Rent Agreement Format in Bangalore (2026): Clauses, Stamp Duty & Registration

Rent agreements in Bangalore: the essentials

In Bengaluru — as across Karnataka — a residential letting is documented as a plain rent (lease) agreement, not a 'Leave & License' (that terminology is specific to Maharashtra). The agreement is governed by the Karnataka Rent Act, 1999 — as amended by the Karnataka Rent (Amendment) Act, 2025, in force since 8 January 2026 — together with the central Registration Act, 1908 and the Karnataka Stamp Act, 1957.

Bengaluru's rental market is unusually large: Karnataka has the highest urban rental share in India — about 46% of urban households live in rented homes per Census 2011 — driven in large part by the city's migrant tech workforce. That makes getting the format right worthwhile: a clear, correctly stamped agreement is what protects both landlord and tenant if a dispute arises.

Clauses every Bangalore rent agreement should contain

• Names, addresses and ID details (PAN/Aadhaar) of the landlord and tenant
• Full description and address of the property, including flat/house number and area
• Monthly rent, the due date, and the mode of payment
• Security deposit amount and the exact conditions for its refund
• Tenure (start and end dates), the 11-month term, and renewal/escalation terms
• Maintenance and society/association charges — who pays what
• Rules on subletting, alterations, and permitted use of the premises
• Notice period for vacating, lock-in period (if any), and grounds for termination
• Signatures of both parties and two witnesses

The 11-month convention in Karnataka

Most Bengaluru agreements run for 11 months. The convention arose because under Section 17 of the Registration Act, 1908, a lease of 12 months or more generally must be registered at the Sub-Registrar's office, which adds cost and time — so an 11-month term historically stayed below that threshold.

Note, however, that the calculus has changed: since 8 January 2026, the Karnataka Rent (Amendment) Act, 2025 makes digital registration on the Kaveri 2.0 portal mandatory for rental agreements irrespective of the term (see the registration section below). The 11-month term remains common by custom and for renewal flexibility, but it no longer avoids registration. (For the history of the convention, see our deep-dive on why a rent agreement is 11 months and not 12.)

Stamp duty and e-stamping in Karnataka

Your agreement must be executed on stamp paper of the correct value, or e-stamped. Karnataka handles e-stamping and registration through the state's Kaveri Online Services portal (kaverionline.karnataka.gov.in), run by the Department of Stamps and Registration.

For an ordinary residential agreement, Karnataka stamp duty is commonly around 1% of the annual rent (or rent plus deposit) for a typical term. Treat that as a budgeting guide, not an exact quote — the final figure depends on your rent, deposit and term, and rates and slabs change. Always confirm the exact duty on Kaveri Online before you pay. (Our guide to rent-agreement stamp duty by state sets out the wider picture.)

Security deposits in Bengaluru — now capped by law

Bengaluru is well known for high security deposits: landlords have traditionally asked for several months' rent, and in sought-after areas the deposit has often run to as much as ten months'. This has long been a point of friction for tenants.

That norm is now illegal. Under the Karnataka Rent (Amendment) Act, 2025 — in force since 8 January 2026 — a residential security deposit may not exceed two months' rent, and a commercial deposit six months' rent, matching the Model Tenancy Act, 2021 framework. Whatever figure you agree within the cap, write the exact amount and its refund conditions into the agreement.

Do you need to register your Bangalore rent agreement?

Yes. Since 8 January 2026, the Karnataka Rent (Amendment) Act, 2025 requires rental agreements to be registered digitally on the Kaveri 2.0 portal within 60 days of execution — whatever the term. Non-compliance carries a ₹5,000 penalty, and an unregistered agreement carries weaker evidentiary value if a dispute reaches the Rent Controller or a court.

Stamping and registration remain two separate steps: stamping makes the document valid, while registration records it with the government and gives it the strongest standing if it is ever contested. Our guide to notarised vs registered rent agreements explains the difference.

Sources

Registration Act, 1908 — Section 17 (compulsory registration of leases of 12 months or more). Official text: India Code (indiacode.nic.in).

Karnataka Stamp Act, 1957, and the Department of Stamps and Registration, Karnataka — Kaveri Online Services for e-stamping and registration (kaverionline.karnataka.gov.in / igr.karnataka.gov.in). The exact duty payable should be confirmed on the official portal.

Karnataka's urban rental share (about 46%, the highest in India) — Census of India 2011, Houselisting & Housing data (Office of the Registrar General; state-wise urban rental share on data.gov.in).

Security-deposit and registration reform — Karnataka Rent (Amendment) Act, 2025 (assented to 7 January 2026; Karnataka Gazette Extraordinary, 8 January 2026), which caps residential deposits at two months' rent (six for commercial) and mandates digital registration on Kaveri 2.0; and the Model Tenancy Act, 2021 (Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs, mohua.gov.in) on whose framework the amendment is modelled.

Create your Bangalore rent agreement

Score99 generates a Karnataka rent agreement with the correct clauses, the right 11-month term, stamp-duty guidance and witness fields built in — for ₹249. Print it on stamp paper of the correct value (or e-stamp it via Kaveri), sign before two witnesses, and register it digitally on the Kaveri 2.0 portal within 60 days.