The document should be registered within four months from the date of the execution. If the document could not be registered within four months, then it can be registered within an additional period of four months after paying penalty as imposed by the sub-registrar. Penalty can be legally up to 10 times of registration fees. Normally this penalty is charged at the rate of 2.5 times of the registration fees per month for the delay beyond the permissible 4 months. After a period of 8 months from the date of the execution, the document cannot be registered.
The registration fee is a fee for the service provided by the sub-registrar's office, of recording and storing the copy of document for years together and in the proper condition. If one does not pay registration fees, he will not be able to register the document and will be deprived of these services but there is as such no penalty for non-payment as is the case of stamp duty.
So, whenever a person goes for registration, he is charged the same registration fees as is chargeable on his document on the date of registration and no interest etc. is charged.
However, one must keep in mind that when one goes for registration after four months and before eight months of execution of document, he is charged a penalty which could be up to 10 times of registration fees.
This is the penalty for delay in presenting the document before the registrar and is not a penalty for non-payment.
Registration fees is payable by e-SBTR/GRAS and Computer Service charges is to be paid online at IGR portal. Computer service charges at the rate of Rs.20 per page are payable in addition to above Registration fees.
For example, if document to be registered is of property with market value of Rs. 35,00,000 and having 30 pages then total registration fees plus service charges would be Rs.30,000 + Rs.600 = 30,600 of which amount an official receipt would be issued.
Fee amount applicable
The registration fee is 1% of the market value or Rs. 30,000, whichever is less in case of documents pertaining to sale or conveyance. This is applicable from 01-04-2003 to date.
(The writer is a valuer of real estate and co-author of Stamp Duty Ready Reckoner)
