Will registration in Telangana (Hyderabad): stamp duty, registration fee, sealed cover and after-death 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 Telangana needs no stamp duty and can be written on plain paper. Registering it is optional. The Telangana registration fee notification of 02-09-2021 lists Rs 3,000 to register a will, Rs 5,000 for a will enquiry (a will presented after the testator's death), and Rs 5,000 to deposit or open a sealed cover holding a will with the District Registrar.

Fee rows are from the registration fee notification of 02-09-2021 linked from the Telangana Registration and Stamps website, read by us on 14 Oct 2026. The Registration FAQ was re-read on 20 Oct 2026. Confirm the fee at the Sub-Registrar office before you go.

The charges, row by row

Stamp duty on a will: nil. Registration FAQ Q7: "No stamp duty is required to be paid."
Registration of a will (fee notification, Category 3, row 7): Rs 3,000.
Will enquiry (row 8), for a will presented after the testator's death: Rs 5,000.
Deposit or opening of a sealed cover of wills (row 9): Rs 5,000.
Private attendance (row 5), when the registering officer comes to the home, for example for an elderly testator: Rs 10,000 for up to 5 people, with a concession fee of Rs 5,000 per person for physically challenged people and people aged 75 and above.
Copy of a registered document (CC): Rs 500 per certificate under the same notification.

Note on the FAQ figures: the Registration FAQ (Q9, Q15, Q16) still prints Rs 500 to register a will and Rs 1,000 to deposit or open a sealed cover. The 2021 notification is the later document, so we show its figures. Ask the Sub-Registrar which amount they collect (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.

Keeping it private: the sealed cover

FAQ Q15 and Q16: a will can be deposited in a sealed cover at the District Registrar's office. The depositor or an authorised person (the 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 then registered. An official copy (CC) is issued if asked for.

After the testator's death: mutation

FAQ Q17 and Q2: the person inheriting under the will applies with a copy of the will and the death proof. For agricultural land that is the Mandal Revenue Officer; for a house or site it is the Corporation, Municipality or Panchayat office. See our Bhu Bharati 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 (the FAQ asks for this to avoid disputes)
Two independent witnesses, neither the scribe nor a beneficiary
The fee for registration (and private attendance if the testator can't travel)
A slot booked online where the office uses slots (slot booking guide)
Later, an official copy (CC) if the original is lost (copy of registered document (CC) guide) and an EC for each property (Telangana EC guide)

Splitting family property now instead of by will? See our Telangana partition and settlement deed guide. Property in Vizag or Vijayawada? See the Andhra Pradesh will registration guide.

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FAQ

Is stamp duty payable on a will in Telangana?

No. The Telangana Registration FAQ (Q7) says no stamp duty is required and a will can be drafted on white paper.

What is the fee to register a will in Telangana?

The registration fee notification of 02-09-2021 lists Rs 3,000 for registration of a will. The older FAQ answer still says Rs 500, so confirm the amount at the Sub-Registrar office.

Is it compulsory to register a will?

No. The FAQ (Q8) says registration is optional but better, because an official copy (CC) can be obtained from the Sub-Registrar office if the original is lost.

Can a will be registered after the person's death?

Yes. The claimant brings the will, death records, the witnesses and the scribe, and the Sub-Registrar holds a will enquiry. The 2021 notification lists Rs 5,000 for a will enquiry.

Who can witness a will?

Two independent attesting witnesses are needed. The FAQ says the scribe can't be a witness and a beneficiary shouldn't sign as one. 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.