# How Do I Stamp a Tenancy Agreement Online in Malaysia? (Landlord Guide, 2026)<\/p>\n
**SPEEDHOME Editorial Team \u00b7 Last updated May 2026 \u00b7 Based on SPEEDHOME platform experience and current Malaysian rental law.**<\/p>\n
Stamping feels like an agent job \u2014 but it is really a cheap government step you do yourself. Do three things to stamp a tenancy agreement online in Malaysia: calculate the stamp duty on your annual rent, log in to LHDN’s e-Duti Setem (MyTax) portal and submit the signed agreement, then pay and download the stamp certificate. Sign first, stamp last \u2014 and do not wait, because stamping late attracts a penalty. Stamp duty is not the agent’s fee and not the deposit; it is a small government tax on the signed document, set by a fixed formula. For a normal residential unit it runs to tens of ringgit, not hundreds. SPEEDHOME runs a widely used stamp-duty calculator, so we see exactly what this document really costs \u2014 and why so many landlords overpay.<\/p>\n
> **The one-line answer:** To stamp a tenancy agreement online in Malaysia, register at LHDN’s e-Duti Setem (MyTax) portal, enter the agreement details, self-assess the duty on your annual rent, pay online by FPX, and download the stamp certificate. Sign first, stamp after. The only real cost is the stamp duty \u2014 not a month’s rent.<\/p>\n
## What is stamping, and why does it matter?<\/p>\n
**Stamping is the process of paying a small government tax on your signed tenancy agreement so the document can be used as evidence in court**. Without it, your agreement still exists \u2014 it still describes the deal between you and your tenant \u2014 but it becomes weak exactly when you most need to rely on it.<\/p>\n
That is the core reason to stamp early. When a tenant stops paying, or you need to recover the unit, the stamped document is the one that stands up. Stamp duty is not the agent’s fee, not the deposit, and not a “service charge” \u2014 it is a separate amount that goes to the government, assessed and collected by the Inland Revenue Board (LHDN).<\/p>\n
> **SPEEDHOME operator reality:** Across the stamp-duty calculations landlords run on our platform, the pattern is clear \u2014 the document is cheap, the markup is optional. A landlord who self-assesses and pays directly through LHDN, by the formula, keeps the month of rent an agent commission would have taken.<\/p>\n
## What do I need before stamping online?<\/p>\n
Before you open the e-Duti Setem portal, get these ready so the process runs smoothly:<\/p>\n
1. **A completed, signed tenancy agreement.** Both sides \u2014 landlord and tenant \u2014 sign first. Stamping is the last step, not the first.
\n2. **Your annual rent figure.** The system assesses duty on a full year’s rent, so know your monthly rent times twelve.
\n3. **The lease term.** Usually one or two years \u2014 the duty rate can differ by term.
\n4. **Both parties’ details.** Full name, IC (“identity card” \u2014 the MyKad every Malaysian carries; tenants who are foreigners use a passport number), and the unit address.
\n5. **An e-Duti Setem (MyTax) account with LHDN.** Register one on the portal if you do not have it yet.
\n6. **A payment method.** Online banking (FPX) to pay the assessed duty.<\/p>\n
> **The checklist in one line:** What you genuinely need is three things \u2014 a tenancy agreement signed by both sides, the annual rent figure to assess the duty, and an e-Duti Setem account to pay. With those three ready, stamping online takes a few minutes.<\/p>\n
## How do I calculate stamp duty on a tenancy agreement?<\/p>\n
**Stamp duty is set by a fixed formula on your annual rent \u2014 not by anyone’s mood.** Under the Stamp Act 1949 (First Schedule), the duty is RM1 per RM250 of the full annual rent for a lease up to one year, plus RM10 per extra copy. (Following the Finance Act 2024, the old RM2,400 annual-rent exemption was removed from 1 January 2026, so duty now applies to the full annual rent.) The rate steps up for longer terms \u2014 RM3, RM5, or RM7 per RM250 for leases of one-to-three, three-to-five, and over five years. Stamp within 30 days of signing to avoid a late penalty.<\/p>\n
Here is a worked example by monthly rent for a one-year lease.<\/p>\n
| Monthly rent | Annual rent | Lease term | Approx. stamp duty |
\n|—|—|—|—|
\n| RM1,000 | RM12,000 | 1 year | RM48 |
\n| RM1,500 | RM18,000 | 1 year | RM72 |
\n| RM2,000 | RM24,000 | 1 year | RM96 |
\n| RM3,000 | RM36,000 | 1 year | RM144 |<\/p>\n
*Figures for a one-year lease. Duty is RM1 per RM250 of the full annual rent, plus RM10 per extra stamped copy. A longer lease term steps the rate up, so check your exact term when you self-assess on e-Duti Setem.*<\/p>\n
Once you know that number, you can see the gap. If someone quotes “RM1,500 for the agreement and stamping” on a RM1,500 unit, you are being charged a month of rent for a government tax that is really tens of ringgit plus some paperwork.<\/p>\n
## The steps to stamp a tenancy agreement online (LHDN e-Duti Setem)<\/p>\n
Stamping online is more approachable than most landlords expect. You self-assess the duty on the agreement and pay LHDN through the e-Duti Setem (MyTax) portal, then download the certificate. In plain steps:<\/p>\n
1. **Sign first.** Both sides sign the completed agreement. Stamping is the last step.
