F&O brokerage and charges per lot (2026)
What it really costs to trade one lot of Nifty or Bank Nifty futures and options in 2026, after the April STT increase, with full worked examples.
Lot sizes in 2026
Index derivatives trade in fixed lots. NSE revised lot sizes for contracts expiring from January 2026:
| Index | Lot size |
|---|---|
| Nifty 50 | 65 |
| Bank Nifty | 30 |
| Fin Nifty | 60 |
| Midcap Nifty | 120 |
| Sensex (BSE) | 20 |
Lot sizes are reviewed periodically, so confirm the current size on the exchange or your broker’s order window.
F&O charges and rates
| Charge | Futures | Options |
|---|---|---|
| Brokerage (discount) | ₹20 or 0.03% per order | ₹20 per order |
| STT (from 1 Apr 2026) | 0.05% of sell value | 0.15% of premium sold |
| NSE transaction | 0.00183% | 0.03553% of premium |
| SEBI fee | ₹10 per crore | ₹10 per crore |
| Stamp duty (buy) | 0.002% | 0.003% |
| GST | 18% on brokerage + exchange + SEBI | |
Futures: worked example
Buy one Nifty futures lot (65 units) at 25,000 and sell at 25,100. Turnover is ₹32,56,500 and gross profit ₹6,500.
| Brokerage | ₹40.00 |
| STT 0.05% × ₹16,31,500 | ₹815.75 |
| Exchange 0.00183% | ₹59.59 |
| SEBI fee | ₹3.26 |
| Stamp duty 0.002% × ₹16,25,000 | ₹32.50 |
| GST | ₹18.51 |
| Total | ₹969.61 |
Net profit is ₹5,530.39, and the index must move about 15 points just to cover charges. With the old 0.02% STT the same trade cost about ₹480, so the 2026 STT increase roughly doubled futures costs. One Bank Nifty lot (30) bought at 55,000 and sold at 55,200 costs about ₹983 in charges.
Options: worked example
Buy one Nifty options lot (65) at a premium of ₹150 and sell at ₹180. Premium turnover is ₹21,450.
| Brokerage | ₹40.00 |
| STT 0.15% × ₹11,700 | ₹17.55 |
| Exchange 0.03553% | ₹7.62 |
| SEBI fee | ₹0.02 |
| Stamp duty | ₹0.29 |
| GST | ₹8.58 |
| Total | ₹74.06 |
For option buyers, brokerage is the largest cost. Exiting at the same premium still loses about ₹70, so the premium must rise by about ₹1.08 per unit to break even.
How much money do you need for one lot?
- Buying an option: the premium × lot size, plus charges. One Nifty lot at ₹150 needs ₹9,750 plus about ₹30 of buy-side charges.
- Futures or selling options: margin set by the exchange (SPAN plus exposure), often in the range of 10–15% of the contract value for index futures but changing with volatility. Check your broker’s margin calculator; the margin calculator shows the leverage involved.
Expiry and exercise
In-the-money options held to expiry are exercised automatically and STT is charged at 0.15% of the intrinsic value. Some brokers also charge brokerage on exercise and assignment. Out-of-the-money options expire worthless with no STT on the sale, but you lose the premium paid. See STT explained for details.
Sources: NSE and BSE transaction charge circulars, the Finance Act 2026 (STT), SEBI fee schedule, the Indian Stamp Act as amended in 2020, and the published rate cards of Zerodha, Groww, Upstox and Angel One, checked in October 2026.
Frequently asked questions
What are F&O brokerage charges?
Most discount brokers charge ₹20 per executed order for options and ₹20 or 0.03% (whichever is lower) for futures, plus 18% GST. Statutory charges such as STT, exchange fees and stamp duty are added on top.
What is the Nifty lot size in 2026?
The Nifty 50 lot size is 65 for contracts expiring from January 2026. Bank Nifty is 30, Fin Nifty 60 and Midcap Nifty 120.
How much does it cost to trade one Nifty futures lot?
At 25,000 with a 100-point move, total charges are about ₹970, mostly STT at 0.05% of the sell value.
How much are charges on one Nifty options lot?
For a lot bought at ₹150 and sold at ₹180, total charges are about ₹74, of which ₹40 is brokerage.
Why did F&O charges go up in 2026?
The Finance Act 2026 raised STT on futures from 0.02% to 0.05% and on options sold from 0.1% to 0.15% of premium, effective 1 April 2026.
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Written and maintained by Mantu Kumar
Mantu builds TradeProfy’s calculators and checks every statutory rate against exchange circulars, broker rate cards and the Finance Act. He is not a SEBI-registered adviser, so TradeProfy explains costs and maths but never tells you what to trade.
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