A buyer negotiating a resale flat in Hennur in early 2026 was thrilled to talk the seller down to 70 lakh rupees, then puzzled when the sub registrar system calculated stamp duty on 80 lakh instead. The reason was the guidance value, the government floor price for that locality, which had recently been revised upward. His bargain was real, but the tax did not shrink with it. Guidance value is one of the most misunderstood numbers in a Bangalore purchase, and understanding it early keeps your budget honest.

The short answer. Guidance value is the minimum value the Karnataka government assigns to property in a given location, and a sale cannot be registered below it. Stamp duty and registration are charged on the higher of your sale price or the guidance value, so if the guidance value is above your negotiated price, your duty is based on that higher figure. You can check it free, with no login, on the official Kaveri Online Services portal. The trade off to plan for is that a low price does not always mean low duty, and guidance values were revised upward across Bengaluru urban limits in early 2026, so use the current figure rather than an old one.

What is guidance value and why does it matter?

Guidance value is the minimum price per unit area that the state fixes for a locality, and it sets the floor for property registration. Set by the Department of Stamps and Registration, it exists so that transactions are not registered at artificially low values to dodge stamp duty. For a buyer it matters in two direct ways. First, your stamp duty and registration are computed on the higher of the guidance value or your actual price, so the guidance value can raise your closing cost above a simple percentage of what you negotiated. Second, because a deed cannot be registered below the guidance value, it acts as a practical floor on the declared price of your transaction. Knowing the number before you negotiate lets you plan the tax and avoid surprises at the counter. It is worth stressing that the guidance value is location and category specific rather than a single citywide figure. Two apartments a kilometre apart, or an apartment and a plot on the same road, can carry very different guidance values, and the value for a residential apartment is not the same as for commercial space. This is why a number a friend quotes for a nearby project is only a rough hint, and the only figure you should budget from is the one you pull for your own location and property type.

How do you check guidance value on the Kaveri portal?

You check it free on the official Kaveri Online Services portal, which lets you look up the value for a specific location without logging in. In practice you open kaveri.karnataka.gov.in, choose the guidance value search, and select the district, such as Bengaluru Urban, then the taluk, the hobli, and the village or ward, followed by the property type such as residential apartment. You may be asked for extra details like road width or floor, after which you click fetch and the portal returns the value per unit area. The steps above are confirmed by a public Kaveri guidance value walkthrough. Because the portal is updated over time, always rely on the official site for the current figure.

Can a property be registered below the guidance value?

No, a sale generally cannot be registered below the guidance value, because the value acts as a government floor for the transaction. The online registration system is designed not to process a deed where the declared value falls below the notified guidance value for that location, and the sub registrar cannot register the property beneath that floor. In practice this means that even if you and the seller agree a lower figure, the declared value for registration and the duty calculation will be pegged to at least the guidance value. If your negotiated price is genuinely below guidance value, plan for the duty on the higher number, and confirm the current position for your specific location on the official portal before you commit.

Does guidance value equal market value?

No, guidance value and market value are different numbers and they can move apart. Guidance value is the government set floor for a locality, while market value is what buyers and sellers actually transact at, which is often higher in sought after areas and occasionally close to guidance value in slower ones. The gap matters because your negotiation happens at market value while your minimum tax base is the guidance value. When market value sits well above guidance value, your duty is simply a percentage of your price. When the two are close, or when a revision pushes guidance value up toward your price, the guidance value can become the figure that drives your duty. Treat them as two separate inputs to your budget rather than one.

How do guidance value revisions affect buyers?

When the government revises guidance values upward, the minimum tax base for affected localities rises, which can increase closing costs for buyers in those areas. Bengaluru urban limits saw guidance values revised upward in early 2026, so a value you noted months earlier may now be higher. For a buyer the practical effect is twofold. Your stamp duty and registration may rise if the new guidance value exceeds your price, and a seller may point to the higher guidance value during negotiation. The defensive move is simple: check the guidance value freshly on the official portal close to your registration date, so your budget reflects the current floor rather than a stale figure. Our earlier coverage of the revision explains the direction of the change and which areas were most affected in more detail.

How should a buyer use guidance value in a deal?

Use it as both a budgeting input and a sanity check on price. Before you finalise, look up the guidance value for the exact location and property type, compare it with your negotiated price, and compute your stamp duty on the higher of the two so your closing cost is accurate. The comparison also tells you something about the deal: a price far above guidance value is normal in a strong micro market, while a price near or below guidance value deserves a closer look at why. Guidance value is not a valuation of the specific flat and does not account for the building quality or amenities, so treat it as a floor and a reference, not as a substitute for judging what the home is actually worth to you. There is also a useful negotiation angle here. If a seller insists their price is fair simply because it sits above guidance value, remember that almost every genuine market price does, so that argument on its own proves little. Conversely, if you find a resale flat priced only marginally above guidance value in a strong location, it is worth asking whether the low headline hides an issue with the title, the approvals, or pending dues rather than assuming you have found a bargain.

A seven step guidance value check for buyers

Run through these in order before you finalise your price and lock your budget.

1. Open the official Kaveri Online Services portal and choose the guidance value search.
2. Select the district, taluk, hobli, and village or ward for your property.
3. Choose the correct property type, such as residential apartment.
4. Enter any extra details requested and fetch the value per unit area.
5. Estimate the guidance value for your unit size and compare it with your price.
6. Compute stamp duty and registration on the higher of the two figures.
7. Recheck close to registration day, since guidance values can be revised.

Guidance value works hand in hand with your cost planning. For the wider picture of what you will pay at registration, read our guide to stamp duty and registration charges for flats in Bangalore, and for the background on the recent change, see our coverage of the Karnataka guidance value hike and its impact on Bangalore buyers. You can apply the same check to a live launch such as Purva Codename Hennur.

Frequently asked questions

What is guidance value in Karnataka?

Guidance value is the minimum value the Karnataka government assigns to property in a given location, set by the Department of Stamps and Registration. It acts as a floor for registration, so a sale cannot be registered below it. Stamp duty and registration are charged on the higher of your sale price or the guidance value.

How do I check guidance value on the Kaveri portal?

Open the official Kaveri Online Services portal and choose the guidance value search, which is free and needs no login. Select the district, taluk, hobli, and village or ward, then the property type such as residential apartment. Enter any extra details requested and click fetch to see the value per unit area for that location.

Can a property be registered below the guidance value?

No, a sale cannot be registered below the guidance value, since it acts as a government floor. The online system will not process a deed declared below the notified value, and the sub registrar cannot register beneath it. If your price is lower, plan for duty on the higher guidance value and confirm the position on the official portal.

Does guidance value equal market value?

No, they are different numbers. Guidance value is the government set floor for a locality, while market value is what buyers and sellers actually transact at, often higher in sought after areas. Your negotiation happens at market value, but your minimum tax base is the guidance value, so treat them as two separate inputs to your budget.

Last updated 2026-07-18. PropNewz Team.