How to Check a Property Online in India: Step-by-Step Guide

To check a property online in India, run six searches: land records for the owner, the sub-registrar record for past sales and encumbrances, eCourts for litigation, the state RERA site, CERSAI for mortgages, and the local body for tax and approvals. No single portal covers all six, and each state runs its own.

Last updated: 6 November 2026

In short

• Online records are a screen, not a title opinion. They do not show unregistered deals, family claims or forged papers.
• Start with the seller's documents. Then match every name, survey number and date against the portals below.
• Land records (who is on the revenue record) and registration records (who sold to whom) are two different systems. Check both.
• A clean online result does not prove clear title. Have an advocate confirm before you pay a token or advance.

The six checks and where to run them

Step 1: Check ownership on land records

Land records show who the government records as holder. They are not the same as a sale deed.

How to check property ownership online in India: find the survey or plot number on the seller's deed. Search it on the state land portal. Compare the owner name, extent and land type with the deed. Check the mutation status. A pending or rejected mutation is a flag.

Urban flats may have no RTC or 7/12. In cities, the record may be a khata, property card or municipal assessment instead.

Step 2: Check the encumbrance and past registrations

An encumbrance record lists registered transactions in a period. Ask for the longest period the portal allows. Lenders commonly look at 13 or 30 years, but practice varies and no single rule fixes the period.

• Karnataka: The Department of Stamps and Registration runs Kaveri Online Services, and lists the Encumbrance Certificate among its services. The guide Encumbrance certificate Karnataka online walks through it.
• Maharashtra: IGR Maharashtra lists a free e-search service and a paid e-search service. For how Index II fits in, see Index II search in Maharashtra.
• Telangana: Bhu Bharati lists "Encumbrance Details" and a separate "EC Details Before Dharani" item.
• Tamil Nadu: TNREGINET lists EC search and view, plus document status and guideline value search.
• Delhi: DORIS shows a notice that all sub-registrar offices have migrated to the NGDRS portal. NGDRS Delhi lists two citizen e-searches: the DORIS period (before January 2024) and the NGDRS period (after January 2024). Search both.

Step 3: How to check if a property is disputed

Courts publish case data through eCourts services. The site lets you search by CNR number or, without one, by case status, where party name and advocate name are options.

1. Search the seller's name, every name on the chain of title and any builder or society.
2. Search district court, then the High Court (High Court services).
3. Check tribunals separately: consumer forums, DRT, NCLT, and the state RERA authority.
4. On the land portal, look for notes such as a court stay, a revenue court case or a prohibited-land entry.
5. In Delhi, the DORIS "Prohibited Property" link opens a list of prohibited properties by sub-registrar office, with categories such as disputed, evacuee, enemy and Gram Sabha property.

Limit: name search misses cases filed under a different spelling, a short name or an old name. It misses cases in courts not yet on eCourts. Also check the public notice a lawyer would publish in local newspapers, which invites claims.

Step 4: How to check if a property is mortgaged to a bank

CERSAI is the central registry of security interests. Its Public Search menu offers asset-based search, borrower-based search and a search report.

• Search by the property's details or the borrower's name.
• A hit means a lender has registered a charge. Ask the seller for a closure letter and the original title deeds.
• Under section 23 of the SARFAESI Act, a lender must file a charge with the registry within 30 days of creating it, and the registry began with mortgages by deposit of title deeds (RBI notification).
• CERSAI shows only what lenders have filed. A late or missed filing will not appear. Also check the encumbrance record, and ask the seller which lender holds the originals.
• If the seller says "no loan", ask for a no-dues letter from any lender they have used.

Step 5: RERA, for flats and plots in projects

Under the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016, most new projects must be registered with the state RERA authority. Small projects below the Act's thresholds can be exempt. Search by project name, promoter or registration number.

Check the promoter, approvals, completion date, litigation disclosed and complaints. See RERA registration and litigation check.

Step 6: Tax, khata and approvals

Ask for the latest tax receipt, the khata, patta or assessment extract, the sanctioned plan, commencement and occupancy certificates, and the layout approval. Match the address and area on all of them. Bengaluru buyers can read the e-Khata guide.

How to verify the seller

1. Match the seller's name with the last deed and the land record. Spelling and initials should agree.
2. Ask for the original title deeds, not copies.
3. Check identity papers (PAN, Aadhaar) against the deed.
4. If someone sells on a power of attorney, ask for the registered PoA and confirm the owner is alive and aware.
5. For a company seller or builder, search the company's master data on the Ministry of Corporate Affairs site, and run the court search against the company name.
6. If the seller is an heir, ask for the legal heir certificate or a registered release deed from every co-heir.

What online checks miss

• Unregistered agreements and informal family partitions.
• Forged or altered deeds.
• Disputes that are not yet in court.
• Poor scans, name spelling changes and missing years.
• Tenants, possession by a third party and encroachment.

For those, a physical visit, a local enquiry and an advocate's review matter. The complete document list is in what to check before buying a property.

Where LegiScore fits

LegiScore reads the documents you upload and produces an AI property title and risk report with an AAA to C rating, for buyers, lawyers and banks. See LegiScore for property buyers, starting at Rs 999 for buyers. It is a first screen before you go to an advocate.

This page is general information, not legal advice. A local advocate should confirm the position for your property and state.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check property ownership online in India?

Search the survey or plot number on your state land records portal, such as Bhoomi in Karnataka, MAHA Bhulekh in Maharashtra or Bhu Bharati in Telangana. Then match the owner name to the sale deed and the encumbrance record.

How can I check if a property is disputed?

Search the seller's name and the chain of owners on eCourts, in district courts and the High Court. Check RERA complaints, consumer forums and tribunals, and look for stay or prohibition notes on the land record.

How can I check if a property is mortgaged to a bank?

Run a CERSAI public search by asset or borrower, then check the encumbrance record. CERSAI shows only charges that lenders have filed, so also ask who holds the original papers.

Is an online encumbrance certificate enough to buy a property?

No. It shows registered transactions for the period you chose. It does not show unregistered deals, court cases or a seller's lack of title.

Do all states have the same portals?

No. Land records, registration and RERA each run by state, with different names, fees and years covered. Use the portal for the state where the property sits.