How to Register Land in Kerala- A Step-by-Step Guide

How to Register Land in Kerala : Buying a piece of land is one of the dreams of every Keralites. Most Keralites are working hard to buy a plot and construct a dream home there. It is the best financial decision you can attain in your life. The moment you owned your dream, makes you feel proud and gives you a great feeling of victory. Even though it is a great decision in your life journey, you must take complete care in every phase of the land registration process. Make sure you comprehend all laws and regulations fixed by the government about the registration of land and the steps involved. In this article, we can have a look at how to Register Land in Kerala, how to register online, and much more.

 Rules to Register Land in Kerala

• Recognize The Right Property For You

The first and crucial step while purchasing land is selecting the right location and right property as per your choice. Pick the property within your budget. Try to negotiate the rate, discuss and finalize the mode of payment, and the assignment with the seller.

• Get a legal Advice

Once you have ok with the property and discuss it with the seller, it is vital to have legal advice. You can have legal advice like if it has the cc, if the documents are ok and if it is reliable to purchase etc. The lawyer normally creates a legal title report that is assembled based on all the available information that has been collected. It normally takes up to 5 to 6 days to prepare and present a title report.

• Obtain the Encumbrance Certificate

It is a document that helps you to confirm whether the property you plan to buy is free from all claims such as loans, leases, due debts, etc. After the verification of the right property records, the Sub-Registrar’s officer gives the encumbrance certificate. It is vital that you receive the encumbrance certificate before you enter into a contract for sale.

 

• Mutation Details

A “mutation” is the process of transferring property to another person and changing the owner’s name in the Kerala property registration office’s records. The mutation is recorded for tax purposes, especially during the registration process for Kerala’s sales tax. The fact that you have mutated does not mean you are the lawful owner of the property. It’s just that the government needs to know from whom the tax will be collected. If your town or village has been re-surveyed, apply for ROR since the government registers the facts as definitive from ROR. If a re-survey is not done, submit an application with a non-judicial stamp and a copy of the deed to the village officer or municipality.

• Get the Contract Signed

In the presence of some witnesses, the buyer and seller have to sign the contracts. The statements in the agreement are – allowing to sell (for seller) and agreeing to buy(for the buyer). The contract writes on stamp paper. It also mentions legal fines if anyone -buyer or seller violates the terms and conditions described in the agreement.

• Agreement Registration

Registered deals are lawfully enforceable and can have good value. Register the deal agreed at the sub-registrar’s office so that it can reflect in their documents. And further, any buyer can fetch the details of the property contract. Stamp duty and registration fees are there for Registering property agreements.

• Buy Stamp Paper and Pay Stamp Duty

You have to buy stamp paper in the name of buyer from the State Treasury or Stamp Paper vendor. Purchase place depends on the value of the stamp. The value of the stamp alters based on the purchase cost. Local Stamp Paper Vendors are allowed to sell Stamp papers up to the value of Rs 1 lakh. Anything beyond this value has to be purchased online. The stamp duty rate details can be obtained from the Registrar’s office or the official website of the Kerala Registration Department. The government of Kerala occasionally changes these rates.

• Obtain the Land’s Fair Market Value

Learn about Kerala’s detailed fair value. The stamp duty is calculated depending on the property’s actual value. However, one requirement is that the sale price must be less than the land’s fair market value, as established by the government. As of currently (2017), the fair value of the land is 50% higher than what was recorded on the Kerala government’s fair value website, which is an outdated record. The Government Stamp Act will be amended if needed.n Kerala, there are 15 different types of fair value calculations. Residential Plots with NH.PWD road access, commercially important Plots, Residential Plots with Corp.Mun.Panch. road access, Residential Plots without vehicular access, residential plots with private road access, waterlogged land, wasteland, rocky land, garden land with road access, garden land without road access, wetland, Government property, Hill tract with road access, and hill tract without road access are among the categories.

• Get The Sale Deed Drafted

Sales deeds need to be written by an advocate or deed writer. A professional can get a defect-free document for a smooth operation.

• Register the Land

The next step is to register the land in the Sub Registrar’s office, where the land is. Finish the registration within the time frame documented in the sale agreement. 2% of the land’s cost will charge as registration fees. Keep the receipt safely to collect the final document within a few weeks.

 

Documents  You Need to Have Before the Day you register land in Kerala:

1. Original Title Deed
2. Encumbrance Certificate
3. Possession Certificate
4. Previous Deeds
5. Land and Property Tax Receipts
6. Two witnesses
7. Passport size photographs of the buyer and seller
8. PAN cards of the buyer and seller
9. Identification details of the buyer and seller

• Change the Title of the Property

To change the title of your property, you must apply in the village office with copies of your paperwork. This is done to shift the property’s revenue record from the seller’s name to the buyer’s name. In Malayalam, this technique is called ‘Pokkuvaravu.’ It’s also known as ‘Thandaper Pidikkuka,’ since when you alter a property, you get a ‘Thandaper’ against your name.

