Encumbrance Certificate Download 2026

For the full legal background on what an EC is, how it is used in property due diligence, and your rights when records are wrong, see Encumbrance Certificate - how to get online (deep guide).

An Encumbrance Certificate lists every registered transaction on a property - sales, mortgages, gift deeds, partitions - during the years you search. It comes in two forms: Form 15 (transactions found) and Form 16, also called a Nil EC (no registered transactions in the period). A Form 16 does not mean the property never had transactions; it means none were registered at the Sub-Registrar during the specific years you chose.

Banks processing home loans typically ask for a 30-year EC. Courts and legal due diligence teams may ask for longer periods.

Tamil Nadu's Registration Department runs tnreginet.gov.in - one of the few state portals offering EC view and download at zero cost.

What you need:

• Zone, district, and Sub-Registrar Office (SRO) name
• Village name
• Survey number and subdivision number (from your sale deed or patta)
• Date range (you can search up to 30 years in one request)

Steps:

1. Go to https://tnreginet.gov.in and log in (or register free with your mobile number)
2. Click E-Services → Encumbrance Certificate → Search and Apply EC
3. Choose your search type: EC Search, Document-wise, or Form-wise
4. Enter zone, district, SRO, village, survey number, and your date range
5. Solve the CAPTCHA and click Search
6. Once the result loads, click View EC or Request List to open the digitally signed PDF
7. Download the PDF - it includes a QR code for verification

Fee: Free for online view and download. TNREGINET's portal states: “free EC information viewing and downloading” (kattanamilla villangha saanru vivaaram).

The TNREGINET mobile app (Android and iOS) also lets you search and view ECs without visiting an office. Helpline: 1800 102 5174.

The Telangana Registration and Stamps Department provides EC search at registration.telangana.gov.in. Online EC is available for transactions recorded after 1 January 1983. Records before that date need a manual search at the relevant SRO.

What you need:

• District and SRO name (mandatory)
• Choice of search method: document number and year, or house/apartment details, or survey number and revenue village
• Search period (up to 30 years, or above 30 years)

Steps:

1. Visit https://registration.telangana.gov.in and click Online Services → Encumbrance Search (EC)
2. Accept the disclaimer page
3. Select your search method and enter the required details
4. For urban/residential properties use the document number or survey number path; for agricultural plots use Bhu Bharati (bhubharati.telangana.gov.in)
5. Pay the fee online (debit/credit card or net banking)
6. Download the signed PDF immediately after payment

Fee (2026): Rs. 200 for up to 30 years (+ service charge, total approximately Rs. 225); Rs. 500 for above 30 years (+ service charge, total approximately Rs. 525). A free on-screen view without official signature is available before you pay.

Helpline: 1800 599 4788.

The AP Registration and Stamps Department provides EC download at registration.ap.gov.in.

What you need:

• Encumbrance type selection
• Document number and year of registration, or survey number and village
• SRO where the property is registered
• Date range

Steps:

1. Go to https://registration.ap.gov.in and select EC, CC & MV Assistance from the homepage
2. Enter the property details and solve the CAPTCHA
3. Click Submit - results appear instantly for digitised records
4. Download the EC as a PDF

AP issues Form 15 (transactions present) or Form 16 (Nil EC) based on what the SRO database shows for the period searched. The downloaded EC is digitally signed and accepted by banks and courts.

Kerala's Registration Department EC portal is at pearl.registration.kerala.gov.in. (Note: igr.kerala.gov.in hosts fair value of land data, not EC applications.)

What you need:

• District and Sub-Registrar Office
• Document number or survey number
• Registration year range

Steps:

1. Visit https://pearl.registration.kerala.gov.in using a desktop browser
2. Click Certificates → Application for Encumbrance Certificate
3. Enter district, SRO, document or survey number, and the year range
4. Click Search - results appear for records from 2000 onwards; digitally signed PDF is issued after departmental verification (typically within a few working days)
5. Download the digitally signed PDF once the status shows Certificate Issued

Fee: Fees for EC applications are set by the state and vary by the number of years and pages. Contact your local SRO or check the official portal's fee schedule for the current rate. Online digitally signed ECs are valid for bank loans, court submissions, and government applications in 2026.

