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Property Purchase & Registration

Buying a home or plot in India: check title and RERA registration, finance the purchase, pay stamp duty and 1% TDS, register the sale deed at the Sub-Registrar office and complete mutation in your name.

Curated by Raaya · Last reviewed Oct 2026

Steps

  1. Check the property and the seller (संपत्ति की जाँच करें)

    3 days

    Before paying anything, confirm that the seller actually owns the property and can sell it. Ask for copies of the title deeds going back as far as possible (lawyers usually check 30 years), the latest property tax receipt, the approved building plan and, for a completed building, the occupancy or completion certificate.

    For a new flat or plot in a project, check that the project is registered on your state's RERA website and read the registered carpet area, completion date and approvals. Get an encumbrance certificate from the Sub-Registrar office or the state registration portal to see whether the property is mortgaged or has other registered claims.

    Tip: Meet the owner in person and match their ID with the name on the title deed. Power-of-attorney sales carry extra risk.

    • Collect title deed chain and verify the seller named on it
    • Get an encumbrance certificate for at least 13 to 30 years
    • Check RERA registration of the project (new property)
    • Verify approved building plan and occupancy or completion certificate
    • Confirm property tax, electricity and society dues are paid
    • Check the land use and that there is no court case on the property
    Encumbrance Certificate (भार प्रमाणपत्र)Property tax receipt (संपत्ति कर रसीद)
    Attach my documents

  2. Get a lawyer to do a title search (वकील से टाइटल जाँच)

    3 days

    Hire an independent property lawyer, not one recommended by the seller or broker, to verify the documents and give a written title report. The lawyer checks the chain of ownership, searches registration and revenue records, looks for pending litigation and confirms that approvals match what was built.

    If you take a home loan, the bank also runs its own legal and technical check, which is useful but protects the bank, not you. Ask the lawyer to draft or review the agreement for sale and the sale deed, including payment schedule, possession date, penalties for delay and who pays which charges.

    Tip: Ask for the title report in writing before you pay the booking amount. A verbal all-clear gives you nothing to rely on later.

    Where
    Property lawyer / advocate · Bring copies of all title deeds, encumbrance certificate, tax receipts, approvals and the draft agreement. Ask for a written title search report.
    Encumbrance Certificate (भार प्रमाणपत्र)
    Attach my documents

  3. Arrange funds and the home loan (होम लोन और रकम का इंतज़ाम)

    5 days

    Work out the full cost, not just the agreed price: stamp duty (set by each state, often around 5 to 7 percent of the market or agreement value, with concessions for women in some states), registration fee (commonly about 1 percent, varies by state), lawyer fees, brokerage, society transfer charges and, for new flats, GST on under-construction property.

    For a home loan, apply to two or three lenders with your KYC, income proof, bank statements and the property papers. The lender issues a sanction letter after its legal and technical checks; read the interest rate type, processing fee and prepayment terms. Banks usually fund up to 75 to 90 percent of the property value depending on the loan size, so plan your down payment.

    Tip: Ask the lender for the Key Fact Statement. It shows the all-in annual cost and makes comparing loans easier.

    Aadhaar Card (आधार कार्ड)PAN Card (पैन कार्ड)
    Attach my documents

  4. Pay the advance and sign the agreement for sale (अग्रिम राशि और बिक्री अनुबंध)

    2 days

    Once the title is clear, sign an agreement for sale that records the price, payment schedule, possession date and what happens if either side backs out. In several states the agreement for sale must itself be stamped and registered; for RERA projects the builder cannot take more than 10 percent of the cost as advance without a registered agreement for sale.

    Pay only by bank transfer or cheque so every payment is traceable, and get a receipt for each one. Avoid cash: it is not traceable and large cash receipts for property are restricted under income tax law.

    Tip: Do not pay the booking amount to a broker's account. Pay the owner or builder directly and note the cheque or UTR number in the agreement.

  5. Pay stamp duty and registration fee (स्टांप शुल्क और पंजीकरण शुल्क)

    2 days

    Stamp duty and registration fees are state subjects, so the rate, method and portal depend on where the property is. Most states let you calculate and pay online through the state registration or IGR portal, or by e-stamp paper from Stock Holding Corporation of India (SHCIL) and authorised centres.

    Duty is usually charged on the higher of the agreement value and the government's guidance or ready-reckoner value for that area. Use the state calculator, pay online and print the challan or e-stamp certificate for registration day.

    Tip: Check the ready-reckoner value before you agree a price. If it is above your price, you pay duty on the higher figure and the seller may face extra capital gains tax.

