Property Registration in Bangalore — Process & the New Advance-Payment System (Karnataka)

Buying property in Bangalore is exciting — but the legal work matters. Under the Registration Act, 1908 and state rules, a property sale is legally effective only after registration with the Sub-Registrar of Assurances (SRO). Karnataka has moved to a more digitized workflow: stamp duty and registration charges must be paid online in advance (generally at least 24 hours before the appointment) so the payment reflects in the system before the parties visit the SRO.

Quick overview

• Where to pay & pre-book: Kaveri Online Services — https://kaverionline.karnataka.gov.in

• What to pay in advance: Stamp duty, cess/surcharge, and registration fee.

• Why advance payment: Payments must clear and be visible to the SRO systems; pre-payment speeds up in-office registration and avoids rejections due to pending payments.

• Who must be present at SRO: Buyer, seller and two witnesses (originals + ID proofs) on the booked appointment date.

End-to-end step-by-step process (including advance payment)

A. Pre-work (before any payments)

1. Verify title & documents

   • Title deed, encumbrance certificate (EC), approved building plan, Khata/Khata extract (BBMP or local body), NOCs (if any), tax receipts.

2. Decide sale consideration & check guidance value

   • Use Kaveri to check the guidance/ready reckoner value for the property location — stamp duty is charged on higher of guidance value or sale consideration.

3. Get PAN & ID ready

   • Buyer & seller PANs, Aadhaar, passport/driver’s license as required.

B. Advance payment of stamp duty & registration (recommended ≥24 hours before SRO visit)

Note: Karnataka’s system requires/strongly recommends pre-payment so the SRO can verify payments before registration. Make payment at least one business day in advance to avoid delays.

Steps to pay via Kaveri Online Services

1. Go to: https://kaverionline.karnataka.gov.in

2. Create / Login to your account (if needed).

3. Choose the service — “Stamp Duty and Registration” or “Pre-registration / Payment of duty” or similar.

4. Enter basic details: buyer & seller names, PAN, property location, survey/house number, area, consideration amount.

5. Calculate duties: use the on-screen calculator to compute stamp duty (usually 5% in Karnataka, verify exact slab), registration fee (commonly 1%), and cess/surcharge if applicable.

6. Select payment mode: net banking / debit card / UPI / other available options or generate an e-challan for bank payment.

7. Complete online payment and save/print the payment receipt / e-challan / transaction ID. The portal should give a payment reference/UTR.

8. Wait for confirmation — allow up to 24 hours (or the period specified by the portal) for the payment to reflect in Kaveri / SRO systems. Only after confirmation should you book the registration slot.

C. Booking the registration appointment (after payment reflects)

1. On Kaveri, choose “Book Appointment / Pre-Register” and select the correct SRO (jurisdiction is based on property location).

2. Fill the appointment form — upload (if required) scanned copies of the sale deed draft and proof of payment (receipt/UTR). Some SROs allow pre-filling parties’ details to save time.

3. Choose date & time (the system will show available slots). Pick a slot at least 24 hours after the payment date to ensure clearance.

4. Print / save appointment confirmation — you’ll get an appointment number.

D. On the day at the Sub-Registrar Office

1. Carry originals: Sale deed draft, title deeds, EC, Khata, approved plan, tax receipts, NOCs, and the printed payment receipt showing payment reference/UTR.

2. Carry IDs & photos: Aadhaar & PAN of buyer/seller, 2 passport-sized photographs each, and IDs for witnesses.

3. Both parties + witnesses appear: The SRO verifies payment using the transaction ID and Kaveri records, checks documents, records biometric/photograph, and notarizes/records signatures/thumb impressions.

4. Stamping / Registration entry: The Sub-Registrar signs and stamps the deed. You will receive the registered document (physical or e-document as per SRO practice).

5. Collect receipts & serial numbers: Keep these safe for mutation/Khata updating.

Documents checklist (to carry pre-payment and on appointment day)

• Sale deed draft (signed where required)

• Original title documents & past registered deeds

• Encumbrance Certificate (EC) — recent copy

• Khata certificate & extract (BBMP / local authority)

• Approved building plan & occupancy certificate (if relevant)

• Latest property tax receipts / bills

• PAN of buyer & seller (mandatory in many cases)

• Aadhaar or other photo ID of parties & witnesses

• 2 passport photos each of buyer and seller

• Payment receipt / e-challan / UTR from Kaveri (printout + digital copy)

Sample calculation (digit-by-digit) — ₹50,00,000 property

• Stamp duty (5%): 50,00,000 × 5% = 2,50,000

• Registration fee (1%): 50,00,000 × 1% = 50,000

• Cess / surcharge (0.5%): 50,00,000 × 0.5% = 25,000

• Total payable (before other charges) = 2,50,000 + 50,000 + 25,000 = ₹3,25,000

(Always confirm the exact % and slabs on Kaveri — these can vary with policy changes.)

Timeline & practical tips

• Pay at least 24 hours in advance so the payment clears and reflects in the SRO system. Some bank payments take longer — allow 48 hours when paying by bank challan.

• Book an appointment only after payment is confirmed. Booking before payment reflection may cause rejection of your appointment on the day.

• Carry both printed and digital receipts (screenshot + PDF).

• Confirm SRO jurisdiction and slot availability — some SROs in Bangalore are busier; book early.

• Legal vetting: get the sale deed vetted by a lawyer before printing on stamp paper or finalizing.

• Keep copies: store an extra set of scanned, signed documents and receipts.

Common FAQs

Q. Can I pay stamp duty at the SRO on the same day?
A. Under the new system, SROs expect duty & fees to be prepaid and visible in Kaveri beforehand. While some SROs may still accept on-spot payments in exceptional cases, it’s safer to prepay.

Q. What if the payment doesn’t reflect in 24 hours?
A. Check the payment reference/UTR and contact the bank or Kaveri helpdesk. Allow up to 48 hours for some bank modes; if not reflected, retain proof of payment and contact the SRO.

Q. Where do I check guidance value?
A. Use the Kaveri portal’s guidance value / ready reckoner service for the specific zone/locality.

Official & helpful links

• Kaveri Online Services (Karnataka) — https://kaverionline.karnataka.gov.in (primary portal for duty calculation, e-payments, pre-registration & appointment booking)

• Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) — for Khata/municipal tax info (search for BBMP official site)

• Sub-Registrar (SRO) list for Bangalore — available on the Kaveri portal (choose your SRO based on property location)