Unapproved Layout Regularisation: Where LRS Stands in Each State (2026)

Last verified 28 Oct 2026 against lrs.telangana.gov.in, hmda.gov.in, dtcp.ap.gov.in (G.O.Ms.No.134, G.O.Rt.No.1173 and G.O.Rt.No.49), crda.ap.gov.in, tcp.tn.gov.in, tcponline.tn.gov.in, cmdachennai.gov.in, eswathu.karnataka.gov.in and the Karnataka 2025 amendment text, plus dated news reports named below.

An unapproved layout is land cut into house plots without a valid layout approval from the planning authority, and a Layout Regularisation Scheme (LRS) lets an existing plot owner pay penal charges to bring the plot into planned development. Regularisation is not automatic. Only plots sold before each scheme's cut-off date qualify, some plots are excluded, and a fee receipt is not the same as a regularisation order. Regularisation also does not cure a defect in the seller's title.

LRS status by state on 28 Oct 2026

What is an unapproved layout?

Telangana's official LRS FAQ gives the clearest definition. An unapproved or illegal layout is:

1. Land cut into plots without permission from the competent authority. That can be a municipal corporation, a municipality, an urban development authority, HMDA or DTCP.
2. A layout with only a tentative approval, where plots were sold without the final approval.
3. A gram panchayat layout made without prior approval from DTCP, the urban development authority or HMDA.

That third case explains searches like "unauthorised GP layout in Hyderabad". A panchayat may collect tax on the plot, but that does not make the layout approved. The FAQ asks whether a gram panchayat layout without technical approval is valid. The answer is "No".

The FAQ also lists what an owner faces without regularisation:

• No building permission
• No regular water supply connection
• No roads, drainage or street lights
• No registration of sale for such plots

What is a Layout Regularisation Scheme?

A Layout Regularisation Scheme lets owners who already bought plots in unapproved layouts apply and pay penal charges. The aim is to bring those layouts into planned development.

DTCP Andhra Pradesh calls LRS "a compulsory disclosure scheme proposed for regularisation of all unapproved plots/ layouts". Telangana's portal says earlier voluntary schemes "met with limited success". Under its FAQ, a regularised plot becomes eligible for building permission from the competent authority.

Two limits apply everywhere:

• Regularisation covers the plot, not the building. Telangana's FAQ says: "At present there is no provision for regularisation of Unauthorised Buildings."
• Regularisation is a planning fix, not a title fix. It does not prove that the seller owned the land.

Telangana LRS 2020: eligibility, fees and status

Eligibility. The rules are in G.O.Ms.No.131 dated 31-08-2020. The FAQ says the scheme applies "only for plot owners who have registered sale deed executed prior to 26-08-2020". A plot bought in an unapproved layout after that date cannot come in.

Exclusions in the official FAQ. These plots are not regularised:

• Plots carved out of open spaces in an approved layout
• Plots in a layout that was changed after approval
• Plots on a master plan road
• Plots that block a road

A Siasat report of 26 February 2024 adds layouts on Endowments Department land, Waqf land and land under judicial bodies.

Fees. At the time of application the FAQ fixed ₹1,000 for an individual plot and ₹10,000 for a layout. The balance is penal charges (betterment and development charges) plus open space charges. G.O.Ms.No.131 sets how they are calculated.

Status in 2026. The 2026 windows were for people who applied in 2020:

• Siasat reported on 30 April 2026 that the state offered a 25% rebate on LRS fees from 1 May to 31 July 2026, for 2020 applicants.
• Deccan Chronicle reported on 1 August 2026 that the 25% rebate was extended to 30 November. It said this "applies to those who applied for LRS in 2020, but are to clear their dues."

We found no government order on the portal for the November date. Confirm it on the portal before you pay.

How to check an application. Use APPLICATION SEARCH or Citizen Login on lrs.telangana.gov.in. For HMDA-area plots, HMDA's LRS/BRS page links to lrsbrs.hmda.gov.in. HMDA lists a toll-free help line, 1800 425 8838.

Andhra Pradesh LRS: cut-off and deadlines

AP runs the Andhra Pradesh Regularisation of Unapproved Layouts and Plots Rules, 2020. The DTCP AP LRS page lists the original LRS order, No. 10 dated 08-01-2020. It also lists the 2025 amendment, G.O.Ms.No.134 dated 26-07-2025.

Cut-off. G.O.Ms.No.134 moved the cut-off to 30-06-2025. Only plots with a registered sale deed or title deed as a plot before 30.06.2025 qualify. At least one plot in the layout must have been sold before that date.

Deadlines. The filing deadline has moved three times:

1. A DTCP AP notice gave the last date as 23/10/2025.
2. G.O.Rt.No.1173 dated 27-10-2025 extended it to 23.01.2026.
3. G.O.Rt.No.49 dated 23-01-2026 extended it to 23.04.2026.

We found no extension after 23 April 2026 on the DTCP AP LRS page. Check its message board on dtcp.ap.gov.in/LRS before you rely on any date.

