Two numbers follow you into any property registration in India. One is what you actually paid. The other is the circle rate the government has set for that locality. The government picks whichever is higher for stamp duty. Negotiate a price well below market and you might still owe stamp duty on the circle rate, not the figure on your agreement.
Plenty of buyers learn this the hard way, at the sub-registrar’s counter. This guide walks through what circle rate actually means, why it was created, how states set it and what the tax consequences are when a sale falls below it.
- What is Circle Rate?
- Why Does Circle Rate Exist?
- How is Circle Rate of Land Determined?
- Circle Rate List — State-wise Property Circle Rate Examples
- How to Check Circle Rate Online — State-wise Process
- Circle Rate vs Market Rate — Key Differences
- What Happens When You Buy Below Circle Rate?
- How Circle Rate Affects Property Buyers
- Sarkil Rate — What Does This Mean?
What is Circle Rate?
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The state government publishes a minimum value for every locality. That is the circle rate. Stamp duty goes on whichever number is higher, your actual deal or this floor. The Revenue or Registration Department revises it periodically, sometimes annually, sometimes less often. |
The name changes by state. The concept does not.
|
State |
Local Name for Circle Rate |
Where to Check |
|
Maharashtra |
Ready Reckoner Rate (RRR) |
igrmaharashtra.gov.in |
|
Karnataka |
Guidance Value |
kaveri.karnataka.gov.in |
|
Uttar Pradesh |
Collector Rate |
igrsup.gov.in |
|
Rajasthan |
DLC Rate (District Level Committee Rate) |
igrs.rajasthan.gov.in |
|
Delhi |
Circle Rate (Category A to H) |
revenue.delhi.gov.in |
|
Haryana |
Collector Rate |
jamabandi.nic.in |
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Punjab |
Collector Rate |
igrs.punjab.gov.in |
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Tamil Nadu |
Guideline Value |
tnreginet.gov.in |
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Andhra Pradesh |
Market Value / Basic Value |
registration.ap.gov.in |
|
Telangana |
Market Value |
registration.telangana.gov.in |
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Gujarat |
Jantri Rate |
garvi.gujarat.gov.in |
|
West Bengal |
Fair Market Value |
wbregistration.gov.in |
Why Does Circle Rate Exist?
For a long time, buyers and sellers in India routinely declared lower prices in registration documents than what actually changed hands. The difference moved in cash. Stamp duty was paid on the declared figure, not the real one. The government lost money on almost every transaction. Circle rate fixed that by creating a floor that could not be undercut on paper.
With the floor in place, the declared price no longer matters below a certain point. The government simply applies the circle rate if the sale is below it. That is also the reason a below-circle-rate purchase triggers Section 56(2)(x) of the Income Tax Act for the buyer.
How is Circle Rate of Land Determined?
The circle rate is not a single national number. Each state’s Revenue or Registration Department sets it, and within a state it varies significantly by:
- City and district
- Locality and colony within the city
- Type of property: residential, commercial, agricultural or industrial land
- Type of construction: apartment, independent house, plot or villa
- Proximity to metro stations, highways or development corridors
Delhi splits the city into eight bands running A through H. A is the most premium, H is the most peripheral. The gap between the two ends is not small. A colony in Category A and one in Category H can differ by a factor of several times.
In UP, collector rate is the local name and people frequently search it alongside bhulekh terms because the Bhulekh land records portal and the IGRSUP registration portal sit in the same general territory for anyone doing property research.
Circle Rate List — State-wise Property Circle Rate Examples
The numbers below are indicative ranges based on data available as of 2026. Actual rates vary by exact location, property type and floor. Always verify on your state’s official IGRS or registration portal before registration.
