus deposit capped at ₹500. We found no official notification, so check the value on the state e-stamp channel for your rent and deposit.
Is e-stamping mandatory for rent agreements in Karnataka?
Several 2025-26 guides say so, citing 1 July 2025, but we found no official notification. Confirm on the Karnataka registration portal.
Do I need to register an 11-month rent agreement in Bangalore?
No. Registration is compulsory only for leases above one year under the Registration Act, 1908.
Who pays the stamp duty in Bangalore?
The tenant by default in many guides, but it is negotiable and should be written into the agreement.
Can I sign a Bangalore rent agreement from the US or UAE?
Yes, by courier or by electronic signature if the signer has an Indian mobile linked to Aadhaar. A registered lease needs an in-person or authorised representative.
General information, not legal advice. Confirm the current stamp value with the Karnataka registration portal or a sub-registrar.
Manage your Indian property from anywhere
WhatsApp rent reminders, a receipt for every paid month, tenant details and the agreement on one record, and a Deposit Ledger that records the deposit without holding it. Someone local still handles keys and repairs.
Join the waitlist