Rent agreement generator (India, 11-month format)
Most rent agreements in India are the same fifteen clauses with different names in them. This fills those in, produces a clean draft you can print, and — the part free templates usually leave out — tells you what you still have to do to make it count.
Deposit is 2.0 months’ rent (₹50,000).
Stamping in Karnataka. Karnataka is on the e-stamping network, so you can buy an e-stamp certificate online and print this agreement with it. We deliberately do not quote you a duty amount. It is set by the state and varies with the rent, the deposit and the term, and the figures circulating online contradict each other. Get the actual number from the official portal before you buy — under-stamping makes the agreement weak evidence in exactly the dispute it exists to settle. Check and buy at shcilestamp.com.
The PDF is rendered on request and never stored — nothing here is saved to an account. It is a draft: it still needs stamp paper, signatures and two witnesses to become effective.
Why 11 months, and not 12
This is the single most-asked question about Indian tenancies, and the answer is a single provision. Under the Registration Act 1908, a lease of immovable property exceeding 12 months must be compulsorily registered with the sub-registrar. Registration costs money, takes time, and puts the tenancy on the public record.
An 11-month term stays under that line. It is valid without registration, provided it is properly stamped and signed, and it can simply be renewed. That convenience — nothing more — is why almost every residential tenancy in India runs for eleven months.
The generator warns you the moment you set a term above 12 months, because at that point registration stops being optional.
Stamping and registration are two different things
This trips up a lot of first-time landlords. Stamp duty is payable whether or not you register the agreement. A rent agreement is an instrument under stamp law; the duty is set by each state and paid by buying stamp paper of that value or generating an e-stamp certificate.
Registration is a separate step, mandatory only once the term exceeds 12 months. And notarisation is a third thing again — optional, common, and not a substitute for either of the other two.
An unstamped agreement is not automatically void, but it is very weak evidence if you ever need to rely on it. It is the cheapest insurance in the whole tenancy.
What the draft includes
Parties and their addresses, the premises, the term, rent and due date, the security deposit with an explicit itemised-deduction clause, who pays maintenance and utilities, permitted use, a bar on subletting, the split of repair responsibilities, inspection on 24 hours’ notice, an optional lock-in, notice and termination, handover in original condition with normal wear and tear excepted, and governing law.
The deposit clause is worth calling out: it commits the landlord to giving an itemised statement of any deductions rather than returning a bare net figure. That single sentence prevents most deposit disputes — the subject of our guide to deposit rules and the settlement calculator.
Frequently asked questions
Why are rent agreements in India for 11 months?
Because of the Registration Act 1908. A lease exceeding 12 months must be compulsorily registered with the sub-registrar, which costs money and takes time. Keeping the term to 11 months stays under that line, so the agreement is valid without registration provided it is properly stamped and signed. It is a practical convention, not a legal requirement in itself.
Is an unregistered rent agreement valid in India?
For a term of 12 months or less, yes. An agreement executed on stamp paper of the correct value and signed by both parties with witnesses is valid and has been upheld in court. What is not valid is a lease exceeding 12 months that has not been registered — length is what triggers the obligation.
Do I have to pay stamp duty even if I do not register?
Yes. Stamp duty and registration are separate obligations. A rent agreement is an instrument under stamp law, and duty is payable whether or not the document is registered. Rates are set by each state, so check yours and either buy stamp paper of that value or generate an e-stamp certificate. An unstamped agreement is very weak evidence in a dispute.
Does a rent agreement need to be notarised?
Notarisation is not legally required for a standard 11-month agreement, though it is commonly done and adds a layer of authentication. It is not a substitute for stamping, and it is not a substitute for registration where the term exceeds 12 months.
How much security deposit can be written into the agreement?
Whatever the parties agree, in most of India. The Model Tenancy Act 2021 caps residential deposits at two months' rent, but it binds only in the states that have enacted it — a small minority as of 2026. Elsewhere the agreement governs, which is why six to ten months remains common in Bengaluru while one to three is normal in Delhi and Mumbai.
What is a lock-in period in a rent agreement?
A lock-in is a period during which neither party may terminate, regardless of the notice clause. If a tenant leaves during it, they typically remain liable for the rent for the unexpired portion. It is common in commercial tenancies and in residential ones where the landlord has paid brokerage. Leave it at zero if you have not specifically agreed one.
Can I use this agreement for a PG or shared accommodation?
It is not designed for that. A PG or hostel arrangement is usually a licence for a bed rather than a lease of a whole premises, often with food and services bundled, and it raises separate GST and regulatory questions. Use a PG-specific agreement and take advice.
The agreement is day one. Then there are eleven months.
Signing is the easy part. What follows is rent reminders, receipts, chasing a late month, tracking what you spent, and settling the deposit at the end. Nestwise runs all of it from Telegram, so your tenant never installs an app and the money goes straight to your account. Free while in early access.
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