What is the stamp duty on property purchase in Maharashtra and how is it calculated?

FY 2025-26: 5% for male buyers; 4% for female buyers; 4.5% for joint (male + female). Additional 1% metro cess applies within BMC limits, making effective rates 6% (men) and 5% (women) in Mumbai city.

Registration charge: 1% of market value, capped at ₹30,000 for residential properties.

Housing society transfer charges: separate from stamp duty; typically ₹25,000–₹50,000 in Mumbai co-operative societies — negotiated between buyer and society.

Maharashtra uses the ready reckoner rate (Annual Statement of Rates / ASR) as the floor. If your flat's agreed price is below the ready reckoner value for that area, floor, and construction type, stamp duty is calculated on the higher ready reckoner value.

Check the current ASR at igrmaharashtra.gov.in → Online Services → e-ASR. Rates vary by locality, floor, construction type, and amenities.

Undervaluing a property carries a penalty of up to 10 times the stamp duty shortfall under Sections 33–39 of the Maharashtra Stamp Act.

1. Calculate stamp duty using the igrmaharashtra.gov.in ASR tool.
2. Pay online via GRAS (gras.mahakosh.gov.in) — net banking, RTGS, or NEFT; download challan.
3. Execute the sale deed on stamp paper or franked after GRAS payment.
4. Book an SRO appointment on igrmaharashtra.gov.in.
5. Attend the Sub-Registrar's Office with both parties, identity proofs, PAN cards, GRAS receipt, and NOC from builder/society.
6. Complete Aadhaar e-KYC biometric verification.
7. Receive the registered document — typically same day or within 2 working days.

If you are purchasing any property in Maharashtra for ₹50 lakh or more, you must deduct 1% TDS from each payment to the seller — including every construction-linked instalment, not just the final payment at registration.

How to pay: File Form 26QB on tin.tin.nsdl.com within 30 days of the end of the month in which the payment is made. Deposit the TDS online and download Form 16B (the TDS certificate), which must be given to the seller within 15 days of filing 26QB.

Key points:

• TDS is on the total sale consideration, not just the amount above ₹50 lakh. On a ₹80 lakh flat, TDS is ₹80,000 (1% of the full amount).
• If the seller does not provide a valid PAN, deduct at 20% instead of 1% under Section 206AA.
• Non-deduction or late deposit attracts interest at 1% per month under Section 201(1A) of the Income Tax Act, plus potential prosecution.
• Home loan disbursements: TDS is the buyer's obligation, not the bank's — even when the bank pays the builder directly from the loan account, the buyer must file Form 26QB for each disbursement.

Stamp duty is the buyer's cost. But understanding the seller's capital gains position helps in price negotiation and avoids certain transaction risks.

Long-term capital gains (LTCG) on property held more than 24 months. After the Finance (No. 2) Act, 2024:

• For properties purchased before 23 July 2024: seller may choose between (a) 20% with indexation or (b) 12.5% without indexation — whichever produces lower tax.
• For properties purchased on or after 23 July 2024: 12.5% without indexation only.

Short-term capital gains (STCG): Property held 24 months or less is taxed at the seller's income tax slab rate — up to 30% plus surcharge for high earners.

Section 54 reinvestment exemption: Sellers who reinvest LTCG proceeds into one residential property within 1 year before or 2 years after the sale (3 years for self-construction) avoid CGT up to the reinvested amount. Sellers who qualify for Section 54 often accept lower headline prices because their net-of-tax proceeds are higher.

Stamp duty as acquisition cost: Stamp duty and registration fees paid at the time of original purchase are included in the cost of acquisition when computing capital gains on a future sale — a direct offset against the taxable gain.

If the sale falls through after stamp duty is paid but before or without registration, Maharashtra allows a partial refund under the Maharashtra Stamp Act, 1958.

When refund applies: Document cancelled before execution; agreement cancelled by mutual consent; builder allotment cancellation before the registered sale deed is executed. Refund applications must be filed within 6 months of the stamp duty payment date (or longer if the government issues a specific notification).

How to apply: File a written application at the Collector of Stamps for the relevant district (via igrmaharashtra.gov.in → Online Services → Refund), attaching: original GRAS challan, original stamp paper (if applicable), the cancelled or unexecuted deed, and your written explanation of why the transaction did not proceed.

Amount refunded: 98% of the stamp duty paid. A 2% non-refundable deduction is retained by the government. Registration fee paid to the SRO is not refunded once registration has taken place, but is refunded if you cancel the appointment before registration occurs.

Builder cancellations: If the builder cancels the allotment and retains your booking amount, file both a RERA complaint at maharera.maharashtra.gov.in (if the project is RERA-registered) and a refund application at the Collector of Stamps — both in parallel.