For records before 2000, the digital archive may be incomplete - contact your local SRO for a manual search.

Karnataka runs EC services through the Kaveri Online Services portal at kaveri.karnataka.gov.in.

What you need:

• Account on Kaveri (free registration with email)
• District, sub-district (taluk), and village
• Survey number (and subdivision if applicable)
• Duration of search in years

Steps:

1. Go to https://kaveri.karnataka.gov.in and register or log in
2. Click Encumbrance Certificate from the services menu
3. Enter district, taluk, village, survey number, and the number of years to search
4. Pay the fee online and note your reference number
5. Processing takes 2-3 working days
6. Log back in and go to View Document; use your reference number to find the application
7. Download the signed PDF once approved

Fee (2026):

• Application fee: Rs. 10
• Search fee: Rs. 30 for the first year; Rs. 10 per additional year
• Total for first year: Rs. 40; each additional year adds Rs. 10

For example, a 13-year search costs Rs. 10 (application) + Rs. 30 (year 1 search) + Rs. 120 (12 more years at Rs. 10 each) = Rs. 160.

Karnataka calls the EC formats Form 15 (transactions found) and Form 16 (Nil EC). Banks usually require Form 15 for loan processing.

Once you have applied and paid, track your request using these paths:

• Tamil Nadu: Log in to TNREGINET → E-Services → Request List - status shows “Approved” once the signed PDF is ready
• Telangana: The IGRS portal download is typically instant after payment for post-1983 records
• AP: Results appear immediately on the portal for digitised records
• Kerala: Apply via pearl.registration.kerala.gov.in; digitally signed EC is issued after departmental verification (typically a few working days); for pre-2000 records check with SRO
• Karnataka: Log in to Kaveri → View Document → enter reference number; expect 2-3 working days

If your application shows “pending” beyond the normal window, note your reference/application number and visit or call the relevant SRO. For delays caused by a public authority failing to process a completed application, you can use RTI under Section 6 of the Right to Information Act 2005 to ask for the file status and the officer responsible - see how to use RTI for EC delay.

If you want to understand the procedure more deeply, The RTI Playbook covers how to frame information requests and follow up with government departments.

Yes. Tamil Nadu (TNREGINET), Telangana and AP (IGRS), Kerala (pearl.registration.kerala.gov.in), and Karnataka (Kaveri) all allow full online search and download. For most records from the 1980s onwards, you never need to visit an office. Very old records (pre-1983 in Telangana, pre-2000 in Kerala) may still require a manual SRO visit.

Yes. Digitally signed ECs downloaded from the official state portals are legally valid and accepted by banks, housing finance companies, courts, and government offices. The QR code on the PDF lets banks verify authenticity without calling the SRO.

Form 16 (Nil EC) means the Sub-Registrar's database shows no registered transaction on the property during the years you searched. It does not guarantee the property has never had any encumbrance - it only reflects what was registered. Pair the EC with sale deed, mutation records, and tax receipts for complete due diligence.

Check the survey number on your original sale deed or patta - subdivision numbers and village names can differ from what you expect. In Tamil Nadu, the village name on TNREGINET sometimes differs from common usage. In Karnataka, ensure you are selecting the correct taluk and village from the Kaveri dropdown. If the property has changed survey numbers due to resurvey, ask the local SRO for the current number.

Tamil Nadu's digital database covers records from the late 1980s onwards. Telangana covers post-1 January 1983. Karnataka's Kaveri online system covers records from 1 April 2004 onwards; older records need a manual SRO visit. Kerala typically covers post-2000 online. AP's online records vary by SRO; check the portal for your specific property's availability.

If the EC shows a mortgage deed or hypothecation deed registered during the period, that encumbrance has been noted. However, the EC only shows what was registered at the SRO - some financial instruments registered elsewhere or oral agreements will not appear. Always ask for a discharge deed or release letter from the lender to confirm any mortgage has been cleared.

• Encumbrance certificate - how to get online (full legal background)
• RTI for encumbrance certificate delay