A first time buyer in Bengaluru in 2026, ready to register a flat, hit an unexpected snag: nobody had explained how the stamp duty itself is actually paid. Do you buy stamp paper, get the document franked at a bank, generate an e-stamp, or pay online? The answer is that Karnataka allows several modes, and each works a little differently. For a buyer, choosing the right one is a small but real decision, because a stamp duty payment made the wrong way, or on the wrong paper, can delay a registration that is otherwise ready to go.

The short answer. In Karnataka you can pay stamp duty through an e-stamp certificate operated by Stock Holding Corporation of India, by getting the document franked on a franking machine, or by using physical non-judicial stamp paper bought from a licensed vendor. The state's Kaveri Online Services portal also lets you calculate and pay stamp duty and registration fees online and generate an e-stamp. The trade-off worth knowing is one of convenience and availability: the online and e-stamp routes are the most modern and traceable, while franking and physical stamp paper remain in use, so a buyer should pick the mode their sub-registrar office and transaction actually support.

The anchor fact for a Bengaluru buyer in 2026 is that e-stamping in India is run by Stock Holding Corporation of India as the Central Record Keeping Agency, under rules Karnataka adopted in 2009. e-Stamping, franking or stamp paper in Karnataka is therefore a choice among recognised modes, and getting it right keeps your registration on track.

What modes exist for paying stamp duty in Karnataka?

Karnataka recognises several modes of paying stamp duty, which is why buyers encounter different methods depending on where and how they register. You can use a physical non-judicial stamp paper bought from a licensed vendor, get the instrument franked on a franking machine, or use an e-stamp certificate through Stock Holding Corporation of India. On top of these, the Kaveri Online Services portal of the Department of Stamps and Registration lets a buyer calculate and pay stamp duty and registration fees online and generate an e-stamp. So the modern picture is a mix, with the online and e-stamp routes increasingly central and the older methods still available. For a buyer, the key is not that one mode is universally correct, but that the mode you use must be valid for your transaction and accepted at your registering office. Our guide to stamp duty payment in Karnataka for Bengaluru buyers covers the payment side in more detail.

What is e-stamping and who runs it?

E-stamping is the electronic payment of non-judicial stamp duty, operated in India by Stock Holding Corporation of India, which the Government of India appointed as the Central Record Keeping Agency. An e-stamp certificate is a secure, tamper proof digital record that replaces physical stamp paper, and it is issued through authorised collection centres such as banks, financial institutions, licensed stamp vendors and cooperative societies approved by the state government. Karnataka specifically allows payment of stamp duty through an e-stamp certificate under the Karnataka Stamp Payment of Duty by Means of e-Stamping Rules, 2009, under which a person pays the duty at an approved intermediary and receives the e-stamp certificate. For a buyer, e-stamping is attractive because the certificate is verifiable and hard to forge, which reduces the risk that plagued physical stamp paper, and because it ties the payment to a central record.

The verifiability is not a minor point. Fake or reused stamp paper has been a genuine problem in Indian property, and a document stamped with a forged instrument can be worthless when it matters most, in a dispute or at a future sale. An e-stamp certificate carries a unique identifier that can be checked against the central record, so a buyer, a lender or a later purchaser can confirm the stamp is real and was issued for that transaction. This traceability is a large part of why e-stamping has spread, and it is a reason a cautious buyer often prefers it where the choice is available, since the small effort of using an authorised centre buys a document whose stamping can be independently confirmed.

How does franking work?

Franking pays stamp duty by using a franking machine to impress the required stamp duty value directly onto the instrument. In Karnataka this is governed by the Karnataka Stamp Franking Impression of Stamps Rules, 2000, which came into force on 1 February 2001. In practice, franking is carried out by an authorised agent, typically a bank branch, whose machine applies a coloured impression on the document that serves as proof that stamp duty has been paid. For a buyer, franking is a familiar route, because it is often done at a bank the buyer already deals with, and the impression on the document is the visible evidence of payment. The main practical consideration is availability and any handling arrangements at the franking centre, which vary, so a buyer using this route should confirm the process with the specific bank or agent before relying on it.

Read the table as the menu of recognised modes, and confirm which your registering office and transaction support before you pay.

