Short answer
On a sale deed in Karnataka the buyer pays 5% stamp duty, about 0.6% more as cess and surcharge, and a 2% registration fee (raised from 1% on 31 August 2025). All of it is charged on the higher of the guidance value and the sale price, so budget roughly 7.6% on top of the price.
Last checked 20 October 2026
Current rates on a sale deed
Lower stamp duty slabs that you may see online apply to specific cases, such as some first sales of new apartments. Check on Kaveri whether one applies before you budget on it.
| Charge | Rate | Charged on |
|---|---|---|
| Stamp duty | 5% | Higher of guidance value and sale price |
| Cess and surcharge | About 0.6% of the value (a share of the stamp duty) | Worked out by Kaveri |
| Registration fee | 2% (from 31 Aug 2025; earlier 1%) | Same value |
Worked example: a ₹25 lakh site
Assuming the guidance value is not higher than ₹25 lakh:
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Stamp duty (5%) | ₹1,25,000 |
| Cess and surcharge (about 0.6%) | about ₹15,000 |
| Registration fee (2%) | ₹50,000 |
| Total, roughly | ₹1.9 lakh |
Things that change the amount
- Guidance value: if the government's guidance value is above your price, duty and fee are charged on the guidance value.
- Type of document: gift deeds within the family, partition and settlement deeds have their own rates.
- Small fees for scanning and certified copies are added at the office.
- Who pays: by custom the buyer pays stamp duty and registration fees, unless the sale agreement says otherwise.
How stamp duty and fees have changed
On a site or farmland purchase the stamp duty rate has stayed at 5% for over a decade. What buyers felt were the guidance value revision of October 2023 and the registration fee rising to 2% in August 2025.
| When | What changed | Effect on a sale |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Registration fee set at 1% | Stayed at 1% for about 22 years |
| 2012-13 budget | Stamp duty on sale deeds announced to fall from 6% to 5% | 5% is the rate in force today |
| 2020 | First sale of new apartments: up to ₹20 lakh 5% → 2%; ₹21–35 lakh 5% → 3% | Apartments only; sites, land and resales stay at 5% |
| September 2021 | First sale of new apartments ₹35–45 lakh: 5% → 3% | Apartments only |
| 1 October 2023 | Guidance values revised statewide, about 25–30% on average (more for some farmland) | Same rate, charged on a higher value |
| February 2024 | Karnataka Stamp (Amendment) Act, 2023: higher fixed duties on about 50 other documents, such as affidavits and mortgages | Sale deed rate unchanged at 5% |
| 31 August 2025 | Registration fee 1% → 2% | Total on a sale about 6.6% → about 7.6% |
The same ₹25 lakh site, five years ago and today
Assuming the guidance value is not higher than the price:
| 2021 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|
| Stamp duty 5% + cess and surcharge | about ₹1.4 lakh | about ₹1.4 lakh |
| Registration fee | ₹25,000 (1%) | ₹50,000 (2%) |
| Total | about ₹1.65 lakh (6.6%) | about ₹1.9 lakh (7.6%) |
Questions people ask
- What is the registration fee in Karnataka now?
- 2% of the property value on a sale deed, from 31 August 2025. It was 1% before that.
- Is stamp duty charged on the sale price or the guidance value?
- On whichever is higher: the price in the deed or the guidance value for that property.
- Can stamp duty be paid online?
- Yes. Kaveri 2.0 calculates stamp duty and the registration fee and takes the payment online before you book the office slot.
- Has stamp duty in Karnataka gone up recently?
- The stamp duty rate on a sale deed is still 5%. The cost went up through the guidance value revision of October 2023 and the registration fee rising from 1% to 2% on 31 August 2025.
- What were the charges five years ago?
- In 2021 a sale deed carried 5% stamp duty plus cess and surcharge and a 1% registration fee, about 6.6% in all. Today it is about 7.6%.
Sources
- Kaveri Online Services (Dept. of Stamps and Registration)
- Inspector General of Registration and Commissioner of Stamps, Karnataka
- Deccan Herald: registration fee hiked to 2% (Aug 2025)
- King Stubb & Kasiva: modification in levy of registration fees in Karnataka
- Deccan Herald: 2012-13 budget cuts sale deed stamp duty from 6% to 5%
- Deccan Herald: Karnataka cuts stamp duty on apartments (2020)
- IBTimes: flats under ₹45 lakh in Karnataka now attract lower stamp duty (2021)
- King Stubb & Kasiva: revised guidance values from 1 October 2023
- Fox Mandal: Karnataka notifies Stamp (Amendment) Act, 2023
General information, not legal advice. Rates and rules change; confirm on the official portal or with a lawyer before you pay.
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