\n2. **Log in to e-Duti Setem (MyTax).** Register or log in to the LHDN portal.
\n3. **Enter the agreement details.** Fill in the parties, unit address, monthly rent, and lease term.
\n4. **Self-assess the duty.** The duty is worked out on the annual rent by the formula, plus a small fee per copy.
\n5. **Pay the assessed duty** online by FPX \u2014 for a normal residential unit, the tens-of-ringgit figure, not hundreds.
\n6. **Download the stamp certificate.** Each copy carries the official mark that makes it admissible as evidence in court.
\n7. **Do it promptly.** Stamping late attracts a penalty.<\/p>\n
Prefer not to handle the submission yourself? This is the part a platform automates \u2014 you sign, and the stamping is arranged for you, without an agent’s full month’s commission.<\/p>\n
## The “coffee-shop advice” you’ll hear \u2014 and what’s actually true<\/p>\n
Here is the folk wisdom landlords repeat to each other. We’ll name the advice first, then say what is actually true.<\/p>\n
**”You don’t need to stamp \u2014 the agreement is still valid.”**
\nThis is the line you’ll most often hear in landlord groups or from a friend \u2014 the agreement is valid once both sides sign, so why waste money. Half true, and dangerous. An unstamped agreement does still describe your deal, but **it cannot be used as evidence in court until it is stamped \u2014 and a late stamp comes with a penalty**. Meaning: the moment you actually need it (chasing rent, recovering the unit), an unstamped document turns weak and works against you. Stamp early; the formula above shows how cheap that is.<\/p>\n
**”Wait until there’s a problem, then stamp.”**
\nWrong, and expensive. A late stamp carries a penalty, and the moment you most need a stamped document \u2014 once a dispute has already started \u2014 is the worst possible time to be sorting out stamping. Stamp right after signing.<\/p>\n
**”The agent has to stamp it \u2014 I can’t do it myself.”**
\nFalse. No Malaysian law says a landlord must use an agent to stamp a tenancy agreement. You can stamp it yourself online through LHDN’s e-Duti Setem portal, or a platform that handles it without a full month’s commission.<\/p>\n
> **What this means for your wallet:** The only number you *must* pay is stamp duty, set by formula. Everything else \u2014 listing help, drafting, commission \u2014 is negotiable or skippable. An unstamped agreement looks like a saving, but it is weak as evidence. Stamping early is the cheapest protection you can buy.<\/p>\n
## Common mistakes when stamping a tenancy agreement<\/p>\n
Landlords trip on the same things. Avoid these:<\/p>\n
– **Stamping late.** The penalty is avoidable if you stamp right after signing.
\n– **Getting the annual rent wrong.** Duty is assessed on a year’s rent, not a month’s \u2014 multiply correctly before you assess.
\n– **Forgetting to stamp each copy.** Every copy you intend to rely on needs the stamp mark; there is a small fee per copy.
\n– **Signing after stamping.** Wrong order. Sign first, stamp after.
\n– **Paying an inflated “stamping fee.”** If the “stamping” portion of an agent’s quote is many times the formula amount, that is a markup dressed up as a tax. Ask for commission and stamp duty as two separate lines.<\/p>\n
> **The most expensive mistake:** Stamping late and miscalculating the annual rent \u2014 both avoidable. Stamp duty is assessed on a *full year’s* rent by a fixed formula, and stamping is done *promptly* after signing to avoid the penalty. Get those two right, and online stamping is easy.<\/p>\n
## Why is an unstamped tenancy agreement weak evidence?<\/p>\n
**An unstamped tenancy agreement cannot be used as evidence in court until it is stamped, and stamping it late carries a penalty**. It may still describe your deal on paper, but a document you cannot put in front of a judge is not much help the day you need to enforce it.<\/p>\n
Think about when you actually reach for the agreement: a tenant has stopped paying, or refuses to leave, or disputes the deposit. That is precisely the moment an unstamped document fails you \u2014 you would first have to stamp it late, pay the penalty, and only then rely on it. Stamping early, by the cheap formula figure, removes that whole problem before it starts.<\/p>\n
## Online (e-Duti Setem) vs over-the-counter at LHDN \u2014 which one?<\/p>\n
**For most landlords, stamping online through e-Duti Setem (MyTax) is the fastest and cheapest route \u2014 `no queue at a counter.** You do it from home, self-assess, pay by FPX, and get the stamp certificate in minutes. The counter route still exists, but it takes longer and means going to an LHDN office yourself.<\/p>\n
The difference is easy to understand. Online stamping suits a normal residential tenancy \u2014 a standard unit, a normal term, a screened tenant. You enter the details, the system assesses the duty, you pay and download. There is no reason to queue for a document you can handle online.<\/p>\n
When is the counter still useful? If your agreement is unusual \u2014 a high-value property, commercial use, a complicated clause, or you need extra verification \u2014 some landlords choose to handle it at the counter or through a lawyer. But for everyday lets, online wins on time and cost.<\/p>\n
