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

Rent agreements in Surat: the essentials

In Surat — as across Gujarat — a residential letting is documented as a plain rent agreement (also called Bhada Karar), not a 'Leave & License' (that terminology is specific to Maharashtra). Renting in the state is governed by the Bombay Rents, Hotel and Lodging House Rates Control Act, 1947 (as applicable to Gujarat), together with the central Registration Act, 1908 and the Indian Stamp Act, 1899 as applicable to Gujarat.

Surat is Gujarat's second-largest city and a major textile and diamond-cutting and polishing hub, with a Census 2011 population of about 45.91 lakh (4,591,246) for the Surat urban agglomeration. That industry draws a large migrant workforce that rents rather than owns, and Gujarat's urban rental share sits just below the national average (about 24% of urban households, Census 2011). A clear, correctly stamped agreement is what protects both landlord and tenant if a dispute arises.

Clauses every Surat 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 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 Gujarat

Most Surat agreements run for 11 months, and the reason is procedural rather than a Gujarat-specific rule. 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.

An 11-month term stays below that threshold, so it is fully valid without compulsory registration and can simply be renewed on expiry. (For the full logic, see our deep-dive on why a rent agreement is 11 months and not 12.)

Stamp duty and e-stamping in Gujarat

Your agreement must be executed on stamp paper of the correct value, or e-stamped. Gujarat issues e-stamps through the state's GARVI portal (garvi.gujarat.gov.in), run by the Department of Registration, Gujarat — e-stamps issued there are legally equivalent to physical stamp paper and accepted by government offices and courts.

For an ordinary residential rent agreement, Gujarat stamp duty is commonly around 1% of the annual rent. Treat that as a budgeting guide, not an exact quote — the final figure depends on your rent, deposit and term, and rates and slabs vary by area, so use the GARVI stamp-duty calculator to confirm the exact figure before you pay. (Our guide to rent-agreement stamp duty by state sets out the wider picture.)

Security deposits in Surat

Surat landlords commonly ask for two to three months' rent as a security deposit, though this varies with the property and locality. There is no rent-control cap that applies to a typical market-rate letting, so the deposit is a matter of negotiation. The Model Tenancy Act, 2021 recommends a maximum residential deposit of two months' rent (six months' for non-residential premises); Gujarat has not adopted that Act as its own tenancy law, so it remains a benchmark to negotiate against rather than a binding limit.

Whatever figure you agree, write the exact deposit amount and its refund conditions — permitted deductions, the refund timeline, and the state of the premises on hand-back — clearly into the agreement. That single clause prevents most end-of-tenancy disputes.

Do you need to register your Surat rent agreement?

Stamping and registration are 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. In Gujarat, registration is compulsory for terms of 12 months or more (Section 17, Registration Act, 1908) and can be completed via GARVI and the Sub-Registrar's office; a standard 11-month agreement need not be registered.

For an 11-month term, a correctly stamped agreement signed by both parties and two witnesses is valid and enforceable. Registering it anyway — or notarising it — is optional but adds protection; our guide to notarised vs registered rent agreements explains the difference.

Sources

Bombay Rents, Hotel and Lodging House Rates Control Act, 1947 (as applicable to Gujarat) — the rent-control framework historically applied in Gujarat's cities. Official text: India Code (indiacode.nic.in).

Registration Act, 1908 — Section 17 (compulsory registration of leases of 12 months or more), and Indian Stamp Act, 1899 (as applicable to Gujarat) for stamp duty on a lease. Official text: India Code (indiacode.nic.in).

Gujarat Department of Registration — e-stamping via the GARVI portal (garvi.gujarat.gov.in). Rent-agreement stamp duty is commonly reported at about 1% of annual rent; the exact figure varies by area and should be confirmed on the official portal.

Surat's Census 2011 population (about 45.91 lakh, Surat urban agglomeration) and Gujarat's urban rental share (about 24%) — Census of India 2011, Houselisting & Housing data (Office of the Registrar General; state-wise urban rental share on data.gov.in).

Security-deposit benchmark — Model Tenancy Act, 2021 (Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs, mohua.gov.in), which recommends a two-month residential deposit cap; Gujarat has not adopted the Act as its own tenancy law.

Create your Surat rent agreement

Score99 generates a Gujarat rent agreement with the correct clauses, the right 11-month term, stamp-duty guidance and witness fields built in — for ₹199. Print it on stamp paper of the correct value (or e-stamp it via GARVI), sign before two witnesses, and register it if your term runs to 12 months or more.