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Stamp Paper & Legal Documents

E-Stamp Paper: How to Buy It Online and Verify the Certificate

An e-stamp is SHCIL's electronic stamp-duty certificate. Buy it online or at a collection centre and verify its number free on shcilestamp.com.

VD

Written by Vikram Desai

Published 22 September 2026·6 min read

On this page9 sections
Credsir Stamp Paper & Legal Documents guide cover with a stamp icon

An e-stamp is an electronic certificate that shows you have paid non-judicial stamp duty on a document. StockHolding Corporation of India (SHCIL) issues it as the Central Record Keeping Agency in 26 States and Union Territories. You pay online or at a collection centre, get a certificate with a unique number, and anyone can check that number on shcilestamp.com.

Key facts

Item Detail
Issued by StockHolding Corporation of India (SHCIL), as Central Record Keeping Agency
Coverage 26 States and UTs (SHCIL list as of 20 March 2025)
Ways to buy Authorised Collection Centre, StockHolding branch, online with self-printing, online with home delivery
Online payment modes Net banking, debit card, credit card, UPI (you bear gateway charges)
Home delivery NCT of Delhi and Himachal Pradesh; 2 to 5 working days
Self-print paper A4 plain paper on a laser printer
Verification Free, on shcilestamp.com or the StockHolding e-Stamping mobile app
Cancellation Not possible once generated; refunds go through the state government

What an e-stamp certificate is and where it works

StockHolding describes e-stamping as a computer-based, secured way of paying non-judicial stamp duty to the government. The certificate takes the place of pre-printed stamp paper. The legal rule stays the same as for paper: under Section 17 of the Indian Stamp Act, 1899, an instrument executed in India must be stamped before or at the time of execution.

SHCIL lists these States and UTs as live for e-stamping: Andaman and Nicobar, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Goa, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Ladakh, Meghalaya, Manipur, NCT of Delhi, Odisha, Puducherry, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

Online payment with self-printing is narrower. SHCIL allows it in Delhi, Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh, Ladakh, Chandigarh, Jammu and Kashmir, Puducherry, Andaman and Nicobar, Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Punjab, Manipur, Uttarakhand, Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh. If your state is not on the SHCIL list, ask its registration or revenue department how to pay. The duty itself also differs by state; see our stamp duty and registration charges by state.

How to buy e-stamp paper online

StockHolding’s user guide for self-printing sets out these steps:

  1. Open www.shcilestamp.com and go to the Online Payment section.
  2. Click Register Now and create a user ID and password. You need a valid email address and an Indian mobile number for the OTP.
  3. Click the activation link sent to your email.
  4. Log in with your user ID and password.
  5. Select your state from the dropdown.
  6. Choose Self Printing, Home Delivery or Nearest StockHolding Branch.
  7. Enter the first party name, second party name, article number, stamp duty payer and the exact stamp duty amount.
  8. Pay by net banking, debit card, credit card or UPI.
  9. Print the certificate on A4 plain paper with a laser printer, or wait for delivery, or take the payment reference to the branch.

Registration is free. Guest login works only for Puducherry and Andaman and Nicobar. SHCIL says self-printing does not work on Apple systems, so use a Windows computer. The amount you can pay online is capped at different levels in different states; the guide asks you to check your state’s limit. With home delivery, the certificate reaches your registered address in 2 to 5 working days.

To work out the duty before you pay, use the stamp duty calculator.

Buying at an authorised collection centre

You can also buy an e-stamp at an Authorised Collection Centre (ACC) or a StockHolding branch. StockHolding says you fill in an application form and hand it over with payment. SHCIL publishes state-wise application forms on its download page, and some states have a separate short form for smaller amounts.

Take these with you:

  • The filled application form for your state.
  • Names and addresses of the first party and second party.
  • The article number of your document in the state stamp schedule.
  • The consideration or property value, where duty depends on it.
  • Payment. SHCIL’s FAQ lists cash, cheque, net banking, UPI and cards.

SHCIL does not publish a counter service charge on these pages, so ask the centre for the total before you pay.

Fields on the certificate

StockHolding says the system records these transaction details:

Field What to check
Certificate number (UIN) A 20-character alphanumeric number, generated once
First party Usually the person executing the document
Second party The other party, such as a tenant or buyer
Address As entered at purchase
Article number The schedule entry for your type of document
Consideration price The value the duty is based on
Stamp duty amount Must match the duty your state charges

How to verify an e-stamp certificate

  1. Open the Verify e-Stamp Certificate page on shcilestamp.com.
  2. Select the State.
  3. Enter the Certificate No.
  4. Pick the Stamp Duty Type, which is the article number.
  5. Enter the Certificate Issued Date in DD-MMM-YYYY format.
  6. Type the session ID shown in the image (not case-sensitive) and submit.

The same page offers a second route with a barcode scanner. You can also verify through StockHolding’s e-Stamping mobile app. Match every field on screen with the printed certificate. A sub-registrar can also verify and lock a certificate, which stops it being used again.

Common mistakes

ItemDetails
Wrong article number.The article decides the duty. A rent agreement, an affidavit and a sale deed sit under different articles. Our rent agreement rules page covers one common case.
Wrong party name.SHCIL’s FAQ says a certificate cannot be cancelled once generated. A spelling error can mean buying a new one and asking the state for a refund.
Paying too little.SHCIL says you can buy another e-stamp for the difference.
Reusing a certificate.Section 14 of the Stamp Act allows only one chargeable instrument on the same stamped paper.
Losing it.SHCIL asks you to contact the state’s competent authority for the refund process.

For high-value property deeds or disputes over duty, a lawyer or the local sub-registrar’s office can confirm the correct article and amount.

Frequently asked questions

Is e-stamp paper valid in all states?

No. SHCIL runs e-stamping in 26 States and UTs. In other states, ask the state registration or revenue department how duty is paid.

Can I print an e-stamp at home?

Yes, in the States and UTs where SHCIL allows self-printing. Print on A4 plain paper with a laser printer from a Windows computer.

How do I check if an e-stamp is genuine?

Enter the state, certificate number, article, issue date and session ID on the Verify e-Stamp Certificate page of shcilestamp.com. Every field shown should match the paper.

Can an e-stamp certificate be cancelled?

No. SHCIL says a generated certificate cannot be cancelled. Apply to the state government’s competent authority for a refund.

How long does home delivery take?

SHCIL says 2 to 5 working days. Home delivery is offered in Delhi and Himachal Pradesh.

What if I paid less duty than required?

Buy a second e-stamp certificate for the difference, as SHCIL’s FAQ advises.

Does an e-stamp expire?

The Indian Stamp Act, 1899 sets no expiry date for stamp paper, as the Supreme Court held in 2008. The document must still be stamped before or at the time you sign it.

Sources

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