A clear 2026 breakdown of Karnataka stamp duty slabs, the recently doubled registration charge, cess and surcharge, plus how guidance value and Kaveri online payment actually work.

Karnataka stamp duty slabs (2026)

Stamp duty is slab-based on property value: 2% for properties up to about ₹20 lakh, 3% for roughly ₹21-45 lakh, and 5% above ₹45 lakh (verify current slabs at registration time as the state revises them).

  • Rates are uniform across Karnataka cities and there is no gender-based concession - male and female buyers pay the same.
  • Duty is charged on the higher of the actual transaction value or the government guidance value.

Cess and surcharge on top of stamp duty

Within BBMP/urban limits an additional cess (10% of the stamp duty, i.e. ~0.5% of value) plus a surcharge (~2% of stamp duty within BBMP; higher outside) apply.

  • This makes the effective stamp duty on a ₹45 lakh-plus property roughly 5.6-5.65% of value rather than a flat 5%.
  • Note the year with any figure you publish - cess/surcharge components change with municipal notifications.

Registration charge doubled in 2025

Karnataka raised the property registration charge from 1% to 2% of property value, effective around 31 August 2025, applicable to residential, commercial and plotted transactions.

  • So the registration component alone now adds 2% of value to your acquisition cost.
  • Combined with stamp duty, cess and surcharge, the total statutory outlay for a ₹45 lakh-plus Bangalore property is now approximately 7.5-7.6% of value - among the highest in India.

Guidance value (Kaveri guidance value) explained

Guidance value is the minimum government-notified rate per square foot for an area; you cannot register below it even if you paid less.

  • Karnataka revised guidance values upward significantly in October 2023, raising registration costs across the city.
  • Check the official guidance value for a specific address on the Kaveri Online Services portal before budgeting.
  • If your negotiated price is below guidance value, stamp duty is still calculated on the higher guidance value.

How to calculate and pay online (Kaveri Online Services)

Portal: kaverionline.karnataka.gov.in - used for guidance-value lookup, stamp duty/registration fee computation, appointment booking and e-payment.

  • Worked example: on a ₹1 crore flat within BBMP, expect roughly ₹5.6 lakh stamp duty + cess/surcharge and ₹2 lakh registration = ~₹7.5 lakh-plus in charges.
  • Pay government fees directly through the citizen login and keep the receipt; avoid agents who quote inflated facilitation amounts.
  • Registration is completed at the jurisdictional Sub-Registrar office with both parties and witnesses present.

Costs buyers forget to budget for

GST on under-construction homes (5% standard, 1% affordable) is separate and paid to the builder, not the sub-registrar.

  • Khata transfer/bifurcation fees, legal/due-diligence fees and home-loan processing charges add up.
  • Ready-to-move flats with an Occupancy Certificate attract no GST, which can offset their higher sticker price.