Two separate charges, not one
Stamp duty and registration charges are often quoted together but are legally two different payments: stamp duty is a tax on the transaction itself, and registration is the fee for recording the sale deed in government records. Both are calculated on whichever is higher — the actual transaction value or the government's circle rate (collector rate) for that area — so a below-circle-rate deal doesn't reduce what you owe.
Check the circle rate before you check the price
Circle rate is the government's minimum notified valuation per area, set separately for each sector/locality and revised periodically. It's available from the local revenue/tehsil office and is what stamp duty gets calculated on if it's higher than your agreed price — worth checking early, since it affects your total closing cost regardless of what you and the seller agree on.
Rates differ by jurisdiction — again
Same pattern as RERA: Chandigarh (UT), Punjab, and Haryana each set their own stamp duty and registration rates, and they change periodically. Don't assume a rate you saw quoted for a Mohali property applies to a Panchkula one. Many states, including Punjab, also offer a stamp duty concession when the property is registered in a woman's name — confirm the current percentage directly with the sub-registrar's office or your lawyer, since the exact discount changes over time.
The step-by-step process
Confirm the current circle rate for the specific sector/area
Prepare the sale deed with your lawyer
Pay stamp duty through the state's e-stamping portal
Book an appointment with the sub-registrar's office
Both parties and witnesses appear in person for biometric verification and document execution
Collect the registered deed
File for mutation (intkal) at the local patwari/tehsildar office
The step everyone forgets: mutation
Registration transfers legal title, but it doesn't automatically update the revenue department's ownership records — that's a separate process called mutation. Skipping it means government land records still show the previous owner, which can complicate property tax, future resale, or loan applications down the line. Don't treat registration day as the finish line.