Area & Measurement
What is RERA Carpet Area?
The one area figure that has legal force in India — and the one detail about it that almost every buyer gets wrong.
The short answer
RERA carpet area is the net usable floor area of your flat, as defined in Section 2(k) of the RERA Act, 2016. It excludes external walls, service shafts, exclusive balconies and open terraces — but it includes the internal partition walls between your rooms.
That last inclusion is what separates it from the everyday meaning of "carpet area". It is also the figure a builder is legally obliged to state in your agreement for sale.
The legal definition
Section 2(k) of the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 defines carpet area as the net usable floor area of an apartment, excluding:
- the area covered by the external walls
- areas under services shafts
- exclusive balcony or verandah area
- exclusive open terrace area
— but including the area covered by the internal partition walls of the apartment.
Every word of that matters, because it is the definition a court will use.
Why it differs from plain "carpet area"
The everyday meaning of carpet area is literal: the floor you could lay a carpet across. You cannot lay a carpet on a wall, so the everyday meaning excludes every wall.
RERA's definition includes internal walls. So the two numbers are genuinely different — and RERA's is the larger, usually by 3% to 5%.
If your agreement says RERA carpet area: 850 sq ft, the floor you can actually furnish is a little under 850 — the internal walls are counted in that number but you can't put a sofa on them.
It isn't a scandal, and it isn't a trick. But plan your furniture against roughly 810–825, not 850.
What's in, what's out
| Space | In RERA carpet area? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Bedrooms, living, dining | Included | Net usable floor space — the core of the definition |
| Kitchen | Included | Usable floor space inside the apartment |
| Bathrooms & toilets | Included | Usable floor space inside the apartment |
| Internal partition walls | Included | Explicitly included by Section 2(k) |
| Internal store / utility | Included | Enclosed usable area within the unit |
| External walls | Excluded | Structural envelope, not usable space |
| Balcony / verandah (exclusive) | Excluded | Named exclusion in Section 2(k) |
| Open terrace (exclusive) | Excluded | Named exclusion in Section 2(k) |
| Service & plumbing shafts | Excluded | Named exclusion in Section 2(k) |
| Lift lobby, staircase, corridor | Excluded | Common area, shared with the building |
| Clubhouse, gym, pool | Excluded | Common amenity, shared with the project |
Balconies are excluded here but are usually disclosed as a separate line in the agreement. Read that line separately — a large balcony has real value even though it doesn't count toward carpet area.
How it compares to the other area figures
| Term | What it measures | Internal walls | External walls | Balcony | Common areas | Typical size* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpet area (literal) | Floor you can lay a carpet on | No | No | No | No | ~810 sq ft |
| RERA carpet area (the legal one) | Net usable floor area per Section 2(k) | Yes | No | No | No | ~840 sq ft |
| Built-up area | Carpet + all walls + balcony | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | ~1,010 sq ft |
| Super built-up area | Built-up + share of lobbies, lifts, stairs, clubhouse | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 1,200 sq ft |
| Saleable area | The number the builder prices against. Usually identical to super built-up. | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 1,200 sq ft |
*On a flat advertised as 1,200 sq ft at a typical 30% loading factor. Actual figures vary by project and must be taken from the RERA-registered agreement, never from a brochure.
Why RERA created this definition
Before 2017, "carpet area" meant whatever a builder wanted it to mean. One project measured it one way, the project next door measured it another, and a buyer had no way to compare the two. Meanwhile flats were advertised on super built-up area — a figure that bundles your flat with a share of the lobby, the lifts and the clubhouse.
The result was predictable. A buyer paid for 1,200 sq ft and took possession of a home that felt like 850. Nothing illegal had happened; the number was simply measuring something other than the thing they cared about.
RERA fixed this by doing two unglamorous things: it wrote one definition into law, and it made disclosure mandatory.
RERA did not ban advertising or pricing on super built-up area. What it requires is that the carpet area is stated in the agreement for sale.
So the brochure rate and the real rate are still two different numbers. The difference is that now you can find out what the real one is.
How to verify the RERA carpet area
- Find the project's RERA registration number. It must appear on all advertising — that is also the law.
- Look it up on your state's RERA portal. Karnataka: rera.karnataka.gov.in. Telangana: rera.telangana.gov.in. Maharashtra: maharera.mahaonline.gov.in.
- Open the approved floor plan and the declared unit schedule. The carpet area per unit type is filed there.
- Compare it against the agreement the builder gives you. They must match.
- Compare it against the brochure. They usually won't — and that gap is the loading factor.
RERA gives you a remedy. If the carpet area handed over is less than the figure in your agreement, you are entitled to a refund of the excess amount paid, with interest.
Raise it with the builder in writing first. If unresolved, file a complaint with your state RERA authority. A variance of 1–2% is normally within construction tolerance.
Frequently asked questions
Is RERA carpet area bigger or smaller than carpet area?
Bigger — usually by 3% to 5%. RERA carpet area includes the internal partition walls of the apartment. The everyday meaning of carpet area excludes all walls, because you cannot lay a carpet on a wall.
Is RERA carpet area the same as built-up area?
No, and the gap is large. Built-up area adds the external walls and the balcony on top of carpet area, so it typically runs 10–20% higher. Super built-up area then adds your share of the common areas on top of that.
Must the builder show RERA carpet area?
Yes. For any project requiring RERA registration, the carpet area must be disclosed in the agreement for sale. A builder may still advertise on super built-up area, but the carpet figure has to be in the paperwork. If it isn't, treat that as a serious warning sign.
Are balconies included in RERA carpet area?
No. An exclusive balcony, verandah or open terrace is specifically excluded by Section 2(k). It should be disclosed as a separate line item in the agreement.
Which states does the RERA definition apply in?
All of them. RERA is a central Act, so Section 2(k)'s definition of carpet area is uniform across India. What varies is how rigorously each state authority enforces disclosure — MahaRERA in Maharashtra is generally regarded as the most stringent.