E-Stamp for Rental Agreements: Everything You Need to Know

Traditional stamp paper — the physical paper you buy from a licensed vendor — has been the standard way to pay stamp duty in India for over a century. E-stamp is the digital alternative, and it is increasingly accepted across Indian states. Here's what you need to know.

What Is E-Stamp?

E-stamp (electronic stamp paper) is a computer-generated stamp certificate issued by Stock Holding Corporation of India Limited (SHCIL) or authorised state agencies. It replaces physical stamp paper and carries the same legal validity.

Each e-stamp certificate has a unique identification number (UIN) that can be verified online. This makes it harder to forge than physical stamp paper and easier to verify.

How It Works in Tamil Nadu

In Tamil Nadu, e-stamp is accepted for rental agreements. The process works as follows:

1. Calculate the stamp duty amount (1% of aggregate rent + deposit under Article 35)
2. Purchase an e-stamp certificate of the required denomination from SHCIL or an authorised vendor
3. Print your rental agreement on the e-stamp certificate (or attach it)
4. Both parties sign the agreement
5. Register with the Rent Authority at tenancy.tn.gov.in

E-Stamp vs Physical Stamp Paper

Our E-Stamp Service (Coming Soon)

We are building a service where we procure the e-stamp certificate on your behalf and print your agreement on it — delivered to your door in Chennai. This removes the last remaining offline step in the agreement process.

For now, our Instant Draft service generates the PDF which you can print on stamp paper purchased from any licensed vendor.

Practical tip: When buying physical stamp paper, always check the vendor's licence number displayed on the stamp paper itself. Unlicensed stamp paper has no legal validity.