A Khata vs B Khata verification refers to checking whether a property in Bangalore holds an A Khata (a clean, legal municipal record with all taxes paid and no building violations) or a B Khata (a conditional record for properties with violations or missing approvals). According to the Karnataka Municipal Corporations Act, 1976, and Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) circulars, only A Khata properties are eligible for building licences and bank loans. BBMP records from 2025 show that over 40 percent of properties in the city still carry a B Khata entry, so this check is not optional.
In 20 years of practice, I have seen more deals collapse over a khata problem than over any other single issue. You can have a clean sale deed, a good EC, and a seller who seems honest, and still lose your token advance because the khata is B. This guide will walk you through exactly what to check, how to check it, and what to do if you find a B Khata.
What is a Khata and why does it matter before you buy?
A khata is the municipal record that identifies you as the person liable to pay property tax to BBMP or the local municipal body. Think of it as the city corporation's account of your property. Without a khata, the corporation does not officially know the property exists, and you cannot pay tax, get a building licence, or apply for water and electricity connections in your name.
The khata is not a title document. It does not prove ownership. But it is the gateway to every civic service you will need after purchase. If the khata is not in order, your possession of the flat or plot is legally incomplete, even if you have the original sale deed in your hand.
I always tell clients: the sale deed tells you who owns the property. The khata tells you whether the government recognises that ownership for tax and civic purposes. You need both.
What is the difference between A Khata and B Khata?
An A Khata is issued for properties that are fully compliant: approved plan, correct land use, no encroachment, and all taxes paid. A B Khata is issued for properties that have some violation or missing approval, such as an unauthorised layout, a building built beyond the sanctioned plan, or a plot in a revenue layout that has not been regularised. The B Khata was introduced by BBMP in 2007 as a temporary measure to collect tax from non-compliant properties. It was never meant to be a permanent status.
Here is the practical difference in a table:
| Feature | A Khata | B Khata |
|---|---|---|
| Legal status | Fully compliant with building bylaws | Non-compliant or unapproved |
| Bank loan | Eligible for home loan | Most banks refuse |
| Building licence | Can apply for plan approval | Cannot get new plan approval |
| Property tax | Paid at normal rate | Paid at penalty rate |
| Resale | Easy, buyers trust it | Difficult, buyers fear risk |
| Water/electricity | New connection in your name | Often refused or delayed |
One line takeaway: if you plan to buy with a bank loan or ever sell to a loan-dependent buyer, B Khata is a deal-breaker.
How do you verify A Khata vs B Khata in Bangalore?
You verify it by checking the khata certificate and khata extract issued by BBMP. The khata certificate is a one-page document that states the property ID, owner name, and khata type. The khata extract gives more detail, including the property dimensions, tax paid, and any pending dues. Both are available on the BBMP e-Khata portal or at the local BBMP office.
But do not stop at the certificate. I have seen cases where the certificate says A Khata but the underlying records show an unauthorised layout. You need to cross-check with the original layout plan, the sale deed, and the latest tax paid receipt. A lawyer-led due diligence will pull all these together.
Step-by-step: How to check khata status online?
- Go to the BBMP e-Khata portal (bbmp.gov.in).
- Enter the property ID or the khata number from the old tax receipt.
- Download the khata certificate and khata extract.
- Check the khata type field: it will say 'A' or 'B'.
- Verify that the owner name matches the seller's name in the sale deed.
- Check for any unpaid tax or penalty shown in the extract.
- If the property is in a revenue layout (not BBMP), check with the local panchayat or BDA instead.
This online check takes ten minutes. But it only tells you what BBMP has on record. It does not tell you if the property is under litigation or if the layout itself is illegal. For that, you need a full title verification.
At Legal Brigade, we do this as part of our property document verification in Bangalore. We usually return a title opinion in two to three days because we know exactly which records to pull and what red flags to look for.
What documents do you need for khata verification?
To verify khata properly, you need a set of documents from the seller. Do not accept photocopies without seeing the originals. Here is the checklist I give every client:
- Latest property tax paid receipt (shows khata number and property ID).
- Khata certificate and khata extract (issued by BBMP).
- Sale deed of the current owner (and the mother deed, which is the previous sale deed in the chain).