> **Which to choose:** For a normal residential let, stamping online through LHDN’s e-Duti Setem (MyTax) is the fastest path \u2014 enter the details, self-assess, pay by FPX, download the certificate. Keep the counter for unusual or high-value agreements. Either way, the duty paid is the same \u2014 set by a fixed formula on the annual rent.<\/p>\n
## When the tenant renews \u2014 do I re-stamp?<\/p>\n
Renewals are where landlords most often overpay. When a good tenant stays on, you do not start from zero. If nothing material changes \u2014 same rent, deposit, and parties \u2014 extend with a short renewal addendum: a one- or two-page document that states the new term and confirms the original agreement otherwise continues unchanged.<\/p>\n
You do still need to **stamp the new term**, using the same formula on the new annual rent. So the only unavoidable cost of a same-terms renewal is, again, the stamp duty \u2014 a few tens of ringgit, not a month’s rent. If the rent changes, run the new figure through the formula. If the parties or property change, use a fresh agreement. Either way, re-stamp the new term so your document stays strong as evidence.<\/p>\n
## How to do it yourself on SPEEDHOME \u2014 step by step<\/p>\n
You do not have to assemble this from scratch. The flow is short:<\/p>\n
1. **List the unit.** Put your property up and let it get seen: [https:\/\/speedhome.com\/post-rent\/property-address](https:\/\/speedhome.com\/post-rent\/property-address).
\n2. **Screen and pick your tenant.** Review applicants and choose with confidence.
\n3. **Generate the tenancy agreement** from a proper template covering rent, deposit, term, and house rules.
\n4. **Sign and stamp \u2014 without agent commission.** SPEEDSIGN lets both sides sign and gets the agreement stamped, so it is enforceable, with no full month’s fee to an agent.
\n5. **Keep the stamped copy** \u2014 your protection if anything goes wrong later.<\/p>\n
Want the full picture of what each plan costs before you start? Compare the options here: [https:\/\/speedhome.com\/blog\/speedhome-landlord-plans\/](https:\/\/speedhome.com\/blog\/speedhome-landlord-plans\/).<\/p>\n
**Skip the agent commission \u2014 list + sign + stamp on SPEEDHOME.** [https:\/\/speedhome.com\/post-rent\/property-address](https:\/\/speedhome.com\/post-rent\/property-address)<\/p>\n
## Frequently asked questions<\/p>\n
**How do I stamp a tenancy agreement online in Malaysia?**
\nRegister or log in to LHDN’s e-Duti Setem (MyTax) portal, enter the agreement and annual rent details, self-assess the duty by formula, pay online by FPX, and download the stamp certificate. Sign first, stamp after. For a normal unit, the cost is tens of ringgit only.<\/p>\n
**Is an unstamped tenancy agreement still valid in Malaysia?**
\nIt still describes your deal, but it cannot be used as evidence in court until it is stamped, and stamping it late carries a penalty. The moment you need to enforce the agreement \u2014 chasing rent or recovering the unit \u2014 an unstamped one works against you. Stamp early; it is cheap.<\/p>\n
**How much is stamp duty on a tenancy agreement?**
\nIt is a small government tax set by formula \u2014 RM1 per RM250 of the full annual rent for a one-year lease, plus RM10 per extra copy. For a normal residential unit, it runs to tens of ringgit a year, not hundreds. You self-assess and pay it on LHDN’s e-Duti Setem (MyTax) portal.<\/p>\n
**Can I stamp the tenancy agreement myself without an agent?**
\nYes. Sign the agreement first, log in to LHDN’s e-Duti Setem (MyTax) portal, enter the details, self-assess and pay the duty online, and download the stamp certificate. No law requires an agent; [agent vs. DIY tenancy agreement guide](\/blog\/do-i-need-agent-tenancy-agreement-malaysia\/). The duty is the tens-of-ringgit figure from the formula, not hundreds.<\/p>\n
**When is the best time to stamp a tenancy agreement?**
\nRight after both sides sign. Stamping late attracts a penalty, and the moment you most need a stamped document \u2014 once a dispute has started \u2014 is the worst time to be arranging it. Sign, then stamp straight away.<\/p>\n
**Do I need to stamp every copy of the agreement?**
\nYes. Every copy you intend to rely on needs the official stamp mark, and there is a small fee per copy on top of the main duty. Keep at least one stamped copy safe \u2014 that is your protection if anything goes wrong.<\/p>\n
*This article is general information, not legal advice, based on SPEEDHOME’s platform experience and current Malaysian rental practice; stamp-duty rates can change, so confirm the current rate with LHDN ([tax-deductible for landlords](\/blog\/malaysian-landlord-tax-deductions-guide\/)) and, for unusual or high-value tenancies, get tailored advice before you sign. SPEEDHOME and SPEEDSIGN are services to help landlords list, maintain, and protect their rentals.*<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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