Hidden Costs of Buying a Noida Flat: PLC, IFMS and More
Contents
You see a price per square foot in the ad. You pay a good deal more at the end. The gap comes from add-ons in the builder’s cost sheet, plus government taxes. Many buyers only see these once they are well into the booking.
This guide covers the hidden charges when buying a flat in Noida, Greater Noida West and Greater Noida. It goes through each line of a typical cost sheet and ends with a worked all-in price. Figures are as of 20 October 2026. Rates set by builders are indicative and change by project, so treat them as a checklist, not a quote.
The cost sheet at a glance
Some charges are set by the government (GST, stamp duty, registration). Most of the rest are set by the builder, which means you can ask about them and sometimes negotiate. The ranges below come from published price lists and buyer guides. They are not official rates.
| Line item | Who sets it | Indicative range seen in published sources | What to ask |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base price | Builder | Quoted per sq ft, usually on super area | What is the carpet area? |
| Floor rise | Builder | About ₹10–25 per sq ft per floor in one Greater Noida West guide; ₹25–75 in another | From which floor does it start? |
| PLC | Builder | About ₹100–300 per sq ft in one Greater Noida West guide; park-facing ₹75–200 in another | Per sq ft or lump sum? Do charges stack? |
| IFMS | Builder | About ₹40–50 per sq ft in sample Noida cost sheets | Is it refundable? Where is it held? |
| Club membership | Builder | ₹50,000–₹2 lakh in one guide; ₹1.5–3 lakh in sample cost sheets | Is it compulsory? |
| Car parking | Builder | Covered ₹1.5–3 lakh in one guide; ₹4–7 lakh in sample premium cost sheets | Covered, open or mechanical? |
| Power backup | Builder | About ₹20,000–35,000 per kVA in sample cost sheets | How many kVA are allotted? |
| Lease rent | Authority-linked | About ₹95 per sq ft one-time in sample cost sheets | One-time or annual? |
| GST | Government | 5% (1% for qualifying affordable homes); nil on ready flats with OC/CC | On which amounts is it charged? |
| Stamp duty and registration | State | 7% + 1% for men; 6% + 1% for women (property up to ₹1 crore) | On which value, and when is it due? |
1. Base price and the area it is charged on
Everything else is calculated around this number, so start here. Most brochures quote a rate per sq ft on super area. That includes your share of lobbies, lifts and common spaces, not just the space inside your walls.
UP RERA directed developers in January 2024 to sell on carpet area only. Even so, price lists still often quote super area. Ask for the carpet area in the draft agreement and divide the price by it. That gives you a fairer way to compare two projects.
If the final carpet area comes out smaller than the agreement, the builder must refund the excess with interest, generally within 45 days. If it grows, the increase you pay for is capped at 3%.
2. Floor rise and PLC
Preferential location charges (PLC) are a premium for a unit that is better placed. Think park-facing, corner, road-facing or a higher floor. No government formula exists. The developer decides the amount, which is why guides say it can be negotiated, especially in early launch phases.
Floor rise is a per-floor premium, usually from a stated floor upward. Charges are generally multiplied by area. Watch for stacking. One published example for a 1,400 sq ft flat showed park-facing, corner and floor-rise charges together adding about ₹17.5 lakh to a ₹1.05 crore base price.
Ask for each PLC as a separate line. Also check whether it is charged on super area or carpet area, because that changes the total.
3. IFMS (interest-free maintenance security)
IFMS is a one-time deposit. It is collected from you, usually near possession, as a reserve for maintaining common areas. It earns you no interest. It is not your monthly maintenance bill. Builders calculate it either as a fixed sum per unit type or as a rate per sq ft.
Whether you get it back depends on the agreement. Typically the balance moves to the residents’ association once it is formed. One guide notes that recovery on sale depends on the RWA’s finances at that time.
Before you sign, check three things:
- Whether the deposit is refundable or adjustable, and under what clause.
- Where it is held, and who it passes to when the RWA takes over.
- Whether you are also being charged advance maintenance, and what each one covers.
4. Club, parking and power backup
These three are charged one time on top of the base price. In several price lists they are listed as extras on the cost sheet, so check you are not paying twice for something bundled into the base rate.
- Club membership: You pay even if you never use the facilities, so ask whether it is compulsory.
- Parking: One guide for Greater Noida West says covered parking is often not included in the quoted flat price. Premium Noida cost sheets list far higher figures. Allotment may also be at the builder’s discretion, and it can be mechanical or non-mechanical.