|
City |
Zone / Area Type |
Approx Circle Rate (Rs per sq ft) |
|
Delhi (Category A) |
Most premium colonies |
Rs 7,74,000+ per sq m (varies widely by colony) |
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Delhi (Category H) |
Peripheral and rural areas |
Rs 23,280 per sq m |
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Mumbai (South) |
Island City premium |
Rs 1,20,000+ per sq ft (varies by building) |
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Bengaluru (Central) |
Core city zones |
Rs 5,000 to Rs 12,000 per sq ft |
|
Noida (Sector 150) |
Expressway belt |
Rs 45,000 to Rs 65,000 per sq m (proposed 20% increase FY26) |
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Hyderabad (Jubilee Hills) |
Premium western zone |
Rs 50,000 to Rs 80,000+ per sq m |
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Chennai (Central) |
Anna Nagar, T Nagar belt |
Rs 8,000 to Rs 14,000 per sq ft |
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Pune (Kothrud) |
Established residential |
Rs 8,000 to Rs 12,000 per sq ft |
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Jaipur (Vaishali Nagar) |
Mid-premium zone |
Rs 3,500 to Rs 6,000 per sq ft |
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Ahmedabad (SG Road) |
Commercial and premium belt |
Rs 5,000 to Rs 9,000 per sq ft |
These are reference figures, not exact quotes. Delhi’s 20 percent rebate ended 31 December 2025 so full rates apply now. Noida is looking at a 20 to 25 percent increase for FY 2026. Check the official state portal for your specific property before you rely on any number.
How to Check Circle Rate Online — State-wise Process
Delhi Circle Rate
- Go to revenue.delhi.gov.in
- Click on Know Your Circle Rate
- Select your district and sub-division
- Choose property type: residential, commercial or agricultural
- Select your colony to see the applicable rate per sq metre
Maharashtra Ready Reckoner Rate
- Go to igrmaharashtra.gov.in
- Click on e-ASR (Annual Statement of Rates)
- Select district, taluka and village
- Choose property type (apartment, land, shop etc.)
- The applicable rate per sq metre is displayed
UP Collector Rate (Bhulekh Circle Rate)
- Go to igrsup.gov.in
- Click on Sampatti ka Mulyakan (Property Valuation)
- Select district, tehsil and village or mohalla
- Enter the type of property and area
- The portal calculates the minimum registration value based on the collector rate
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For bhulekh circle rate searches in UP: IGRSUP (igrsup.gov.in) is where circle rates live. Bhulekh (upbhulekh.gov.in) handles land records like khasra and khatauni. They are searched together because buyers are doing both tasks, but they are different portals. |
Circle Rate vs Market Rate — Key Differences
|
Factor |
Circle Rate |
Market Rate |
|
Set by |
State government (Revenue/Registration Dept) |
Buyers and sellers based on demand and supply |
|
Purpose |
Floor for stamp duty calculation |
Actual transaction value between parties |
|
Revision |
Periodic (usually annually or as notified) |
Changes daily based on market conditions |
|
Legal use |
Registration cannot go below this |
No legal floor or ceiling |
|
Where to find |
Official IGRS/Registration portal |
Brokers, property portals, transaction data |
|
Impact of gap |
Tax implications under Section 50C and 56(2)(x) |
No automatic tax implication |
In most cities, market rates sit above the circle rate, so stamp duty goes on the market figure. In slower or distressed markets, the circle rate can actually exceed what buyers are willing to pay. The stamp duty still goes on the circle rate in that case. The market price being lower does not help you at the registration counter.
What Happens When You Buy Below Circle Rate?
It happens more than people expect, especially in resale transactions where motivated sellers accept offers that fall well short of what the area was doing a year or two ago.
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Buying below the circle rate does not reduce your stamp duty. It stays on the circle rate regardless. On top of that, Section 56(2)(x) of the Income Tax Act treats the gap between what you paid and the circle rate as income in your hands, taxable at your slab. The seller has a parallel problem under Section 50C on capital gains. |
Example
Say you buy a flat for Rs 70 lakh and the circle rate puts the same property at Rs 80 lakh. Maharashtra stamp duty at 5 percent goes on Rs 80 lakh, not Rs 70 lakh. That is Rs 4 lakh rather than Rs 3.5 lakh. The Rs 10 lakh gap between your purchase price and the circle rate can then be added to your taxable income for the year.
A deal that looks clean on the headline price can get expensive once the circle rate gap is factored in. That is why verifying the rate before agreeing on a number is standard practice, not optional.
How Circle Rate Affects Property Buyers
Stamp Duty Calculation
Stamp duty goes on whichever number is bigger, your purchase price or the circle rate. However good your negotiation, the circle rate is the floor on what you owe.