Fees. G.O.Rt.No.49 allows individual applications with a minimum application fee of ₹10,000. The full charge depends on plot size and land value. The DTCP AP LRS page has a Charges Calculator, so use it rather than a figure from a third party.

Layout patterns. Development authorities publish in-principle layout patterns under these rules for public objection. For example, an APCRDA notification of 21 May 2026 invited objections within 15 days.

Tamil Nadu: the 2017 regularisation rules

Tamil Nadu runs the Tamil Nadu Regularisation of Unapproved Layouts and Plots Rules, 2017. CMDA's regularisation page cites three orders: G.O.Ms.No.78 dated 04.05.2017, G.O.Ms.No.172 dated 13.10.2017 and G.O.Ms.No.55 dated 02.05.2018.

Cut-off. The 2017 rules cover unapproved layouts and plots sold and registered on or before 20 October 2016. Applicants must produce the sale deeds that prove the purchase date.

Deadline. We found no official order online for the current deadline. Two news reports describe it:

• DT Next (June 2025) reported that plot owners may now apply beyond the earlier 30 June 2026 deadline, with no end date stated.
• A real-estate news site (7 August 2026) reported a July 2026 order. It sets 30 June 2027 for layout promoters, developers and societies. It says eligible individual plot owners can apply at any time.

Confirm the current position on tcponline.tn.gov.in before you rely on any date.

Fees. DT Next reported these regularisation charges per square metre:

Check the current figure on the portal before you pay.

Where to check. Applications go through tcponline.tn.gov.in, under "Regularisation of Unapproved Layouts" and "Single Plot Regularisation". For the Chennai Metropolitan Area, CMDA publishes a year-wise list of regularised layouts from 2017 to 2026. Each entry has a regularisation number, local body, village and a map of the layout. DTCP's site also lists an online application for unapproved plots and layouts in hill areas.

Karnataka: no plot LRS, but B-khata

We found no open Karnataka plot-regularisation window like the ones above. Instead, Karnataka records unauthorised properties as "B-khata" for tax.

Bengaluru. Deccan Herald (17 October 2025) explained the difference:

• 'A' khata goes to properties that meet all statutory rules.
• 'B' khata goes to revenue sites on farmland, sites in unapproved layouts and flats built without sanctioned plans.
• B-khata properties "are not eligible for building plan approvals", and "most banks, financial institutions refuse loans for them".

The Greater Bengaluru Authority runs a B-to-A khata conversion scheme. Deccan Herald (16 September 2026) said the 2% fee concession ended on 23 August. It said the scheme covers vacant plots and single-owner buildings, excludes flats, and needs an e-khata. We found no official order on the fee, so confirm the current fee with the GBA before you apply.

Rural Karnataka. The Karnataka Gram Swaraj and Panchayat Raj (Amendment) Act, 2025 added section 199C. It lets panchayats tax unauthorised properties that were created before the provision began. A proviso says the tax "does not confer any right to regularize violation made, or title, ownership or legal status".

What regularisation fixes, and what it does not

Buying a plot in an unapproved layout: red flags

• The seller shows only an application number or a fee receipt. That shows a file was opened, not approved. Ask for the final regularisation order and check it on the portal.
• The sale deed date is after the cut-off. That is 26-08-2020 in Telangana, 30-06-2025 in AP and 20-10-2016 in Tamil Nadu.
• The plot was an open space or road in the layout plan.
• The survey number is on a prohibited list. See our prohibited property guide.
• Panchayat tax receipts are the only "approval".
• The title chain is broken or unclear. Regularisation will not fix it. See the 30-year title search format and the property due diligence checklist.

Frequently asked questions

What is the last date for LRS in Telangana?

The 2026 rebate window is for 2020 applicants with unpaid fees. Deccan Chronicle reported on 1 August 2026 that the 25% rebate runs to 30 November. Confirm on lrs.telangana.gov.in.

Can I apply for LRS if I bought the plot recently?

Usually not. Each scheme has a cut-off: a sale deed before 26-08-2020 in Telangana, before 30-06-2025 in AP, and on or before 20-10-2016 in Tamil Nadu.

Does LRS regularise my house?

No. Telangana's FAQ says there is no provision to regularise unauthorised buildings under LRS. It covers the plot.

Is a B-khata the same as regularisation in Karnataka?

No. A rural B-khata tax entry gives no title or legal status under section 199C. In Bengaluru, B-khata properties cannot get building plan approvals unless converted under the GBA scheme.

Where do I check CMDA unapproved layout regularisation?

On cmdachennai.gov.in, open "Regularisation of Unapproved Plots/Layouts-2017". It lists regularised layouts by year, with a map of each.

For a title search or legal opinion on a plot in a regularised or unapproved layout, visit legiscore.in.

This article is general information, not legal advice.

Related guides

• DTCP Approved Plot: Meaning and How to Check Approval Online
• Gram Panchayat Property: A-Khata, B-Khata, Gram Kantam and Loans
• NA Plot Meaning: How to Verify an NA or Land Conversion Order