Will registration in Andhra Pradesh (Vizag, Vijayawada): stamp duty, registration fee, sealed cover and will enquiry

Official documents read 14 to 20 Oct 2026 · Not legal advice · Government websites change, so re-check before you rely on a step.

Short answer: A will in Andhra Pradesh carries no stamp duty, and registering it is optional. The duty and fee table on the AP IGRS website lists a registration fee of Rs 500 plus Rs 100 user charges for a will. The IGRS fee table (G.O.Ms.No.463 of 2013) lists Rs 1,000 for a will enquiry and Rs 1,000 to deposit or open a sealed cover of wills.

Read from the AP IGRS website (registration.ap.gov.in) and its Registration FAQ and fee table PDFs, saved by us on 15 Oct 2026. The fee table says it was notified in 2013; whether any row has changed since is to verify. Confirm the fee at the Sub-Registrar office before you go.

The charges, row by row

Stamp duty on a will: nil (IGRS duty and fee table; Registration FAQ Q14).
Registration of a will: Rs 500 registration fee plus Rs 100 user charges (IGRS duty and fee table). This matches the fee table's Category 4 rate of Rs 500 for documents not listed elsewhere.
Will enquiry (fee table, Category 3, row 8), for a will presented after the testator's death: Rs 1,000. The FAQ adds that enquiry costs, including batta and processing, are collected at actuals.
Deposit or opening of a sealed cover of wills (row 9): Rs 1,000.
Private attendance (row 6), when the officer attends at home: Rs 1,000. Registration on a holiday (row 7): Rs 5,000.

Note on the FAQ figures: the Registration FAQ (Q14, Q16, Q17) still prints Rs 100 to register a will, Rs 500 to deposit a sealed cover and Rs 100 to open it. The duty and fee table on the IGRS home page shows Rs 500 plus Rs 100 user charges, so we show that. Ask the Sub-Registrar which amount applies (to verify).

Rules the official FAQ lists

Who can make a will: anyone above 18 and of sound mind. A will made by fraud or coercion isn't valid, and parents or guardians can't make one for a minor.
Two witnesses: attestation by two independent witnesses is necessary. The scribe (deed writer or advocate) can't be one of them, and a beneficiary under the will shouldn't sign as a witness.
Plain paper is fine: no stamp duty is needed, and the will can be written on white paper.
Registration is optional: it isn't compulsory, but the FAQ says "it is better to register the will", because an official copy (CC) can be taken from the Sub-Registrar office if the original is lost.
No time limit: a will can be registered any time after it is signed, and the testator can cancel it at any time during their lifetime. Changes are made by a codicil, which also needs no stamp duty.
After death: the person claiming under the will can still present it. They bring the will, death records, the witnesses and the scribe, and the Sub-Registrar follows a "will enquiry" before registering.
Who can get a copy: only the testator during their lifetime. After death, anyone can get an official copy (CC) by showing proof of death.

FAQ Q9 adds that a will can be registered at any District Registrar or Sub-Registrar office.

Keeping it private: the sealed cover

FAQ Q16 and Q17: a will can be deposited in a sealed cover with the District Registrar, and the depositor or executor can withdraw it. After the depositor's death, the District Registrar opens it in front of the applicant who brings proof of death, and it is registered. An official copy (CC) is issued if asked for.

After the testator's death: mutation

FAQ Q18: the person inheriting under the will applies to the authorities named in FAQ Q2 with a copy of the will and the death proof. For land records in AP, see our Meebhoomi mutation guide.

What the will says, who inherits and whether it will hold up are legal questions for your lawyer. This page only covers the published duty and fee rows and the registration steps the department lists in its own FAQs.

Before you go to the Sub-Registrar

The will, with clear property descriptions and the full names of beneficiaries
Two independent witnesses, neither the scribe nor a beneficiary
The registration fee and user charges (and private attendance if the testator can't travel)
A slot booked on IGRS where needed (AP slot booking guide)
Later, an official copy (CC) if the original is lost (AP copy of registered document (CC) guide) and an EC for each property (AP EC guide)

Splitting family property now instead of by will? See our AP partition and settlement deed guide. Property in Hyderabad? See the Telangana will registration guide.

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FAQ

Is stamp duty payable on a will in Andhra Pradesh?

No. The duty and fee table on the AP IGRS website lists stamp duty on a will as nil, and the Registration FAQ (Q14) says the same.

What is the fee to register a will in AP?

The IGRS duty and fee table lists Rs 500 registration fee plus Rs 100 user charges. The older FAQ answer still says Rs 100, so confirm at the Sub-Registrar office.

What does it cost to register a will after the testator's death in AP?

The fee table lists Rs 1,000 for a will enquiry, and the FAQ says enquiry costs such as batta and processing are collected at actuals, on top of the registration fee.

Can I keep my will secret with the Registrar?

Yes. The FAQ says a will can be deposited in a sealed cover with the District Registrar. The fee table lists Rs 1,000 to deposit or open it.

Do I need a lawyer to make a will?

The FAQ doesn't require one, but it does ask for clear property and beneficiary details to avoid disputes. For drafting and inheritance questions, speak to a lawyer. Not legal advice.

Official sources

Not legal advice. We don't check properties or certify ads. A lawyer must confirm title, and the Authority's own notices override anything on this page.