Rent & lease agreements
The Finance Bill 2024 moved duty onto the property's fair value and the slabs are still settling. Above 30 years the charge reaches 90% of the property's value. Confirm on the Kerala Registration Department portal.
Stamp Duty · Kerala
Stamp duty in Kerala — rules, rates, and a free calculator
Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram agreements follow the Kerala Stamp Act, 1959, which sets a higher flat duty for general agreements than most states — worth checking before printing an NDA on generic stamp paper.
Use the calculator
Rent / lease agreements
Registration optional < 12 months
See the calculator for your term
₹200 flat for NDAs
Agreements not otherwise provided for
Calculate your Kerala stamp duty — free
Pre-set for Kerala's schedule. Enter your rent, term, and deposit for an indicative duty — the same engine the Dharaa app uses.
Your estimate will appear here.
Estimates are indicative and based on published state schedules — verify against your State Stamp Schedule or SHCIL before purchase. Not legal or tax advice.
How Kerala computes it
NDAs & general agreements
A flat ₹200. This covers NDAs, service agreements, and most contracts without their own schedule entry.
Why it matters
An under-stamped agreement is inadmissible as evidence (Section 35, Indian Stamp Act, 1899) and can be impounded, with a penalty of up to 10× the deficit under Section 40. Stamping correctly at execution costs a fraction of fixing it during a dispute.
How to buy stamp paper in Kerala
Kerala is not on SHCIL e-Stamping. SHCIL covers only 19 of India’s 36 states and union territories — most guides get this wrong. Here is the route that actually works.
To complete your stamp duty in person, visit any nearby licensed stamp vendor, local Sub-Registrar’s Office (SRO), or authorized public bank branch. Simply provide the names of both signing parties, pay the state-prescribed fee over the counter, and you will receive an official physical or digital e-stamp certificate instantly to attach to your contract.
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Work out the duty for your document — the calculator above gives an indicative figure.
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There is no online route in Kerala yet.
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Non-judicial stamp paper is sold by licensed stamp vendors, usually near the sub-registrar's office, district court complex, or district treasury.
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Some states also allow franking at authorised bank branches — your district sub-registrar can confirm which applies.
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Execute the agreement on or with the stamp before signing.
Dharaa drafts it and tracks the stamping
In-app stamp purchase is not live in Kerala yet. Dharaa still drafts the agreement, tells you the indicative duty and the article, and records your certificate against the document once you have it — so nothing is lost when it does go live.
Draft your Kerala agreement freeKerala stamp duty FAQs
Is the deposit included in Kerala stamp duty?
Yes — the security deposit is part of the duty base.
How much is rent agreement stamp duty in Kerala?
Dharaa does not yet hold a verified lease schedule for Kerala, so we will not quote a rate here. Confirm the current figure with the local Sub-Registrar's office or the state revenue portal before you buy stamp paper. The Finance Bill 2024 moved duty onto the property's fair value and the slabs are still settling. Above 30 years the charge reaches 90% of the property's value. Confirm on the Kerala Registration Department portal.
What does an NDA cost to stamp in Kerala?
₹200 in Kerala. An NDA carries no monetary consideration, so it attracts the flat agreement duty rather than an ad-valorem rate.
Estimates and rules are indicative, based on published state schedules — verify with your State Stamp Schedule or an authorised vendor before purchase. Not legal or tax advice.
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