Home Loan Considerations
Banks go off whichever number is lower when deciding how much to lend. If you are paying Rs 90 lakh in an area where the circle rate is Rs 75 lakh, the bank may lend only on the Rs 75 lakh figure. The Rs 15 lakh gap comes from your own funds. Worth checking this before you lock in a deal.
Section 50C and Capital Gains for Sellers
A seller cannot escape capital gains tax by putting a lower price in the sale deed. The Income Tax Department uses the circle rate as the deemed sale value whenever the actual sale is below it.
Circle Rate Increase and Affordability
An upward revision hits all buyers in the affected area on stamp duty. Noida and Greater Noida are staring at a proposed 20 to 25 percent jump for FY 2026. That adds real money to the cost of buying there.
Sarkil Rate — What Does This Mean?
Sarkil rate is just circle rate written phonetically in Hindi. Same concept, same government floor price, same stamp duty implications. The spelling turns up mainly in search queries from UP, Bihar and other Hindi belt states where English words often get transliterated when people type in their language.
Frequently Asked Questions:
1. What is circle rate in property?
It is the state government’s minimum price for property registration. Nothing can be registered below it. The stamp duty and registration charges go on whichever is higher, your actual sale price or this floor. The Revenue or Registration Department sets it and it varies by city, locality and property type.
2. What is the difference between circle rate and market rate?
Circle rate is a government floor. Market rate is what buyers and sellers actually agree on. In premium locations, market usually sits above circle rate and stamp duty goes on the market figure. In slower markets, circle rate can exceed what people are paying, and stamp duty still goes on the circle rate. The government always uses whichever number is bigger.
3. What is sarkil rate?
Same thing, different spelling. Sarkil is how circle sounds when written in transliterated Hindi, and it shows up mainly in searches from UP and Bihar. The government floor price, the stamp duty implications, all of it is identical.
4. How to check circle rate of land online?
Use the state’s official registration portal. Delhi is revenue.delhi.gov.in under Know Your Circle Rate. Maharashtra is igrmaharashtra.gov.in under e-ASR. UP is igrsup.gov.in under property valuation. Karnataka is kaveri.karnataka.gov.in for guidance value. Pick your district and property type on each portal and the rate comes up.
5. What is bhulekh circle rate?
People in UP search for bhulekh and circle rate together because they are doing property research at the same time. The portals are different though. Bhulekh (upbhulekh.gov.in) is for land records like khasra and khatauni. Circle rate in UP is on IGRSUP (igrsup.gov.in) under the property valuation section.
6. What happens if I buy property below circle rate?
Your stamp duty stays on the circle rate regardless of what you paid. The gap between your purchase price and the circle rate can also be added to your taxable income under Section 56(2)(x). The seller is not off the hook either, capital gains under Section 50C are computed on the circle rate even when the actual sale was lower.
7. How often is circle rate revised?
Usually once a year, though some states go two to three years between revisions. It depends on what the government needs revenue-wise and how active the market is in specific corridors. Delhi just ended a 20 percent rebate in December 2025. UP is looking at a 20 to 25 percent hike in Noida and Greater Noida for FY 2026.
8. Is circle rate the same as ready reckoner rate?
Yes, same thing. Maharashtra calls it ready reckoner rate, Karnataka calls it guidance value, Rajasthan says DLC rate, Tamil Nadu says guideline value, Gujarat says Jantri rate, Punjab and Haryana use collector rate. Every state has its own name for what is essentially the same government floor on property registration value.
9. Does circle rate affect home loan eligibility?
Yes it does. Banks lend on whichever is lower, circle rate or purchase price. If you are paying well above the circle rate, the bank will likely base its loan sanction on the circle rate. The gap between the two comes from your own pocket. Talk to your lender about this before you finalise a number.
10. What is the circle rate list and where can I find it?
Each state publishes a table of minimum values broken down by location, property type and land use. That is the circle rate list. Find your state’s version on the official IGRS or registration portal. Delhi is revenue.delhi.gov.in, Maharashtra is igrmaharashtra.gov.in, UP is igrsup.gov.in. You pick your district and property type on the portal and the rate comes up.