- Power backup: This is charged per kVA allotted. Sample cost sheets show ₹20,000 to ₹35,000 per kVA. A 3 kVA connection at ₹25,000 is ₹75,000.
The running cost is separate. Societies usually bill diesel generator power at a higher rate than the grid. One 2026 guide puts this at roughly ₹15–25 per unit, set by the society and not the utility. Ask what the current rate is in a project you are considering.
5. Lease rent, EDC and IDC
Most residential land in Noida and Greater Noida is leasehold, held from the Authority. So a one-time lease rent often shows up on the cost sheet. Sample sheets list it at about ₹95 per sq ft.
External and infrastructure development charges (EDC and IDC) are often folded into the base price. Confirm this line by line, and ask for it in writing.
If you buy a resale flat, a transfer memorandum (TM) charge may apply as well. It is paid to the Authority, and slabs depend on when the flat was allotted. It ranges from 2.5% for allotments after 24 September 2021 up to 50% of the original allotment price for the oldest flats. TM charges do not apply when you buy new directly from a builder.
6. GST
GST depends on the stage of the flat:
- Under construction: 5% without input tax credit. Qualifying affordable homes pay 1%.
- Ready with an occupancy or completion certificate: No GST.
The 1% rate needs both a price cap of ₹45 lakh and a carpet-area limit. One guide gives the limits as 60 sq m for metros and 90 sq m for non-metros. Ask the builder which category the unit falls under and how they have calculated it.
GST also applies to PLC, so a ₹4 lakh PLC adds another ₹20,000. Some cost sheets add GST to other items as well, and practice varies. Ask for a written GST working on every line. GST rates can be revised by the GST Council, so check the current position before booking.
7. Stamp duty and registration
Uttar Pradesh stamp duty is 7% for men and 6% for women, plus a 1% registration fee. It applies in Noida, Greater Noida and Greater Noida West alike. It is charged on the agreement value or the circle rate, whichever is higher.
| Buyer | Stamp duty | Registration | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Male | 7% | 1% | 8% |
| Female (property up to ₹1 crore) | 6% | 1% | 7% |
Square Yards reports that the UP Cabinet raised the women’s concession limit from ₹10 lakh to ₹1 crore in July 2025. Some sources show different treatment: a flat ₹10,000 rebate, or 6.5% for joint male-female owners. Rules on this have changed recently, so check the exact rate on the UP stamp and registration portal or with the sub-registrar before you budget. Some secondary sources also mention a cap on the registration fee. Others say it is uncapped, so check the calculator.
Timing matters. The Noida Authority introduced a rule in November 2024 requiring registration of sale agreements at purchase. In April 2025 the Greater Noida Authority required a registered agreement to sell once 10% of the price is paid. For new flats under these rules, stamp duty falls due at that early stage and not at possession. A separate possession deed on ₹100 stamp paper follows at handover. Ask your builder which authority’s rule applies to your project.
Worked example: a 3 BHK in a Noida-region project
This is an illustration, not a quote. It assumes a 1,200 sq ft super-area flat on the 13th floor, park-facing, bought under construction by a male buyer. The base rate is ₹7,500 per sq ft. Other charges use the indicative figures above. GST is taken at 5% on base price, floor rise and PLC only. Stamp duty and registration are taken on the same amount, assuming the circle rate is lower.
| Line | Working | Amount (₹) |
|---|---|---|
| Base price | 1,200 × 7,500 | 90,00,000 |
| Floor rise | ₹25 × 8 floors × 1,200 | 2,40,000 |
| PLC (park-facing) | ₹150 × 1,200 | 1,80,000 |
| Sub-total | 94,20,000 | |
| GST at 5% | 5% of 94,20,000 | 4,71,000 |
| One-time lease rent | ₹95 × 1,200 | 1,14,000 |
| Covered parking | 1 bay | 3,00,000 |
| Club membership | One time | 1,50,000 |
| Power backup | 3 kVA × ₹25,000 | 75,000 |
| IFMS | ₹50 × 1,200 | 60,000 |
| Stamp duty at 7% | On 94,20,000 | 6,59,400 |
| Registration at 1% | On 94,20,000 | 94,200 |
| Legal and documentation | Allowance | 30,000 |
| All-in total | 1,13,73,600 |
That is about ₹23.7 lakh above the ₹90 lakh base price, or roughly 26%. Published guides give a wide spread here. One puts extras at 20–27% above base for under-construction flats in Noida and Greater Noida. Another says 10–25%, with ready homes at the lower end.
