The exact documents, portals and legal checks that protect you from disputes when buying property in Bangalore - from EC on Kaveri and RERA verification to mother deed and occupancy certificate.

The core documents to demand and check

Sale Deed - the primary title document proving the seller's ownership; verify it is registered and the schedule matches the property.

  • Mother Deed (parent document) - traces the chain of ownership to the origin of title; essential for older properties, plots and independent houses.
  • Khata Certificate and Extract - confirm the property is recorded with BBMP/GBA and details match.
  • Encumbrance Certificate (EC) - shows registered transactions, mortgages and charges over the property.
  • Occupancy Certificate (OC) and Completion Certificate - critical for apartments; proves the building is legally fit for occupation.
  • Latest property-tax paid receipts and, for land, the DC conversion order and approved layout/plan.

How to pull an Encumbrance Certificate on Kaveri Online

Go to kaverionline.karnataka.gov.in, register as a new user with mobile/email and log in.

  • Navigate to Services, then Online EC, then Apply, then enter district, taluk, village, survey number and boundaries (or search by owner name).
  • Choose a search period - commonly 13 years, but banks and lawyers often ask for 30 years to be safe.
  • Pay the fee online; a digital EC typically arrives within about 7-10 working days depending on the sub-registrar office.
  • A clean EC should show a continuous, dispute-free chain with no undisclosed mortgages.

Verify RERA registration for any ongoing project

For under-construction or newly launched projects, check registration on the Karnataka RERA portal: rera.karnataka.gov.in.

  • Use Projects, then Registered Projects and search by RERA number, project name, or promoter/district.
  • Confirm the status reads Approved (not Lapsed or Under Watch), and review the promoter details, approved plan, timelines and quarterly progress.
  • The portal is free and needs no login for buyers; a project legally required to register but missing from RERA is a red flag.

Confirm approvals and land conversion

Check which authority sanctioned the layout - BDA, BBMP/GBA, BMRDA or BIAAPA - and match it to the property's location.

  • For plots and villas, verify DC conversion (agricultural to residential) via the conversion order; DC conversion alone is not a layout approval.
  • Be cautious with revenue sites, gramathana and DTCP properties as they face selective lending and title risk.
  • Cross-check the sanctioned building plan against what is actually built - unauthorised deviations create OC and loan problems.

Cross-verification and legal opinion

Physically visit the jurisdictional Sub-Registrar office to confirm document authenticity against originals.

  • Engage a property lawyer for a title-search and legal-opinion covering minimum 13-30 years of the chain of title.
  • Check for pending litigation, family/partition claims, and whether the seller has full authority (POA, succession, etc.).
  • For agreements to sell, ensure clear timelines, penalty clauses and that advance payments are protected.

Red flags that should stop a deal

Missing or unregistered mother deed / broken chain of title.

  • EC showing an active mortgage the seller hasn't disclosed or discharged.
  • Apartment being sold without an Occupancy Certificate.
  • Project not found on Karnataka RERA when registration is legally required.
  • Guidance-value/registration mismatch or khata name not matching the seller.