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Housing Schemes

RERA Carpet Area: What It Includes and How Builders Must Price

RERA carpet area is the usable floor area inside a flat's external walls, including internal partition walls but not balconies, shafts or terraces.

VD

Written by Vikram Desai

Published 2 November 2026·7 min read

On this page10 sections
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RERA carpet area is the usable floor area inside a flat’s external walls, including the space under internal partition walls. Section 2(k) of the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 leaves out external walls, service shafts and your exclusive balcony or terrace. The agreement for sale states this figure, and model agreements price the flat on it.

Key facts

Item Rule
Law Section 2(k), Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016
Included Net usable floor area plus the area under internal partition walls
Excluded External walls, service shafts, exclusive balcony or verandah, exclusive open terrace
Disclosure Promoter must list the number, type and carpet area of flats when registering the project (Section 4(2)(h))
Advance before agreement No more than 10% of the cost without a registered agreement for sale (Section 13)
Area change on completion Model agreements (Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh) allow up to 3% variation; any reduction is refunded within 45 days with interest
Unit conversion 1 square metre = 10.764 square feet

For what RERA covers beyond area, see RERA explained: what it protects and what it does not. This page deals only with how the flat is measured.

RERA’s definition of carpet area

Section 2(k) of the Act defines carpet area as “the net usable floor area of an apartment, excluding the area covered by the external walls, areas under services shafts, exclusive balcony or verandah area and exclusive open terrace area, but includes the area covered by the internal partition walls of the apartment.”

The Explanation to the clause says an exclusive balcony, verandah or open terrace is one attached to the flat and meant only for the buyer. Such spaces are still sold to you, but they must be shown separately. They cannot be merged into the carpet area figure.

In practice, carpet area is the floor you can walk on and furnish, plus the thin strips under the walls between your rooms. Kitchen, bathrooms and internal passages all count.

What is excluded

ItemDetails
External walls.The outer walls of the flat, including walls shared with the next flat or the lobby.
Service shafts.Ducts for plumbing, electrical or drainage lines, even if they run through your flat.
Exclusive balcony or verandah.Attached to your flat and for your use only.
Exclusive open terrace.Attached to your flat and for your use only.
Common areas.Lobbies, staircases, lifts, clubhouse and similar spaces are not part of any flat’s carpet area. The model agreements give you an undivided share in them instead.

Carpet vs built-up vs super built-up area

The RERA Act defines only carpet area. Built-up and super built-up area are market terms with no definition in the Act, so the figures vary from builder to builder.

Measure What it usually covers Status under RERA
Carpet area Usable floor area plus internal partition walls Defined in Section 2(k); must appear in the agreement
Built-up area Carpet area plus external walls, and often balconies and shafts Not defined in the Act
Super built-up area Built-up area plus a share of lobbies, stairs, lifts and amenities Not defined in the Act

Two flats sold as “1,000 sq ft super built-up” can have very different carpet areas, depending on the loading the builder applies. The carpet area figure is the one you can compare across projects. A 60 square metre carpet area is about 646 square feet.

How builders must price and state the area

The Act requires the carpet area of each flat type to be disclosed at registration and shown on the authority’s website. Under Section 13, a promoter cannot take more than 10% of the cost as an advance or application fee before signing and registering an agreement for sale. That agreement must follow the form prescribed by the state rules.

The model agreements in the state rules tie the price to carpet area. Maharashtra’s model agreement, updated by MahaRERA Order No. 60/2024 dated 3 September 2024, states the carpet area in square metres. Uttar Pradesh’s model agreement (2018) sets the total price “based on the carpet area” at a rate per square metre. Both forms list garages or covered parking with their own price, and the Maharashtra form asks for the proportionate price of common areas to be shown separately.

Checking the figure in your agreement

  1. Open the project page on your state RERA website and note the carpet area declared for your flat type.
  2. Match it with the carpet area written in the allotment letter and the agreement for sale.
  3. Check that balcony, verandah and terrace areas are listed separately, not added to the carpet area.
  4. Check that the rate is stated per square metre or square foot of carpet area, and that the total matches.
  5. Ask for the floor plan attached to the agreement and measure it room by room if the numbers look off.
  6. Keep copies of the brochure and advertisements you relied on.

If you do not know your state’s portal, RERA authority by state lists them, and our guide to searching by RERA registration number shows how to open a project page.

If the delivered area is smaller

Both model agreements require the promoter to confirm the final carpet area after construction is complete and the occupancy or completion certificate is issued. The price is then recalculated at the same rate per square metre.

  • Reduction: the promoter must refund the excess within 45 days, with annual interest at the rate in the state rules, from the date you paid that amount.
  • Increase: the promoter may charge for an increase of up to 3% of the carpet area, payable at the next milestone of the payment plan.

Maharashtra’s clause applies a 3% variation cap to changes either way. Uttar Pradesh’s version applies the 3% limit to increases and asks for a refund of any reduction. Read the wording in your own agreement, because states adapt the model form.

If the builder does not refund, or the area shrank because the plans were changed without consent, you can complain to the state authority under Section 31. Section 14 bars changes to the sanctioned plans and specifications without your prior consent, apart from minor changes allowed by the Act. Section 12 lets a buyer who relied on a false statement in an advertisement or brochure claim compensation, or withdraw with a full refund and interest. Our step-by-step RERA complaint guide covers forms and fees.

Area in stamp duty and home-loan papers

The area written in the sale agreement, the registered deed and the bank’s valuation report should match. A mismatch can delay loan disbursement or registration.

ItemDetails
Stamp dutystates charge duty on the agreement value or the government guideline value, whichever is higher. The area measure used for the guideline value differs by state, so check your state’s valuation rules. Our page on how property is valued for stamp duty explains the method.
Home loanthe lender’s valuer inspects the flat and reports its area and value. Give the lender the RERA agreement so the carpet area is on file from the start.
Scheme limitsgovernment schemes also use carpet area. PMAY-U 2.0 defines an affordable house as up to 60 square metres in metros and 90 square metres elsewhere, with a value of up to ₹45 lakh.

For disputes over area or refunds, a property lawyer can read your agreement against the state rules.

Frequently asked questions

What is RERA carpet area in simple words?

It is the floor area inside your flat’s external walls that you can use, plus the space under internal walls. Balconies, terraces, shafts and external walls are left out.

Is balcony area included in RERA carpet area?

No. An exclusive balcony or verandah is excluded under Section 2(k), though it can be listed and priced separately in the agreement.

How do I calculate RERA carpet area?

Measure the internal length and width of each room, kitchen, bathroom and passage, add them, then add the area under internal partition walls. Do not include external walls, shafts or balconies.

What is the difference between RERA carpet area and ordinary carpet area?

Outside the Act, “carpet area” has no fixed legal meaning and is often measured wall to wall, leaving out internal walls. The RERA definition is the one that binds the builder, and it counts the area under internal partition walls.

Can a builder sell on super built-up area?

The agreement for sale must state the carpet area, and state model agreements set the price by carpet area. A builder may quote other figures in marketing, but the carpet area governs the agreement.

What if my flat is smaller than the agreement says?

Under the model agreements, the builder must refund the excess within 45 days with interest. If that does not happen, file a complaint with your state RERA authority.

How many square feet is 1 square metre?

One square metre is 10.764 square feet.

Sources

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