• Pay Your Property Taxes

Pay the property tax in the subsequent property office once you receive the mutation documents.

To have a simple property purchase, follow all of the processes listed above. Be patient and pay attention to the procedure; stay calm and follow all of the stages properly. Remember, it’s a treasure you’ll have for the rest of your life!

More details to Register Land in Kerala

Online Process of Land Registration in Kerala and Stamp Duty Payment:

Land Registration and Stamp Duty Payment in Kerala are both done online.
Property registration can be done both online and offline. A buyer can do it offline by going to the Registrar’s office, filling out the application form, and paying the fee. To do it online, however, follow the easy procedure listed below.
Step 1: Go to the Kerala Government’s Registration Department website and select the ‘online applications’ option to register land in Kerala.

 

Step 2: Fill out all of the relevant information on the redirected page, such as your name, role, and district.

Step 3: Once you’ve finished the login process, go to Online Token Registration and look for Available Token. Select a convenient time slot for submitting documents to the Sub Registrar’s office.
Step 4: Complete all required fields and click View Token. Select a slot that is available.
Step 5: Select the transaction type in the new window and click the Submit button. If your payment totals more than Rs 1 lakh, you should choose e-stamp as your payment method.
Step 6: Fill out the Claimant and Executor information, as well as the property and building information.
Step 7: Finish the self-verification procedure and apply the e-stamp.

Step 8: Keep paying the amount. Select the option for online payment.
Step 9: Continue with the transaction by selecting ‘Stamp duty + Enrollment Fee.’ Protect your transaction ID and double-check your contact information.
Step 10: Select ‘see information’ to view the e-stamp. On the created e-stamp, the serial number and GRN will be printed.
Step 11: Make an appointment with the sub-office registrar to submit the paperwork.
Step 12: Arrive at the office on that day and time to submit the documents.

 

Checking Land registration Records Online in Kerala

When you register your land with the Kerala government, your information is recorded on an online platform that is administered by the authorities. The Kerala government has launched the e-Rekha online platform, which allows users to view all land information related to registration and surveying.

It is important for everyone to complete the processes of Kerala land registration in order to have complete ownership of land. After completing the procedure, go to the kerala.gov.in internet portal and select the e-Rekha platform.

You will be able to access the details after entering the license ID or registration number. Unlike in the past, this new portal built by the Kerala government now allows users to view even old land registration details.

1) Go to the e-Rekha portal’s official site. If you want to keep hackers from seeing the details of your land, make sure the device you’re using to access the portal is safe. Try not to use public devices to enter the site.
2) Go to the File Search page, where you’ll find a variety of search possibilities. Proceed by selecting the land registration detail.
3) Enter the taluk, district, village, and type of document you’re seeking
4) Enter your survey number and the block number before submitting the request.

5) You can download the details of your land survey and registration in PDF format.
6) Verify all of the details to avoid any future legal difficulties.
7) Remember to write down the unique transaction ID, as you may need it later in many land-related activities with the Kerala Government.
8)You have to pay some price to download the document.

Land Registration Department of Kerala

The Kerala government has launched the E-Rekha website newly to keep state land records online in a digital format for online property-related services. The Kerala government maintains the portal, which contains all land-related information, including old land survey data. Here are some of the portal’s key highlights.

All property records are digitalized and displayed in sequential and chronological order.
The historical land survey records, as well as all other lands records in the state, are physically housed at the central office in Thiruvananthapuram.
The records have been digitized and made available to authorities from the revenue department as well as the general public.

Objectives of e-Rekha website

• Allow state landowners to access survey details and records for online property services.
• Verify ownership information and land records digitally at any time and from any location.
• Ensuring the security of digital land and property records.
• Landowners’ and stakeholders’ interests are protected.
• Increasing property transaction transparency by making survey data and property ownership information available online.

 Land registration fees 2022

The stamp duty and registration charges in Kerala are as follows:-

Registration fee calculating

Women and men pay the same stamp duty and land registration charge in Kerala; no concessions are given to women. Also, keep in mind that stamp duty and the registration cost are based on the higher consideration value or fair value. For example, if the property’s consideration value is Rs 40 lakh and the fair market value is Rs 50 lakh, stamp duty and registration fees will be paid on the latter amount because it is higher.
Let’s look at how Kerala’s stamp duty and registration fee are calculated:
For Example:

The property’s fair market value is Rs 50 lakh.
Stamp duty of 8% on a sum of Rs 50 lakh equals Rs 4 lakh.
2 percent of Rs 50 lakh = Rs 1 lakh in registration fees

In total.- Stamp duty and registration fees = Rs. 5 lakh

Also Read,

Important Things to Consider When Buying Land(Opens in a new browser tab)

How to pay Land Tax online in Kerala(Opens in a new browser tab)