e-Stamping Overview

e-Stamping Overview

In India, certain legal agreements, such as vendor agreements, service agreements, and partnership agreements, require the payment of stamp duty to be considered valid and enforceable. Zoho Contracts simplifies this process by enabling you to apply e-Stamping digitally during the contract signing process, eliminating the need for physical stamp papers and manual processes. Unlike traditional stamp papers that require physical purchase and attachment, e-Stamping offers a faster, more secure, and fully digital alternative.

Info
Feature Availability: All paid plans.
Data Center: India (zoho.in/contracts)

What is e-Stamping?

e-Stamping is an electronic method of paying government-mandated stamp duty on legal documents. It allows you to get a contract document stamped by paying non-judicial stamp duty to the government and obtain signature on the e-Stamp challan affixed document. This digital process ensures compliance with regulatory requirements while reducing manual effort, paperwork, and the risk of fraud.

States Where e-Stamping is Supported

e-Stamping in Zoho Contracts is currently available for the following Indian states:
  1. Delhi
  2. Gujarat
  3. Karnataka
  4. Tamil Nadu
  5. Maharashtra
  6. Rajasthan

Sign Credits Consumption

In Zoho Contracts, sign credits are consumed when you apply e-Stamping to a contract. The total cost includes both the stamp duty amount and a processing fee of ₹48. This combined amount is converted into Sign credits.
  1. 1 Sign Credit = ₹6
For example, let’s say you are sending a contract that requires a ₹200 stamp paper, the stamp duty is calculated as follows:
  1. Stamp Duty: ₹200
  2. Processing Fee: ₹48
Total Amount: ₹248

The number of sign credits consumed will be:
₹248 ÷ ₹6 = 41.33 credits, which is rounded up to 42 Sign Credits.

Notes
Note: For the state of Rajasthan, an additional 30% surcharge cost is added to the price of an e-Stamp.

Benefits of e-stamping

  1. Time-Saving: e-Stamps can be generated quickly and easily without the need for physical paperwork or in-person processes, making contract execution seamless and hassle-free.
  2. Faster Execution: Enables quicker turnaround of agreements by allowing end-to-end digital processing and signing.
  3. No Risk of Loss or Damage: Eliminates the chances of physical stamp papers being misplaced, damaged, or tampered with.
  4. Environment-Friendly: Reduces paper consumption, contributing to eco-friendly business practices.
  5. Authenticity: Each e-Stamp carries a Unique Identification Number (UIN), ensuring authenticity and preventing duplication.
  6. Legal Compliance: Ensures that your contracts meet legal requirements and are admissible in court.
  7. Easily Verifiable: e-Stamps can be verified online, ensuring transparency. You can check the authenticity of your e-Stamp certificate here.

Get started 

To set up e-Stamping, see Setting Up e-Stamping.
To configure stamp paper, see Configuring stamp paper.