How is brokerage calculated in options trading?

Most brokers charge options brokerage as a flat fee per executed order, commonly somewhere in the ₹20 or lower range per order, rather than as a percentage of the premium or contract value, which is different from how equity delivery brokerage often works. This flat-fee structure means the brokerage cost is the same whether you’re trading 1 lot or 10 lots in a single order, but if you place multiple separate orders (say, entering and adjusting a position across several transactions) each order attracts its own brokerage charge. On top of brokerage, options trades carry STT (calculated on the premium value, not the full contract value, for most transactions), exchange transaction charges, GST, and SEBI turnover fees, all of which layer on top of the flat brokerage. You calculate total cost per trade using the broker’s calculator rather than assuming brokerage alone represents your full cost, since for options, especially on low-premium, far out-of-the-money contracts, the statutory charges can be a disproportionately large share of the total.