Rent Agreement in Pakistan: What the Law Requires, Stamp Paper and Registration by Province

In short

Punjab and Islamabad: a landlord shall not let premises "except by a tenancy agreement", and must present it before the Rent Registrar (Punjab) or the Controller (Islamabad, within thirty days of signing). Sindh: in urban areas the agreement "shall be in writing", and attested if it is not compulsorily registrable. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: no Rented Premises Act on KP Code; its Rented Buildings (Security) Act 2014 requires a written, attested agreement whenever a landlord, lessee or manager allows "any person other than his legal heirs" to occupy the building. A lease from year to year, for more than one year, or reserving a yearly rent must be registered (Registration Act, 1908, section 17(1)(d)). Stamp duty on a fixed-rent lease: 3.25% of the average annual rent in Punjab (terms under 20 years), 2% in Sindh and Islamabad, and the Bond rate in KP.

A rent agreement (kirayanama, or a lease deed when it is registered) is the written contract between a landlord and a tenant. What the law requires depends on the province. Below: each rent law, what an agreement records, when it must be registered, and its stamp duty. This summarises the law's text; it is not legal advice.

What the rent law says, province by province

Punjab: Punjab Rented Premises Act 2009

Section 5(1): "A landlord shall not let out a premises to a tenant except by a tenancy agreement." The landlord "shall present the tenancy agreement before the Rent Registrar" (section 5(2)), who enters and seals it. That entry does not "absolve the landlord or the tenant of their liability to register the tenancy agreement under the law relating to registration of documents" (section 5(4)).

If a tenancy does not conform to the Act, the Rent Tribunal won't hear the tenant until they deposit a fine of 5% of the annual rent, or the landlord until they deposit 10% (section 9).

Sindh: Sind Rented Premises Ordinance, 1979

It covers premises in urban areas (section 3). Section 5(1) says the agreement "shall be in writing and if such agreement is not compulsorily registerable under any law for the time being in force, it shall be attested by" the Controller, a Civil Judge or a First-Class Magistrate. Under section 5(2), a certified copy of the registered deed, or the attested original, is the proof of the tenancy.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: the 1959 Ordinance and the 2014 Security Act

On 4 November 2026 we found no Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Rented Premises Act on KP Code, the provincial law site. Its rent law is the West Pakistan Urban Rent Restriction Ordinance, 1959, and we found no section in it requiring a written agreement. The writing rule is in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Restriction of Rented Buildings (Security) Act 2014: whenever a landlord (or a lessee or manager renting it out) lets a building to anyone other than their legal heirs, they "shall reduce the agreement in writing on legal document", signed by both sides (section 3(1)), and it "shall be further attested by the Notary Public or the Oath Commissioner" (section 3(4)). Police steps: our tenant registration guide.

Islamabad: Islamabad Rent Restriction Ordinance, 2001

It applies to the urban areas the federal government notifies (section 1(2)). Section 5, as substituted in 2021, says a landlord "shall not let out a premises to a tenant except by a tenancy agreement in writing" and "shall present the tenancy agreement before the Controller within thirty days of signing the agreement." This does not remove the duty to register it (section 5(4)).

When a rent agreement must be registered

Section 17(1)(d) of the Registration Act, 1908 makes registration compulsory for "leases of immoveable property from year to year, or for any term exceeding one year, or reserving a yearly rent".

What a rent agreement records (rent agreement format)

Section 6 of the Punjab Act lists what an agreement shall contain "as far as possible":

1. Parties: particulars of the landlord and the tenant.
2. Premises: a description of the property.
3. Term: the period of the tenancy.
4. Rent: the rate, the rate of increase, the due date and how it is paid.
5. Bank account: the landlord's, if rent is paid through a bank.
6. Purpose: what the premises is let out for.
7. Money paid up front: any advance rent, security or pagri.

Agreements also commonly cover:

• Utilities: the Punjab Act counts "a utility bill" as rent (section 2(h)); subject to the agreement, a landlord may not cut off a utility "without just or sufficient cause" (section 12(2)(a)).
• Repairs: subject to the agreement, the landlord keeps the premises habitable (section 12(1)(b)) and the tenant keeps it as let "except for normal wear and tear" (section 13(1)(a)).
• Entry and notice: subject to the agreement, the landlord may not enter "without giving the tenant a reasonable notice" (section 12(2)(b)).
• Eviction grounds: section 15 of the Punjab Act lists them, including expiry of the tenancy, rent unpaid thirty days after it was due, breach of the agreement and subletting without written consent.

Rent agreement stamp paper: stamp duty by province

A lease is charged under Article 35 of Schedule I of each Stamp Act. These rates are for a lease where "the rent is fixed and no premium is paid":

KP's Bond rate is Rs30 where the amount does not exceed Rs500, and Rs30 for every further Rs500 or part of it. In Punjab, a one-year lease at Rs50,000 a month (Rs600,000 a year) comes to Rs19,500 at 3.25%.

