A Bengaluru buyer negotiated a resale flat in an eastern suburb down to a price she was proud of, only to be told at the sub registrar stage that she still had to pay stamp duty on a higher number. The government guidance value for that locality was above her negotiated price, and the system simply would not let the deed be registered at the lower figure. Her hard won discount saved her nothing on the tax, because in Karnataka the guidance value, not your negotiation, sets the floor on which stamp duty is charged. Understanding that one number before you agree a price is what separates a realistic budget from a nasty surprise.

The short answer. Guidance value is the minimum price per square foot the Karnataka government fixes for a locality, and stamp duty is charged on the higher of that value or your actual sale price. You cannot register a property below the guidance value, so a price under it does not cut your tax. Bengaluru urban guidance values were revised upward again in early 2026, so the trade off to accept is that you must check the current figure on the official Kaveri portal close to registration, not rely on an older number.

What is guidance value in Bengaluru?

Guidance value is the minimum price per square foot that the Karnataka government assigns to land or property in a specific area. It is the state's benchmark for what a property is deemed to be worth for the purpose of stamp duty, and it varies street by street and by property type, so an apartment, a plot and a commercial unit in the same area can carry different guidance values. It is sometimes called the circle rate or ready reckoner value in other states, but the principle is the same: a government set floor value.

This number matters because it is the base on which your registration cost is calculated whenever it is higher than your price. Because guidance value differs so sharply by locality, the figure for a north Bengaluru address near a project such as Purva Codename Hennur on Hennur Road can look very different from one in a central or eastern pocket, which is exactly why you check it for your specific property rather than assume a city average.

How does guidance value affect my stamp duty?

Stamp duty and registration are charged on the higher of your sale price or the guidance value. If your negotiated price is above the guidance value, duty is calculated on your price. If your price is below the guidance value, duty is calculated on the higher guidance value, so the saving you negotiated does not reduce your tax. This single rule is why a low price alone does not lower your registration cost, and why buyers who ignore the guidance value often misjudge their budget.

The guidance value therefore sets the floor for your whole registration bill. Once you know it, you can apply the stamp duty slab and registration fee to the correct base. Our guide to Karnataka stamp duty and registration charges sets out those rates, and the guidance value is simply the number you feed into them.

Consider a worked example. Suppose you agree 55 lakh for a flat whose guidance value works out to 60 lakh. Duty is charged on the higher figure, 60 lakh, so at the top slab you pay stamp duty on 60 lakh rather than on your 55 lakh price, and the registration fee follows the same base. Now suppose instead you agree 70 lakh for the same flat. Here your price is higher than the guidance value, so duty is charged on 70 lakh. Running this simple comparison for your own property tells you at once whether your negotiation actually changes your tax, or whether the guidance value is the number doing the work.

Can I register a flat below the guidance value?

No, you cannot register a property below the guidance value even if the seller agrees to a lower price. The Kaveri system flags transactions where the declared value is below the guidance value, and the sub registrar will not process them at that figure. Attempting to declare a value below the guidance value amounts to understating duty, which carries penalties, so it is not a route to a lower bill.

What this means in practice is that the guidance value is a hard floor, not a suggestion. If the guidance value for your locality is higher than the price you negotiated, you will pay duty on the guidance value, and you should build your budget around that from the start rather than hoping to register at your lower price.

How do I check the guidance value on Kaveri?

Check it on the official Kaveri Online Services portal before you agree a price. On kaveri.karnataka.gov.in you select the district, taluk, hobli and village or ward for the property, choose the property type such as residential apartment, plot or commercial, enter any prompted details like road width or floor level, and fetch the guidance value per square foot for that location. Multiplying that rate by your area gives the guidance value to compare against your price.

Do this yourself rather than relying on a broker figure, and do it close to your registration date. The portal reflects the current values, so the number that binds you is the one live on Kaveri at registration, not an estimate from months earlier. Once you have paid, the e stamping and franking process in Karnataka is how the duty is actually stamped onto your document.

What changed in the 2026 guidance value revision?

Bengaluru urban guidance values were revised upward in early 2026. According to a 2026 guidance value guide, a February 2026 revision brought an increase of roughly 6 to 15 percent within Bengaluru urban limits, following a larger revision in October 2023 that raised values by around 25 to 30 percent across Karnataka. Because stamp duty is charged on the guidance value when it is higher than your price, each such revision directly raises the duty payable even where sale prices have not moved.

The practical takeaway is timing. If a revision takes effect between your agreement and your registration, the value in force at registration applies, so a deal locked before a revision can cost more to register afterwards. Recheck the guidance value on Kaveri close to your registration date, and keep a small buffer in your budget for the possibility that the figure has moved up.

How is guidance value different from market value?

Guidance value is a government set floor for tax, while market value is what the property actually trades for. The two can diverge widely: in sought after pockets the market value sits well above the guidance value, while in slower areas a guidance value revision can push the official figure close to or even above recent deal prices. The table below sets out the practical differences a buyer should keep in mind.

For a buyer, the key point is that you pay duty on the higher of the two. So even when the market value is what you care about for the deal, the guidance value is what you must check to get your registration cost right.

How should a buyer use the guidance value?

Use it as the first number you check, before you finalise a price. Knowing the guidance value tells you the minimum base for your duty and flags whether your negotiation actually reduces your tax or not. Work through the steps below to check and apply it correctly.

1. Open kaveri.karnataka.gov.in and go to the guidance value service.
2. Select the district, taluk, hobli and village or ward for the property.
3. Choose the property type, whether apartment, plot or commercial.
4. Enter any prompted details such as road width or floor level.
5. Fetch the guidance value per square foot for the property.
6. Multiply by the area to get the guidance value and compare it with your price.
7. Budget stamp duty on the higher of the two, and recheck close to registration.

Following these seven steps means your registration budget is built on the number that actually binds you, and that no guidance value revision catches you out at the counter. It is a five minute check that can save you from a shortfall of lakhs on the day you register.

Frequently asked questions

What is guidance value in Bengaluru?

Guidance value is the minimum price per square foot that the Karnataka government fixes for a locality and property type. It is the base on which stamp duty is charged whenever it is higher than your sale price. It varies street by street, so you should check it for your specific property rather than assume a city wide figure.

Is stamp duty charged on guidance value or sale price?

It is charged on whichever is higher. If your sale price is above the guidance value, duty is calculated on your price. If your price is below the guidance value, duty is calculated on the higher guidance value, so a low negotiated price does not reduce your stamp duty. Check the guidance value before you agree terms.

Can a property be registered below the guidance value?

No. The Kaveri system flags any transaction declared below the guidance value, and the sub registrar will not register it at that figure. Declaring a value below the guidance value amounts to understating duty and carries penalties, so the guidance value is a hard floor you must budget around rather than try to avoid.

How do I check guidance value on Kaveri?

Visit kaveri.karnataka.gov.in, open the guidance value service, and select the district, taluk, hobli and village or ward. Choose the property type, enter any prompted details, and fetch the value per square foot. Do this close to your registration date, since the portal reflects the current values that apply at registration.

Last updated 2026-07-12. PropNewz Team.