Registration Charges vs Stamp Duty: The Difference 2026
Stamp duty and registration charges look like one closing-cost line item but are two entirely separate levies, from two different laws, calculated in two different ways.
Who Pays Stamp Duty: Buyer or Seller in India 2026
The default answer is the buyer, but the Stamp Act treats liability as negotiable — here is what to put in writing so nobody gets a surprise bill at the sub-registrar's office.
Penalty for Undervaluing Property at Registration 2026
The suggestion to 'register it a bit lower' to save on stamp duty sounds harmless — the deficit notice, penalty, and tax bill it can trigger are not.
How Stamp Duty Is Calculated in India: Circle vs Market
Stamp duty isn't simply a percentage of what you paid — it's a percentage of whichever is higher, your agreement value or the government's reference value, and that difference can catch first-time buyers off guard.
Circle Rate vs Market Value: Which Sets Your Stamp Duty
You negotiated the price down, but the sub-registrar may still charge stamp duty on a higher government number — here's why, and how to plan for it.
Ready Reckoner Rate Explained: How It Sets Mumbai Duty
In Maharashtra, the flat you negotiated in Mumbai, Thane or Pune isn't valued for stamp duty at the price you paid — it's valued at whichever is higher: your price, or the government's Annual Statement of Rates for your exact zone.
Guidance Value in Karnataka: How It Sets Bengaluru Duty
Why Bengaluru's registration office often values your flat higher than what you actually paid, and how to look up that number before you book.
Sale Deed vs Sale Agreement: Where Stamp Duty Applies
One document promises a future sale, the other transfers ownership today — knowing which one your state taxes as the chargeable instrument stops you from worrying you're paying stamp duty twice.