This total still leaves out several costs:
- Advance maintenance, which builders or RWAs often collect for one to two years.
- Electricity and dual meter connections.
- Home loan processing fees.
- Interiors.
Ready-to-move vs under construction
A ready flat with an OC or CC carries no GST. In the example above, that removes the ₹4.71 lakh and brings the total to about ₹1.09 crore. The price per sq ft, floor rise, PLC and stamp duty rules still apply. The builder’s rate for a ready unit is often higher than for an under-construction one, so compare the all-in totals and not only the base rates.
A checklist before you pay the booking amount
- Ask for a complete cost sheet listing every charge, with the area basis stated.
- Get PLC and floor rise as separate lines, with the rate and floor logic.
- Check which items attract GST, and ask for a written GST working.
- Confirm whether EDC, IDC, lease rent and electrification are included in the base price.
- Check IFMS terms: refundability, where it is held, and any overlap with advance maintenance.
- Confirm when stamp duty is due and which value it is calculated on.
- Check the RERA registration of the project and the payment plan against the agreement.
You can compare cost structures across projects on the ADiHomes projects page, where you can filter by city and builder. To see what is currently launching, browse new projects in Noida, new projects in Greater Noida West and new projects in Greater Noida. Then request the full cost sheet for any shortlisted project and run it through the table above.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Confirm current rates with the builder, the UP stamp and registration department and a qualified adviser before you commit.
Frequently asked questions
What are the hidden charges when buying a flat in Noida?
Beyond the base price, typical extras are floor rise, PLC, IFMS, club membership, parking, power backup, lease rent, GST, stamp duty and registration. Ask for an itemised cost sheet before paying the booking amount, as builder-set charges differ by project.
What is IFMS and is it refundable?
IFMS (interest-free maintenance security) is a one-time deposit held as a reserve for maintaining common areas. Refundability depends on your agreement. Typically the balance passes to the RWA, so check the clause before you sign.
Is GST charged on a ready-to-move flat?
No. GST applies only to flats bought before the occupancy or completion certificate is issued. Under-construction flats attract 5%, or 1% if they qualify as affordable housing, both without input tax credit.
What is the stamp duty on a flat in Noida and Greater Noida in 2026?
It is 7% for men and 6% for women (property up to ₹1 crore), plus a 1% registration fee, charged on the higher of agreement value or circle rate. Joint-ownership treatment is reported differently by different sources, so confirm with the sub-registrar.
Do I pay stamp duty at booking or at possession?
For new flats under the Noida Authority and Greater Noida Authority rules, a registered agreement to sell is required once 10% of the price is paid. Stamp duty falls due then, with a separate possession deed at handover. Confirm which rule applies to your project.
Can PLC and floor rise charges be negotiated?
They are set by the developer, not the government, so they are open to discussion. Guides suggest negotiating is easier during pre-launch or early launch phases.
Do transfer memorandum (TM) charges apply when buying from a builder?
No. TM charges are paid to the Authority on resale flats and do not apply to new flats bought directly from a builder. On resale they range from 2.5% to 50% of the original allotment price, depending on the allotment year.
Sources
- Stamp Duty and Registration Charges in Greater Noida 2026 – Square Yards
- Stamp Duty & Registration Charges in Noida & Greater Noida in 2026 – Sobha
- Property Registration in Noida & Greater Noida 2026 – Sobha
- Uttar Pradesh Stamp Duty Calculator 2026–27 – RealCostIQ
- Homebuyers alert: Stamp duty now required at flat booking in Greater Noida – Business Today
- GST on Flats: Exemption on Ready-to-Move & Affordable Housing – Angel One
- GST on Under-Construction Property: Rates & Calculation 2026 – HomeFirst
- UP Rera directs real estate developers to sell units on carpet area basis – Business Standard
- RERA Carpet Area, Built-Up Area, and Super Built-Up Area Explained – Leasewarehouse
- IFMS in Real Estate: Meaning, Charges & Full Form Explained – BeyondWalls
- What is IFMS in Real Estate and IFMS full form – Realty Hunting
- Every Hidden Charges When Buying a Flat in Noida 2026 – Express Builders
- Total Cost of Buying a Flat in Noida & Ghaziabad (2026) – Prateek Group
- Hidden Charges While Buying a Flat in Greater Noida West – Ambr Homes
- What Is Preferential Location Charge (PLC) and Can You Negotiate It Down? – TogetherBuying
Updated 20 October 2026. This article is general information, not legal or financial advice; check current rules and project details before you decide.
