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eSign Your Commercial Lease Agreement Online

Close office, retail, and warehouse leases faster with Aadhaar OTP. Legally valid under Section 3A of the IT Act 2000. ₹15 per signature.

Powered by eMudhra · CCA-licensedIT Act 2000 CompliantMade in India 🇮🇳
By Vikram Reddy, Real Estate Legal Advisor·Last updated April 2026
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What is Commercial Lease Agreement?

A commercial lease agreement is the contract between the owner of a non-residential property and a business that rents the space. It governs office leases, retail stores, warehouses, showrooms, co-working facilities, and restaurant spaces. Commercial leases differ significantly from residential leave and license agreements because they usually involve higher rent values, longer terms, fit-out investments, escalation clauses, and complex cost arrangements like CAM (common area maintenance) charges.

Because a commercial lease is a purely commercial contract and does not transfer any interest in immovable property (the tenant only gets a right to use the space for business), it is fully eligible for Aadhaar eSign under Section 3A of the IT Act, 2000. Businesses renting office space in Mumbai, Bangalore, Gurgaon, or Hyderabad can now close leases without flying signatories between cities or couriering stamped documents back and forth.

The critical things to get right in a commercial lease are the lock-in period, escalation clause, CAM and maintenance charges, permitted use of the premises, fit-out and alterations approval, exit conditions, and dispute resolution. Stamp duty rates for commercial leases are typically higher than residential and vary substantially by state. Maharashtra and Karnataka are on the higher side. The eSign covers the signatures, but the stamp duty still needs to be paid through an e-stamp or physical stamp paper.

Sign your commercial lease agreement in 3 simple steps

No printing. No scanning. Just drop your PDF and sign.

1

Upload the stamped lease PDF

Draft the lease on the appropriate stamp paper for your state, save as a PDF, and upload to SignSetu.

2

Add both parties as signers

Enter the landlord and authorized tenant representative by name and email.

3

Both parties sign with Aadhaar OTP

Each signer verifies with Aadhaar OTP independently. The final signed PDF is delivered to both sides.

Who uses SignSetu for commercial lease agreements?

Real scenarios where Aadhaar eSign saves days of coordination.

Startups and growing businesses

Close your office lease faster without scheduling in-person signing meetings. All signatories sign from their own location.

Retail brands

Sign leases for new store locations across cities without travel. Roll out multiple outlets quickly with the same process.

Commercial landlords and developers

Close tenancies faster and reduce the paperwork burden on your leasing team. Handle multiple properties from one dashboard.

Warehouses and logistics operators

Execute long-term warehouse leases for distribution hubs across states without flying in signatories.

Essential clauses in a commercial lease agreement

Make sure your commercial lease agreement includes these clauses before you sign.

  • Full legal names and addresses of the landlord and the business tenant
  • Detailed description and carpet area of the commercial premises
  • Permitted use of the premises (office, retail, warehouse, etc.)
  • Lease term, commencement date, and lock-in period
  • Monthly rent, escalation clause, and payment schedule
  • Security deposit amount and refund conditions
  • CAM and maintenance charges responsibility
  • Fit-out approval, alterations, and handover condition
  • Termination, exit, and dispute resolution clauses

Common mistakes to avoid

Skipping the lock-in period, leaving the landlord without protection against early exit by the tenant
Unclear escalation clause that later causes disputes during renewal
Not specifying who pays CAM, property tax, and utility charges
Missing the permitted use clause, allowing the tenant to conduct activities the landlord never agreed to
Not budgeting for stamp duty and state registration when the lease exceeds 11 months
Copying a residential template for a commercial lease, missing key commercial clauses entirely

Legal validity of an eSigned commercial lease agreement

Commercial lease agreements are eligible for Aadhaar eSign under Section 3A of the IT Act, 2000, because the lease grants only a right to occupy and use the premises for business, not a conveyance of ownership. The Schedule I exclusions of the IT Act apply to sale deeds, gift deeds, and wills, not to leases of commercial space. Commercial leases are primarily governed by the Indian Contract Act, 1872 and, for the property interest aspects, the Transfer of Property Act, 1882. Stamp duty on commercial leases varies significantly by state. Maharashtra charges roughly 0.25% of the total rent and deposit for terms up to 60 months, rising for longer terms. Karnataka charges around 0.5% along with registration fees. Delhi uses a slab that scales with annual rent. For leases exceeding 11 or 12 months (depending on state), registration at the Sub-Registrar is mandatory under the Registration Act, 1908 and this remains a physical process that eSign does not replace. Most commercial leases in practice either run for 11 months with renewal, or are registered after eSigning through a Sub-Registrar visit. The eSigned PDF is valid evidence under Section 65B of the Indian Evidence Act.

Reference: Section 3A IT Act 2000 + Transfer of Property Act 1882

Powered by eMudhra

Every signature is processed via eMudhra, a CCA-licensed eSign Service Provider (ESP) authorized under the IT Act, 2000.

Important note

Commercial leases longer than 11 or 12 months typically require physical registration at the Sub-Registrar under the Registration Act 1908. Stamp duty rates vary by state and must be paid separately through e-stamp or physical stamp paper.

Transparent, pay-as-you-go pricing

₹15/signature

Pay only for what you sign. No subscription. No minimums.

Landlord + tenant = ₹30 total

See full pricing details

Frequently asked questions

Everything about eSigning your commercial lease agreement in India.

Can a company sign a commercial lease via Aadhaar eSign?
Yes. A company signs through an authorized signatory whose name appears in a board resolution. The authorized signatory uses their personal Aadhaar to eSign on behalf of the company.
Do commercial leases need to be registered?
Leases longer than 11 or 12 months (depending on state) require registration under the Registration Act 1908. Registration is a physical Sub-Registrar visit that eSign does not replace. Many businesses keep the term at 11 months and renew to avoid this.
What is a typical lock-in period?
Commercial leases usually have a 12 to 36 month lock-in. During this period, neither party can terminate without paying the remaining lock-in rent. This protects both the landlord's occupancy and the tenant's fit-out investment.
How do CAM charges work?
Common Area Maintenance charges cover shared facilities like lobbies, lifts, parking, security, and housekeeping. They are usually charged separately from rent, billed monthly or quarterly, and can escalate over time.
Is stamp duty higher for commercial than residential leases?
Typically yes. States like Maharashtra and Karnataka charge noticeably more for commercial leases. Plan for this in your overall fit-out budget.
Can multiple directors sign on behalf of a company?
Yes. Add each director as a separate signer on SignSetu. Each signs independently with their own Aadhaar OTP.

Related document guides

Other documents you can eSign with Aadhaar on SignSetu.

Leave and License Agreement

Read guide

Shop Rental Agreement

Read guide

Service Agreement

Read guide

Board Resolution

Read guide

Ready to eSign your commercial lease agreement?

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