  6. Deduct and deposit 1% TDS (1% टीडीएस जमा करें)

    2 days

    If the property price is Rs 50 lakh or more, the buyer must deduct TDS at 1 percent of the amount paid (or of the stamp duty value if higher) and deposit it with the government. Agricultural land is excluded. The seller's PAN is mandatory; without it a higher rate applies.

    For payments made on or after 1 April 2026, use Form 141 (Schedule B), which replaced Form 26QB under the Income-tax Act, 2025. On the e-Filing portal go to e-File, e-Pay Tax, and file Form 141. Pay the tax within 30 days from the end of the month in which you deducted it. Each buyer and each seller combination files separately if there are joint owners.

    Afterwards, download the TDS certificate from the TRACES portal and give it to the seller.

    Tip: Deduct TDS on each instalment you pay, including the advance. Missing the advance is a common mistake and attracts interest and late fees.

    PAN Card (पैन कार्ड)
    Attach my documents

  7. Register the sale deed at the Sub-Registrar (उप-पंजीयक कार्यालय में रजिस्ट्री)

    1 day

    Book a registration slot at the Sub-Registrar office that covers the property, usually through the state registration portal. On the day, the buyer, the seller and two witnesses must attend with original photo ID, PAN, photographs and the stamp duty and fee receipts.

    The Sub-Registrar checks the documents, takes photographs and thumb impressions or biometrics of the parties, and admits the deed for registration. Under the Registration Act, a document should be presented for registration within four months of signing. Pay the balance price to the seller at registration, by demand draft or bank transfer, as agreed.

    Tip: Read the final deed line by line before the appointment. Correcting a registered deed later needs a separate rectification deed and more stamp duty.

    Where
    Sub-Registrar Office · Buyer, seller (or their registered power-of-attorney holder) and two witnesses with original ID, PAN, photographs, stamp duty receipt, TDS challan and the printed sale deed. Photos and thumb impressions are taken at the counter.
    Aadhaar Card (आधार कार्ड)PAN Card (पैन कार्ड)Passport-size photographs (पासपोर्ट आकार फोटो)
    Attach my documents

  8. Collect the registered deed and take possession (रजिस्टर्ड डीड और कब्ज़ा लें)

    7 days

    Most offices return the scanned, registered sale deed the same day or within a few days; in many states you can download a certified copy from the registration portal. Check the registration number, names, property description and area.

    Take physical possession and collect all original title documents from the seller, the keys, the latest paid bills, and for apartments a society no-objection or share certificate transfer. If you took a home loan, the bank keeps the original sale deed until the loan is repaid; keep a certified copy for yourself.

    Tip: Get a fresh encumbrance certificate a few weeks after registration. It should now show your purchase, confirming the deed is on record.

    Encumbrance Certificate (भार प्रमाणपत्र)
    Attach my documents

  9. Complete mutation and transfer utilities (नामांतरण और सेवाएँ अपने नाम करें)

    15 days

    Registration transfers ownership, but local records still show the old owner until you apply for mutation. Apply to the municipal corporation (for property tax, often called khata or property tax transfer) or the revenue office (for land records) with the registered deed, ID and tax receipts. Many cities accept mutation applications online.

    Then move the electricity, water and gas connections, and society membership to your name. Keep originals of the deed, receipts, TDS certificate and loan papers safely; you will need them for any future sale or loan.

    Tip: Do mutation soon after registration. Without it, property tax bills keep going to the seller and a later sale or loan becomes harder.

    • Apply for mutation or khata transfer at the municipal body or revenue office
    • Transfer property tax account to your name
    • Change electricity, water and gas connections
    • Transfer society membership and share certificate
    • Give the TDS certificate to the seller
    • Store originals and scan all documents
    Property tax receipt (संपत्ति कर रसीद)
    Attach my documents

Documents you'll need

Aadhaar Card (आधार कार्ड)Identity and address proof for buyer and seller at the Sub-Registrar office and for the home loan. Many states also use Aadhaar authentication during registration.
PAN Card (पैन कार्ड)Needed by both buyer and seller for registration of high-value property deals, for the home loan and for TDS. The seller's PAN must be quoted in Form 141.
Passport-size photographs (पासपोर्ट आकार फोटो)Buyer, seller and witnesses usually need recent photographs for the sale deed and registration forms. Check the number required at your Sub-Registrar office.
Encumbrance Certificate (भार प्रमाणपत्र)Shows registered transactions and charges on the property for a chosen period. Obtain from the Sub-Registrar or state registration portal, and get a fresh one close to the registration date.
Property tax receipt (संपत्ति कर रसीद)The latest paid receipt shows there are no municipal dues and confirms who is recorded as owner. Needed again for mutation.

Official sources

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General guidance, not legal, tax or immigration advice. Rules change; confirm with the official source before you act.

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