Where money is advanced in addition to rent, each text adds duty on the advance: 2% in Sindh and Islamabad, 2% (urban) or 3% (otherwise) in Punjab, and the Conveyance rate in KP. None says whether a refundable security deposit counts as money advanced. We could not confirm whether the Punjab Finance Act 2026 changed Punjab's Article 35, and found no newer official Sindh text than the Academy's copy, so in every province check the rate on the e-stamp portal before paying.

Rates as of November 2026.

Getting the e-stamp paper

Punjab's challan is generated on the Board of Revenue's e-Stamping portal (see our e-stamp guide), Sindh's on the eStamping Citizen Portal and KP's on E-stamp Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (checked on 4 November 2026). In Islamabad, Dawn reported on 1 February 2026 that the capital administration had launched an e-stamping service and that people "can get e-stamp from two official links"; we could not confirm those links on an official site.

After signing: police registration and tax

The police in all four ask for the rent agreement when a tenant is registered; the steps are in our tenant registration guide. Some tenants must deduct income tax from the rent; our tax on rent calculator works it out.

Frequently asked questions

Is a rent agreement compulsory in Pakistan?

In Punjab and Islamabad, a landlord shall not let premises except by a tenancy agreement, presented before the Rent Registrar (Punjab) or the Controller (Islamabad, within thirty days). In urban Sindh it must be in writing. In KP, the 2014 Security Act requires a written, attested agreement whenever a landlord, lessee or manager allows "any person other than his legal heirs" to occupy the building.

Kirayanama register karwana zaroori hai?

A lease from year to year, for more than one year, or reserving a yearly rent must be registered under section 17(1)(d) of the Registration Act, 1908.

How much stamp paper is needed for a rent agreement?

For a fixed-rent lease: 3.25% of the average annual rent in Punjab (terms under 20 years), 2% in Sindh and Islamabad, and the Article 15 Bond rate in KP. Rates as of November 2026.

Is there online rent agreement registration?

E-stamp paper can be generated online in Punjab, Sindh and KP, and the police have an online tenant registration form in Punjab, Sindh and Islamabad. We could not confirm an online route for presenting the agreement to Punjab's Rent Registrar or Islamabad's Controller, or for registering a lease with the Sub-Registrar.

Rent agreement format kya hota hai?

The laws we read set no official form. Punjab's Act lists what an agreement should contain: the parties, the premises, the term, the rent and its increase, due date and mode of payment, the landlord's bank details if rent is paid through a bank, the purpose, and any advance, security or pagri.

Sources

1. Punjab Code (Government of the Punjab): The Punjab Rented Premises Act 2009, sections 2, 5 to 7, 9, 12, 13 and 15 (read 4 November 2026) punjabcode.punjab.gov.pk
2. Sindh Judicial Academy: The Sind Rented Premises Ordinance, 1979, amendments up to date, sections 3, 5 and 10 (read 4 November 2026) sja.gos.pk
3. KP Code (Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa): The West Pakistan Urban Rent Restriction Ordinance, 1959 (read 4 November 2026) kpcode.kp.gov.pk
4. Pakistan Code (Ministry of Law and Justice): The Islamabad Rent Restriction Ordinance, 2001, updated till 18 April 2022, sections 1, 5, 6 and 8 (read 4 November 2026) pakistancode.gov.pk
5. KP Code: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Restriction of Rented Buildings (Security) Act, 2014, section 3 (read 4 November 2026) kpcode.kp.gov.pk
6. Punjab Code: The Registration Act, 1908, section 17(1)(d) (read 4 November 2026) punjabcode.punjab.gov.pk
7. Pakistan Code: The Registration Act, 1908, section 17(1)(d) (read 4 November 2026) pakistancode.gov.pk
8. Punjab Code: The Stamp Act 1899 as applied in Punjab, consolidated to the Stamp (Amendment) Act 2026, Schedule I, Article 35 (read 4 November 2026) punjabcode.punjab.gov.pk
9. Sindh Judicial Academy: Stamp Act, 1899, amendment up to Sindh Act No. XXVI of 2023, Schedule I, Article 35 (read 4 November 2026) sja.gos.pk
10. KP Code: The Stamp Act, 1899, updated till KP Act XVIII of 2025, Schedule I, Articles 15 and 35 (read 4 November 2026) kpcode.kp.gov.pk
11. Pakistan Code: The Stamp Act, 1899, Schedule I, Article 35 (read 4 November 2026) pakistancode.gov.pk
12. Board of Revenue Punjab: e-Stamping citizen portal (checked 4 November 2026) es.punjab-zameen.gov.pk
13. Government of Sindh: eStamping Citizen Portal (checked 4 November 2026) estamps.gos.pk
14. Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: E-stamp Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (checked 4 November 2026) estamping.kp.gov.pk
15. Dawn: E-stamping service launched in Islamabad (1 February 2026) dawn.com