Stamp Paper in Pakistan: A Province-by-Province Guide for 2026

Stamp paper looks like a formality until it is not. An instrument that is insufficiently stamped can be impounded, attract penalties, and lose its evidentiary value at the worst possible moment — when it is produced in court. For advocates handling agreements, conveyances and powers of attorney, getting the stamp right is part of getting the matter right.

Why province matters

Stamp duty in Pakistan is largely a provincial subject. Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan each set their own rates and have each amended the Stamp Act over time. The same instrument can attract different duty depending on where it is executed and where the property lies, which is precisely why a single remembered figure is unreliable.

• Conveyances and sale deeds — typically ad valorem on value
• Lease agreements — duty often varies with term and rent
• Powers of attorney — fixed or ad valorem depending on scope
• General agreements — usually a fixed provincial rate

The cost of under-stamping

Under-stamping is rarely deliberate; it is usually an outdated rate or the wrong instrument category. But the consequences fall on the client: penalties, delay in registration, and the risk that an opponent raises the deficiency to keep a document out of evidence. A small check at the drafting stage avoids a large problem later.

How Legal Diary helps

Legal Diary’s Stamp Paper calculator covers all four provinces and the common instruments, so you can confirm the correct duty before you draft. It sits alongside the court-fee, limitation and filing-deadline calculators — a complete toolkit for the routine numbers that quietly govern Pakistani practice.

Get the stamp duty right every time — start a free Legal Diary trial and try the calculators.