Stamp Duty in Kolkata: The 2026 Math
Buyers budget for the down payment and the EMI — then discover the government charges. In Kolkata's municipal areas, stamp duty is 6% of the deed value for properties up to ₹1 crore (7% above), plus 1% registration. Here is the full math on a realistic ticket.
Worked example: ₹76 lakh 2BHK in New Town
| Line item | Rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Agreement value | — | ₹76,00,000 |
| Stamp duty (municipal, ≤ ₹1 Cr) | 6% | ₹4,56,000 |
| Registration | 1% | ₹76,000 |
| Government charges total | 7% | ₹5,32,000 |
That ₹5.32 lakh is cash you need on (or before) registration day — it cannot be financed into the home loan for a resale, and for new bookings most lenders still expect it out of pocket.
The three rules people get wrong
- Duty is on the deed value or circle rate, whichever is higher. Under-declaring to save duty does not work — the registrar charges on the higher of the two.
- Registration is a flat 1% with no cap. Rumours of a capped registration fee apply to other states' regimes, not West Bengal's.
- Women buyers pay 2% in some states — not in West Bengal; the concession does not exist here.
Budget the full acquisition, not the price
On the ₹76L example with a 10% down payment: ₹7.6L margin money + ₹5.32L government charges + incidental (advocacy, NOC, society transfer where applicable) ≈ ₹13.5L cash before the bank funds the rest. The total acquisition cost calculator runs this exact math including WB rates; the stamp duty calculator gives the duty line alone.
Rule of thumb for 2026: whatever the price tag says, hold back 7% + your down payment before you book.