Buying a plot? Check these first.
10 papers. Tick what you have.
Every plot must clear 3 gates Sample
What to check before buying a plot in Bangalore
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Khata, approval, conversion, title.
- 100+families advised
- 65buying decisions
- 10+months of advising
Read the full guide
The 6 tips in full
- Read the khata, don't take the seller's word. Confirm A-khata, B-khata or e-khata from the document itself.
- Insist on a valid e-khata. It has been needed to register a property in Bengaluru since 1 October 2024 (The Hindu ↗).
- Verify layout approval with the authority that issued it (BIAAPA, BMRDA, BDA, DTCP or your city corporation), not from a brochure or hoarding.
- Treat DC conversion as its own document. A layout can be approved while a plot inside it is still farm land.
- Get a lawyer on the mother deed and a 15 to 30 year EC (encumbrance certificate) before any money moves.
- Don't pay for a B-khata "easy conversion" that isn't confirmed. The discounted 2% window closed on 23 August 2026 (The Hindu ↗). The usual rate is 5% of guidance value.
Who approves a layout
It depends on where the plot sits. Check the approval with that body directly, not from a brochure.
| Authority | What it approves | Where |
|---|---|---|
| BIAAPA (airport-area planner) | Layouts and plans | The airport belt, much of the north around Devanahalli |
| BMRDA (region planner) | Layouts | The wider Bengaluru region, outside BDA and city limits |
| BDA (city development authority) | Layouts and plans | BDA's area in the core city |
| City corporation (under GBA) | Khata and building plans | The GBA city corporations (the former BBMP area) |
| DTCP (state town planning) | Layouts | Town-planning and panchayat areas elsewhere in Karnataka |
Buying in North Bangalore? BIAAPA, BMRDA and DTCP all work along the same corridor. See the North Bangalore plot guide.
Check each paper, step by step
- 01
Check khata status where the record lives
Inside the former BBMP area, that's your city corporation under the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA), on the e-Aasthi portal ↗. Outside it, the panchayat or municipal office. Get the type from the document, not from what you're told.
- 02
Confirm B-khata conversion eligibility and cost
Not every B-khata property qualifies. The discounted 2% window ended on 23 August 2026 (The Hindu ↗). If a seller is pricing in an "easy conversion", get today's fee and eligibility confirmed before you rely on it.
- 03
Verify the layout approval number with the authority
Call or write to BIAAPA, BMRDA, BDA, DTCP or the city corporation, whichever covers that location. Don't accept a number printed on a hoarding.
- 04
Ask for the DC conversion order on its own
A layout can be approved while a plot inside it is still, on paper, farm land. Ask for the conversion order by name, and check it covers this exact plot.
- 05
Have a lawyer trace the mother deed and title chain
Don't shortcut this or do it yourself from photos of documents. A property lawyer should trace ownership as far back as records allow and flag any gap or dispute.
- 06
Pull the EC from Kaveri Online
Get the encumbrance certificate from Kaveri Online Services ↗ for at least 15 years, ideally 30. It should list every sale the title chain describes, nothing more, nothing missing.
- 07
Walk the site and match survey numbers
Compare what's on the ground (access road, drains, the plots next door) against the survey sketch. Boundary disputes are one of the most common plot problems in this city.
- 08
Check khata and tax receipts, and ask about transfer
Confirm the khata and property tax receipts are in the seller's name with nothing due. Ask upfront what papers and fees the khata transfer will need after you buy.
8 red flags
- "BDA approved" or "BIAAPA approved" on a brochure, with no approval number when you ask.
- The seller won't show the mother deed until a booking amount is paid.
- The seller won't share the EC, or it covers only the last few years.
- Survey numbers or boundaries on site don't match the sketch you were shown.
- A layout sold as "near" an approved zone, not confirmed as inside it.
- Land sold on gram panchayat tax receipts alone. A tax receipt is not a layout approval.
- A price that already assumes a B-khata to A-khata conversion nobody has confirmed for this plot.
- No e-khata on record, and the seller says it can be "sorted after registration". Registration has needed it since October 2024 (The Hindu ↗).
Why khata drives everything
Khata type usually decides whether a plot gets a bank loan, can be built on without trouble, and can be resold easily.
A-khata land has cleared property tax and legal compliance in full. B-khata land has some gap, often an unapproved layout or unpaid conversion charges, and banks often won't lend against it. e-khata is the digital record both now use, and registration needs it.
A B-khata plot is not automatically a bad buy. It is a plot where you need to know what B-khata to A-khata conversion will cost, and whether it even qualifies, priced into your offer. The khata explainer shows how the three types differ.
Common questions
Is a B-khata plot ever safe to buy?
It can be, with eyes open. A B-khata plot generally can't be financed by a bank and is harder to resell, but it can often be regularised. Karnataka's 2026 Bhu-Guarantee scheme let qualifying B-khata properties convert to A-khata at a discounted 2% of guidance value; that window closed on 23 August 2026, and the usual 5% applies again. Confirm the specific plot actually qualifies, and price the current conversion cost in, before relying on that path.
More questions (6)
What's the single most important check before buying a plot in Bangalore?
There isn't one single check. Khata type, layout approval and DC conversion are three separate things that all need to be right, and a plot can pass one while failing another. If you must pick a starting point, verify the layout approval directly with the issuing authority (BIAAPA, BMRDA, BDA, DTCP or your city corporation), since that decides whether the plot could ever be legally built on, before you spend money tracing title.
What is e-khata, and why does it matter even if the plot already has an A-khata?
E-khata is the digital format of the khata record, issued through your city corporation's e-Aasthi portal. Since October 2024, it has been needed to register, sell or transfer a Bengaluru property. An older paper A-khata or B-khata record isn't a substitute. Confirm a valid e-khata exists for the specific plot before you assume registration will go smoothly.
What's the difference between layout approval and DC conversion?
Layout approval (from BIAAPA, BMRDA, BDA, DTCP or a city corporation) confirms the overall plan for a group of plots meets planning rules. The DC conversion order is a separate document confirming a specific piece of land has been legally converted from farm use to non-farm use. A layout can be approved while a plot inside it is still, on paper, farm land. Ask for both, and check the conversion order names this exact plot.
How far back should the encumbrance certificate and title search go?
Ask for at least 15 years, and 30 where the seller can provide it. A property lawyer should use it alongside the mother deed to confirm every transaction lines up, with no unexplained gap in ownership or a name that doesn't match the chain.
Do all plots need RERA registration?
No. RERA registration applies to plotted developments above a certain size, not every individual land sale. If a layout is marketed as RERA-registered, check the number on the Karnataka RERA portal the same way you would for a flat. See the Karnataka RERA checklist. No number isn't automatically a problem; a fake one is.
What should I check after I've bought the plot, not just before?
Khata transfer into your name, updated property tax records, and, if you plan to build, a fresh building-plan sanction from the authority that covers that plot. The approval that let you buy it isn't the one you'll need to build on it. Confirm the transfer process and paperwork with the seller and the authority before you finalise the purchase.