Delhi Rent Agreement on e-Stamp Paper
Drafted by legal experts, executed on a genuine SHCIL e-stamp certificate, couriered to your door. Our office is in New Delhi — Delhi orders skip the inter-state courier leg entirely.
Why every Delhi tenancy stops at 11 months
Section 17(1)(d) of the Registration Act, 1908 makes registration compulsory for leases from year to year, or for any term exceeding one year. The statutory line is twelve months. Eleven is simply the market staying safely inside it — and the difference on the same flat is dramatic.
- Flat stamp duty, whatever your rent
- No Sub-Registrar appointment
- No registration fee
- Fully valid and enforceable
- 2% of average annual rent
- Plus ₹100 where a deposit is taken
- Plus ₹1,100 registration fee
- If unregistered: inadmissible as evidence
Based on a 2BHK in Rohini at ₹22,000/month with a ₹66,000 deposit.
Stamp duty rates in Delhi
Charged under Article 35, Schedule 1-A of the Indian Stamp Act, 1899 as applicable to the NCT of Delhi.
| Tenancy duration | Stamp duty |
|---|---|
| Up to 11 months | ₹100 flat |
| Up to 5 years | 2% of average annual rent |
| 5 to 10 years | 3% of average annual rent |
| 10 to 20 years | 6% of average annual rent |
| Additional, where a security deposit is taken | ₹100 |
| Registration fee, where registration applies | ₹1,100 flat |
Under Section 35 of the Indian Stamp Act an insufficiently stamped instrument is inadmissible as evidence, and Section 40 lets the Collector impound it and levy a penalty of up to ten times the deficient duty. Unsure which denomination applies? See which stamp paper you need.
Most Delhi tenancies are not under rent control
Section 3(c) of the Delhi Rent Control Act, 1958 excludes any premises — residential or not — whose monthly rent exceeds ₹3,500. That ceiling came in with the 1988 amendment and was upheld by the Supreme Court in D.C. Bhatia v. Union of India.
If your rent is above ₹3,500 a month — virtually every Delhi tenancy today — you are governed by the Transfer of Property Act, 1882 and by your contract. There is no rent-control backstop. A vague notice period or deposit-refund clause isn't softened by statute; it is simply a gap in your protection.
Registration Act, 1908
Section 17(1)(d) sets the twelve-month registration line. Section 49 bars an unregistered lease that required registration from being used as evidence of the tenancy.
Delhi Rent Control Act, 1958
Applies only where monthly rent is ₹3,500 or below. Above that it does not apply at all, and the Transfer of Property Act governs instead.
Model Tenancy Act, 2021
A central model law only. Tenancy is a State subject and Delhi has not enacted its own version — so no central rule makes registration compulsory nationwide.
Four steps, no office visit
Fill the form
Parties, rent, deposit and term.
We draft it
A legal expert, not a template fill-in.
e-Stamp procured
Genuine SHCIL certificate with a verifiable UIN.
Delivered
Scan the same day, hard copy couriered.
Delhi moved to SHCIL e-stamping for most purposes. Every certificate carries a Unique Identification Number you can verify independently — always do. Draft already written? Buy Delhi e-stamp paper on its own.
A sample Delhi rent agreement
Six clauses that decide the dispute
With no rent-control backstop above ₹3,500, these are the terms that actually protect you.
Lock-in period
Your only real protection against an early exit by either side.
Notice period
One month is the Delhi norm. State it explicitly, and state it both ways.
Deposit refund
Name the number of days and the permitted deductions. Delhi's commonest dispute by far.
Maintenance & society charges
Who pays what, particularly in DDA flats and co-operative group housing.
Rent escalation
A fixed percentage on renewal beats "as mutually agreed" every time.
Purpose of use
Residential or commercial. Delhi's mixed-land-use rules make this consequential.
Four documents
- Aadhaar — landlord and tenant
- PAN — both parties
- Property address and ownership reference
- Signatures of both parties
Police verification
Delhi Police requires landlords to submit tenant details for verification, online or at the local station.
It is not completed by executing the agreement, and the obligation sits with the landlord, not the tenant.
Five expensive mistakes
- Assuming rent control protects you. Above ₹3,500 a month it does not apply at all.
- Signing twelve months to look serious. That crosses the s.17(1)(d) line and turns a ₹100 job into ₹6,480.
- Accepting a PDF with no e-stamp UIN. Verify the certificate number on the SHCIL portal before you sign.
- Skipping police verification. It is a legal obligation on the landlord, not a courtesy.
- A vague deposit clause. See our drafting do's and don'ts.
Delivered across Delhi
Start your Delhi rent agreement
Delhi-based office · drafted by legal experts · genuine SHCIL e-stamp · scan copy the same day
Create your rent agreementFrequently asked
What stamp duty applies to an 11-month agreement in Delhi?
A flat ₹100, regardless of the rent amount. That makes Delhi one of the cheapest states in India for short-term agreements — Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu both charge a percentage of rent and deposit.
Does a Delhi rent agreement need to be registered?
Only if the term is one year or longer, under Section 17(1)(d) of the Registration Act, 1908. Eleven-month agreements do not require registration. If you do register, the fee is a flat ₹1,100.
Does the Delhi Rent Control Act apply to my tenancy?
Only if your monthly rent is ₹3,500 or below. Section 3(c) excludes everything above that figure, so virtually all present-day Delhi tenancies are governed by the Transfer of Property Act, 1882 and by the agreement itself.
Who pays the stamp duty and registration charges?
No statute allocates it. In Delhi practice the tenant usually bears it, but the parties are free to split it — just record the arrangement in the agreement so it isn't argued later.
Is tenant police verification required in Delhi?
Yes. Delhi Police requires landlords to submit tenant details for verification. It is a separate step from executing the agreement, and the obligation sits with the landlord.
Can the agreement be renewed?
Yes — either a fresh agreement on new stamp paper, or a written extension signed by both parties. A fresh agreement is cleaner, and it keeps each term safely under twelve months.
Renting outside Delhi?
Stamp duty, registration rules and tenancy law change at every state border. Pick yours below.
Stamp duty and registration figures reflect Article 35, Schedule 1-A of the Indian Stamp Act, 1899 as applicable to Delhi, and current Delhi Revenue Department practice. Rent-control threshold per Section 3(c), Delhi Rent Control Act, 1958. Rates are reviewed periodically — confirm with the Sub-Registrar or the SHCIL portal on the date of execution.