What about physical stamp paper?

Physical non-judicial stamp paper is the traditional mode, sold by licensed stamp vendors. In Karnataka these vendors are licensed by the licensing authority, the Assistant or Deputy Commissioner, under the Karnataka Stamp Rules, 1958, and a licensed vendor must display the sign identifying them as a licensed vendor of stamp and stamped papers. For a buyer, physical stamp paper is the mode most people picture when they think of stamp duty, and it remains part of the system. The practical caution is simply to buy from a genuinely licensed vendor, since the licence is what makes the paper valid, and to make sure the paper is appropriate for the transaction. Because availability and acceptance of physical stamp paper can vary by office and over time, a buyer relying on this mode should confirm it is accepted for their registration rather than assume it, and check the official portal for the current position.

The historical weakness of physical stamp paper is exactly the forgery and reuse risk that e-stamping was designed to solve, which is why many buyers now default to the electronic route where they can. That does not mean physical stamp paper is unusable, only that a buyer choosing it should be more careful about the source and the genuineness of the paper. The safest habit, whichever mode you use, is to verify the stamping through the official channels rather than to take a document's appearance at face value, because the value of the stamp is only as good as its authenticity.

How does Kaveri fit in?

Kaveri is the Department of Stamps and Registration's official computerised system, and it sits at the centre of registration in Karnataka. Kaveri, which stands for the Karnataka Valuation and e-Registration Initiative, is the official system used by the state's sub-registrar and district registrar offices, and it performs automatic stamp duty and registration fee calculation as part of the registration process. The Kaveri Online Services portal lets citizens calculate and pay stamp duty and registration fees online, generate e-stamps, and book an appointment at a sub-registrar office. For a buyer, this makes Kaveri both the calculator that tells you what you owe and, increasingly, the channel through which you pay it. Because it is the official system, using Kaveri to compute the duty reduces the risk of paying the wrong amount, which is a common cause of a stalled registration. Our guide to Karnataka stamp duty and registration charges for Bengaluru buyers explains how those charges are worked out.

How should a Bengaluru buyer choose a mode?

Pick and prepare your stamp duty payment mode with this checklist so it does not hold up your registration.

1. Use the Kaveri portal to calculate the exact stamp duty and registration fee for your transaction.
2. Decide on a payment mode, an e-stamp, franking, physical stamp paper or online payment through Kaveri.
3. For an e-stamp, use an authorised collection centre such as an approved bank or vendor.
4. For franking, confirm the process and availability with the specific bank or authorised agent.
5. For physical stamp paper, buy only from a licensed vendor displaying the proper licence sign.
6. Confirm the mode you choose is accepted at your registering office for your transaction.
7. Keep the e-stamp certificate, franking impression or stamp paper safe as proof that duty was paid.

What are the main ways to pay stamp duty when buying property in Bengaluru?

You can use a physical non-judicial stamp paper bought from a licensed vendor, get the document franked on a franking machine, or use an e-stamp certificate through Stock Holding Corporation of India. Karnataka's Kaveri Online Services portal also lets you calculate and pay stamp duty and registration fees online.

Who operates e-stamping in India, and what is an e-stamp certificate?

Stock Holding Corporation of India is the Central Record Keeping Agency appointed by the Government of India to run e-stamping. An e-stamp certificate is a secure, tamper proof digital record that replaces physical stamp paper, issued through authorised collection centres such as banks, licensed stamp vendors and cooperative societies approved by the state.

How does franking work for paying stamp duty?

Franking pays stamp duty by using a franking machine to impress the required duty value directly onto your instrument, under Karnataka's Franking Impression of Stamps Rules, 2000. In practice it is done by an authorised agent, typically a bank branch, whose coloured machine impression serves as proof that stamp duty has been paid.

Can I pay Karnataka stamp duty and registration fees online?

Yes. Kaveri, the Karnataka Valuation and e-Registration Initiative, is the Department of Stamps and Registration's official system, which calculates stamp duty and registration fees automatically. Through the Kaveri Online Services portal you can compute and pay these charges online, generate e-stamps, and book a sub-registrar office appointment for registration.

Last updated 2026-07-07. PropNewz Team.