IndiaWhat is carpet area vs super built-up area under RERA?
Under RERA, carpet area is the net usable floor area within walls (excluding external walls, balconies, and common areas), while super built-up area includes carpet area plus common areas like lobbies, lifts, and staircases — and builders must sell only on carpet area basis.
What the Law Says
The Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 (RERA) standardises property measurement to protect homebuyers from misleading area claims.
Carpet area is defined as 'the net usable floor area of an apartment, excluding the area covered by the external walls, areas under service shafts, exclusive balcony or verandah area and exclusive open terrace area, but including the area covered by the internal partition walls of the apartment'.
Super built-up area is not defined in RERA — it is a developer-created metric that adds common areas (lifts, lobbies, staircases, etc.) to built-up area. RERA prohibits its use for pricing or sale.
Section 2(k) of RERA defines carpet area, and Section 12 mandates that all advertisements, prospectuses, and sale agreements must specify carpet area — not super built-up or built-up area.
Statutory Textcarpet area means the net usable floor area of an apartment, excluding the area covered by the external walls, areas under service shafts, exclusive balcony or verandah area and exclusive open terrace area, but including the area covered by the internal partition walls of the apartment
— Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016, s. 2(k) — Definition of carpet area
Statutory Textevery advertisement or prospectus issued by a promoter shall contain the carpet area of the apartment… and shall not contain any false statement
— Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016, s. 12 — Obligation of promoter
What Courts Have Said
Courts have consistently upheld RERA’s carpet-area mandate and penalised developers for misrepresenting area metrics.
Held that RERA’s carpet-area rule is mandatory and overrides inconsistent state rules; super built-up area cannot form basis of sale or agreement.
Directed refund with interest where builder charged based on super built-up area despite RERA mandate; termed it 'unfair trade practice'.
What to Do
As a buyer, verify carpet area before booking and ensure it appears in all documents.
Check the project's RERA registration number and verify carpet area on the respective State RERA portal.
Ensure the sale agreement, brochure, and all advertisements quote only carpet area — reject any document quoting super built-up or built-up area for pricing.
If misled, file a complaint with the State RERA Authority within 2 years — no court fee required.
Demand refund + interest + compensation if builder misrepresented area (Section 18 & 71 of RERA).
Sources
Not legal advice. This article is general information based on publicly available sources, written for educational purposes. Laws change and individual situations vary. Consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction before acting on anything you read here. Last reviewed: 2026-06-08.