Stamp Duty and Registration Charges in Karnataka: A 2026 Bengaluru Buyer Guide

A buyer closing an 85 lakh rupee flat off Sarjapur Road in September 2026 had saved diligently for the 20 percent down payment, then realised the government's cut was another 6.4 lakh rupees on top. In Karnataka, a home above 45 lakh carries a total registration cost of roughly 7.5 percent once stamp duty, cess, surcharge and the registration fee are added. For most Bengaluru buyers, whose flats sit comfortably above that 45 lakh line, this is a large, non negotiable payment that has to be planned from the first day of the search, not discovered at the Kaveri counter.

The short answer. In Karnataka, stamp duty is 5 percent for property valued above 45 lakh, which covers most Bengaluru homes, with lower slabs of 3 percent between 20 and 45 lakh and 2 percent below 20 lakh. On top sit a cess and surcharge charged on the stamp duty, a small BBMP surcharge within city limits, and a registration fee that was revised upward in 2025, taking the total for a home above 45 lakh to about 7.5 to 7.6 percent. Duty is charged on the higher of your sale price or the government guidance value. The trade off to plan is that this cash comes from your savings, not your home loan, so treat 7.5 percent as fixed and confirm the exact figures on the official Kaveri 2.0 portal before you register.

What will registration actually cost me in Bengaluru?

Budget for about 7.5 to 7.6 percent of the property value for a home above 45 lakh. On an 85 lakh flat that is roughly 6.4 lakh rupees, and on a 1.2 crore flat it is closer to 9 lakh. The bulk is the 5 percent stamp duty, with cess, surcharge and the registration fee making up the rest. Because almost every apartment and most plots in Bengaluru cross the 45 lakh threshold, the 5 percent slab is the one that will apply to you, so plan around it rather than the lower slabs you may see quoted in generic tables. This money is due at registration and is not funded by your loan, so keep it separate from your down payment in your cash plan, alongside brokerage and interior costs. A useful way to frame it is to add the registration cost to your effective purchase price. An 85 lakh flat is really costing you about 91 lakh once the duty is counted, before you have painted a wall or bought a fan. Buyers who work from the all in figure, rather than the sticker price, rarely get caught short in the final week, and they negotiate with a clearer head because they know exactly how much cash the deal will actually consume.

How do the stamp duty slabs work?

Karnataka uses three stamp duty slabs based on the property value. Property valued above 45 lakh attracts 5 percent, property between 20 and 45 lakh attracts 3 percent, and property below 20 lakh attracts 2 percent. The slab is decided by the value used for duty, which is the higher of your sale price or the guidance value, so a modest flat whose guidance value tips above 45 lakh still falls in the 5 percent slab. These slabs are only the base stamp duty, and the cess, surcharge and registration fee are added on top, which is why the headline 5 percent understates the true cost. When you see a flat 5 percent quoted, read it as the starting point, not the total. It is also worth knowing that the slab is decided at registration on the value the sub registrar accepts, so if you are buying close to a slab boundary, a guidance value that nudges the figure over 45 lakh can move you from the 3 percent band into the 5 percent band. That jump is on the whole value, not just the amount above the threshold, so a property sitting right at the line deserves a careful check of the guidance value before you assume the lower slab applies.

What are the cess, surcharge and BBMP components?

They are additions calculated on the stamp duty, and together they lift your effective rate by roughly a percentage point. Karnataka levies a cess of 10 percent and a surcharge of 2 percent in urban areas, or 3 percent in rural areas, both computed on the stamp duty amount rather than on the property value, so at a 5 percent base they add around half a percent to your total. Within BBMP limits there is a further small surcharge on the stamp duty, remitted to the city for local infrastructure. None of these are optional, and they are built into the Kaveri calculation, so you will see them itemised when you compute your duty online. The practical takeaway is to use the total, not the base stamp duty, when you set your budget.

Is it charged on my price or the guidance value?

On whichever is higher, your sale price or the government guidance value for that locality. Guidance value is the state's notified minimum rate for property in an area, and if it exceeds your negotiated price, your duty is calculated on the guidance value instead. In fast moving Bengaluru micro markets this gap can be significant, so the single most useful early step is to look up the guidance value for the exact area before you commit, a process we explain in our guide on reading guidance value on Kaveri. Recording a price below what you actually paid to reduce duty is a false economy that weakens your title and complicates any future capital gains calculation, so declare the true consideration and plan for the duty on the higher of the two figures.

How much is the registration fee now?

The registration fee was revised upward in 2025, the first such change in many years, which is a major reason the total cost has climbed to around 7.5 percent. Because this figure moved recently and can be revised again, do not rely on an older quote of 1 percent that you may still see in dated articles. Instead, compute the fee for your exact property on the Kaveri 2.0 portal, which reflects the current rate, and confirm the number before you carry cash or a draft to the sub registrar. Getting this right matters, because the registration fee on a crore rupee flat is a meaningful sum in its own right, and an outdated assumption can leave you short on registration day. A clear current breakdown is also maintained by Brigade Group, but Kaveri 2.0 is the authority.

How do I pay and register on Kaveri 2.0?

Karnataka has moved registration online through the Kaveri 2.0 portal, where you can calculate duty, pay it and book your sub registrar appointment. You compute the duty for your property and value, pay the stamp duty and fees digitally, and then attend the sub registrar office with the seller and witnesses to execute and register the deed. Using the portal to calculate your own figure before you meet any agent gives you a reliable number to plan around and a check against what you are told. Once you know the cost, fold it into your overall budget alongside your loan, which you can size using our note on the home loan EMI at the current repo rate. If you are evaluating a specific launch such as this Bengaluru project, run its guidance value and duty before you sign the booking form.

What should I check before registration day?

Run this list once you have a shortlisted property.

1. Look up the guidance value for the exact locality and compare it with your agreed price.
2. Identify your stamp duty slab, remembering most Bengaluru homes fall in the 5 percent band.
3. Use the Kaveri 2.0 calculator to compute stamp duty, cess, surcharge and registration fee together.
4. Budget for the full total of about 7.5 percent, not just the base stamp duty.
5. Confirm the current registration fee, since it was revised upward in 2025.
6. Set the registration cash aside separately from your down payment and loan.
7. Keep the paid challan and the registered deed together for your records and tax file.

Frequently asked questions

What are the stamp duty and registration charges in Karnataka in 2026? Stamp duty is 5 percent for property above 45 lakh, with lower slabs of 3 percent for 20 to 45 lakh and 2 percent below 20 lakh. Adding cess, surcharge and the registration fee, the total for a home above 45 lakh is about 7.5 to 7.6 percent, charged on the higher of your price or the guidance value.

Is stamp duty charged on the sale price or the guidance value? Karnataka charges duty on whichever is higher, your sale price or the government guidance value for the locality. If the guidance value is higher than your negotiated price, your duty is calculated on the guidance value, so check the guidance value for the exact area before you finalise your budget for the purchase.

How much is the registration fee in Karnataka? The registration fee was revised upward in 2025, which is a key reason the total registration cost has risen to around 7.5 percent. Because it changed recently, do not rely on older quotes of 1 percent. Compute the current fee for your property on the Kaveri 2.0 portal before you register.

How do I pay stamp duty in Bengaluru? Use the Kaveri 2.0 portal to calculate and pay stamp duty and the registration fee online, then book a sub registrar appointment and attend in person with the seller and witnesses to execute the deed. Computing your own figure on the portal first gives you a reliable number to plan around.

Last updated 2026-09-14. PropNewz Team.