Stamp Paper Calculator (Rent Agreement)
Estimate the stamp paper value (stamp duty) for a residential rent or lease agreement in major Indian states from your monthly rent, security deposit and agreement length.
Reviewed by the CalcCafe editorial team · Last updated 18 July 2026 · How we test our tools
Example
An 11-month agreement in Maharashtra at ₹25,000 monthly rent with a ₹1,00,000 refundable deposit: total rent for the term is 25,000 × 11 = ₹2,75,000, plus 10% of the deposit (₹10,000) gives a chargeable base of ₹2,85,000. Stamp duty at 0.25% comes to ₹712.50 (shown rounded as ₹713), and with a typical indicative ₹1,000 registration / e-stamp service charge the total outlay is roughly ₹1,713.
How it works
Pick your state and the calculator applies that state's rent-agreement formula. Maharashtra charges 0.25% of (total rent for the term + 10% of the refundable deposit). Delhi charges 2% of average annual rent for terms up to 5 years. Karnataka charges 0.5% of (annual rent + deposit), capped at ₹500 for terms up to 11 months. Uttar Pradesh charges 4% of annual rent. Tamil Nadu charges 1% of (total rent for the term + deposit), capped at ₹20,000. Telangana charges 0.4% of the total rent for terms up to 5 years. The result is the minimum stamp paper value your agreement should be executed on; the second stat adds a flat ₹1,000 as an indicative registration or e-stamp service estimate, since actual registration fees and vendor charges vary by state and document.
Good to know
Rent agreements in India are overwhelmingly drafted for 11 months for a simple legal reason: under the Registration Act, 1908, a lease of immovable property for 12 months or longer must be compulsorily registered with the sub-registrar, which means extra fees, appointments and paperwork for both parties. An 11-month agreement generally escapes that requirement in most states — though Maharashtra is a notable exception, where leave-and-licence agreements must be registered regardless of term. Rates also change with state budgets, several states apply slabs or minimum-duty floors instead of clean percentages, and commercial premises are often charged differently, so treat every figure on this page as a starting estimate.
Stamp duty can be paid on traditional physical non-judicial stamp paper bought from a licensed vendor, or — in most large states — through e-stamping operated by SHCIL (Stock Holding Corporation of India Ltd), the central record-keeping agency appointed by the Government of India. An e-stamp certificate is generated online or at an authorised collection centre such as a bank branch, carries a unique identification number that anyone can verify on the SHCIL portal, and has largely replaced high-denomination physical paper because it eliminates the counterfeit-stamp problem. A few states run their own payment systems instead, such as GRAS in Maharashtra.
Notarisation and registration are frequently confused but legally very different. A notary merely attests that the parties signed the document before them — it lends a presumption of execution but does not create a registered instrument or update any government record. Registration at the sub-registrar's office records the agreement with the state, makes it far stronger evidence of the tenancy terms in any dispute, and is mandatory for leases of 12 months or more (and for all leave-and-licence agreements in Maharashtra). A notarised 11-month agreement on correctly valued stamp paper is common, accepted practice — but where registration is mandated, notarisation is not a substitute.
Under-stamping is a false economy. Under the Indian Stamp Act and its state equivalents, an instrument that is not duly stamped is inadmissible as evidence in court until the deficit duty is paid along with a penalty, which can run up to ten times the deficient amount at the collector's discretion, and the document can be impounded. If a deposit-refund or eviction dispute ever reaches litigation, an under-stamped agreement can stall your case at the threshold. Given how state-wise rates compare — Maharashtra's 0.25% formula, Delhi's 2% of annual rent, Karnataka's ₹500 cap for 11-month terms, Uttar Pradesh's comparatively steep 4%, Tamil Nadu's 1% with a ₹20,000 ceiling and Telangana's 0.4% — residential rent-agreement duty is usually only a few hundred to a few thousand rupees, so paying the correct amount upfront is cheap insurance.
Frequently asked questions
Why are rent agreements usually made for 11 months?
Because leases of 12 months or more must be compulsorily registered under the Registration Act, 1908. An 11-month agreement generally avoids mandatory registration and its fees in most states — though Maharashtra requires registration of leave-and-licence agreements regardless of term.
Is a notarised rent agreement the same as a registered one?
No. Notarisation only attests that the parties signed before a notary. Registration records the document with the sub-registrar and gives it much stronger evidentiary value; it is mandatory for leases of 12 months or longer and for all leave-and-licence agreements in Maharashtra.
Is my rent and deposit data uploaded anywhere?
No — this calculator runs entirely in your browser — nothing you type is uploaded. It works offline once the page has loaded.
Is this stamp paper calculator free?
Yes, completely free with no sign-up and no limits. It gives planning estimates only — confirm the current rate with your state stamps and registration department or SHCIL before purchasing stamp paper.
People also ask
How is stamp duty on a rent agreement calculated in Maharashtra?
Maharashtra charges 0.25% of the total rent payable over the term plus 10% of the refundable security deposit. For ₹25,000 rent over 11 months with a ₹1 lakh deposit, that works out to about ₹713, and the leave-and-licence agreement must also be registered.
What happens if a rent agreement is on insufficient stamp paper?
An under-stamped agreement is inadmissible as evidence in court until the deficit stamp duty is paid together with a penalty, which can be as high as ten times the shortfall. The stamp authority can also impound the document, so paying the correct duty upfront is far cheaper.
Can I buy e-stamp paper for a rent agreement online?
In most large states, yes — e-stamping is operated by SHCIL, the central record-keeping agency, through its portal and authorised collection centres such as banks. The e-stamp certificate carries a unique number verifiable on the SHCIL website. Some states use their own systems, like GRAS in Maharashtra.
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Sources & references
These tools follow our methodology and provide educational estimates only — verify important figures with a qualified professional.