The registration fee for immovable properties in Karnataka is set to rise from one to two per cent of the value of the property from Sunday, with the state government issuing a notification for the revised registration fee.
Despite the hike in the registration fee, the state government has said that the land registration cost in Karnataka remains the lowest in South India.
“Karnataka has one of the lowest Stamp Duty and Registration Fees on immovable property transactions when compared to its neighbours and other states. The government has revised the registration fee from 1% to 2%, with effect from 31st August 2025,” the Stamps and Registration Department said in a statement on Saturday.
The government stated the measure has been introduced to rationalise, strengthen administrative processes and ensure better service delivery. The government issued a notification for the revision of the registration fees on Friday.
The move is seen as a corrective measure amid lower stamp duty and registration collections, which are a key component of state revenue, not growing substantially over the last two fiscal years.
With the hike in registration fee, the total cost of property registrations in Karnataka will go up to 7.5 per cent of the property along with stamp duty at five per cent and other cess at 0.6/0.65 per cent. This is lower than the cost in Kerala (10 per cent), Tamil Nadu (9 percent) and on par with Telangana and Andhra Pradesh (7.5 per cent).
The BJP has criticised the hike, with Leader of Opposition R Ashok saying that this was the latest hike in prices in Karnataka. “After hiking prices of water, milk, power, petrol, diesel, bus fares, metro fare, property tax, and every essential service, now they have targeted home buyers and the real estate sector by doubling registration fees,” Ashok said.
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“The government, which had already shattered the dreams of people of owning homes by disproportionately increasing stamp duty, has now resorted to outright robbery by raising the registration fee from 1 percent to 2 percent, and I strongly condemn this action of the state government,” BJP state president B Y Vijayendra said on social media.
The Stamps and Registration Department has said that land registration applicants with prior appointments or yet to obtain an appointment must pay the difference amount through the official portal. In addition to the applications under verification, the registration fee will be recalculated and charged at the revised rate of 2 per cent
The state government has seen a shortfall in stamp duty and registration revenues, with an achievement of ₹22,500 crore in 2024-25 against a target of ₹26,000 crore. In the current fiscal where the target is ₹28,000 crore the first quarter has seen a 35 per cent shortfall.