- Encumbrance certificate (EC) - the record that shows whether a property carries any loan, mortgage or legal due against it.
- Approved building plan or layout plan (sanctioned by BBMP or BDA).
- Possession certificate or occupancy certificate, if it is a flat.
- No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the builder or society, if applicable.
- Betterment charges receipt, if the property is in a converted land.
If the seller cannot produce any of these, treat it as a red flag. Ask why. A genuine seller will have these documents or can get them. A seller who makes excuses is hiding something.
What happens if you skip A Khata vs B Khata verification?
Skipping this check is the most expensive mistake I see. Let me tell you about a client from last year. He was buying a plot in Electronic City. The seller showed him an A Khata certificate. The client paid a token advance of five lakh rupees. When I checked, the khata was actually B Khata because the layout was unauthorised. The certificate was a fake. The client lost his advance and spent another year in court trying to recover it.
Here is what can go wrong if you skip verification:
- Your bank loan gets rejected after you have paid the advance.
- You cannot get a building licence, so you cannot construct.
- BBMP can demolish unauthorised construction without notice.
- You will pay double or triple property tax as penalty.
- Resale becomes nearly impossible, or you sell at a deep discount.
- You may be dragged into litigation if the property is in a revenue layout with disputed ownership.
I have seen families lose their life savings over a B Khata they did not know about. It is not worth the risk. Spend a few thousand rupees on a proper check before you pay any advance.
How much does khata verification cost in Bangalore in 2026?
The BBMP fee for a khata certificate is nominal: around 100 rupees for a residential property, plus a user charge based on the property size. But the real cost is the professional fee for a lawyer to verify the title, EC, and khata together. That fee varies. Large firms may charge 25,000 to 50,000 rupees. At Legal Brigade, our flat fee for a full title and khata verification is a fraction of that, and we do not pad it with hidden charges.
Compare the cost of verification to the cost of a mistake. A B Khata property is typically worth 20 to 30 percent less than an A Khata property in the same area, according to local brokers I deal with. If you buy a 60 lakh flat and later find it is B Khata, you have lost 12 to 18 lakh in value, plus legal fees. That is why I say: verification is cheap, regret is expensive.
For a comparison of self-verification versus lawyer-led due diligence, see this table:
| Factor | Self-Verification | Lawyer-Led Due Diligence |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 0 to 500 rupees | 5,000 to 25,000 rupees |
| Time | 1 to 2 days | 2 to 3 days |
| What you check | Khata status online | Title chain, EC, khata, approvals, litigation |
| Risk | High - misses hidden issues | Low - catches problems early |
| Best for | Very low-value properties | Any property above 10 lakh |
One line takeaway: self-verification is fine for a quick check, but for any serious purchase, a lawyer's opinion is your safety net.
Can a B Khata property be converted to A Khata?
Yes, in some cases. BBMP has a regularisation scheme for certain violations. You can apply for conversion if the property meets the conditions: the building must not be on encroached land, it must be within the approved layout, and you must pay a penalty and betterment charges. The process takes six months to two years, and success is not guaranteed. I have handled conversions that went through in eight months, and others that were rejected after two years.
If you are buying a B Khata property, do not believe the seller who says 'it will become A Khata soon.' Get a written opinion from a lawyer on whether conversion is possible. And factor the risk into your price. If the conversion fails, you are stuck with a property you cannot easily sell.
For more on how to read sale deeds and mother deeds, see our more property buying guides.
What should you do before you pay a rupee?
Before you pay any token advance, do these three things. First, get the khata certificate and extract from the seller and verify them online. Second, get an EC for the last 30 years to see if there is any mortgage or lien. Third, ask a property lawyer to review the title chain and the khata together. Do not rely on the seller's word or the broker's assurance.
If you are buying a flat, also check the occupancy certificate and the builder's approvals. If you are buying a plot, check the layout plan and the conversion order. If any document is missing, walk away or renegotiate.
I know it feels like a lot of work. But in 20 years, I have never seen a buyer regret doing due diligence. I have seen many regret skipping it. If you want a professional to handle this for you, you can book a free property consultation with us. We will tell you exactly what to check and what to avoid.
Remember, a khata is not just a piece of paper. It is the difference between a home you can enjoy and a legal headache you will fight for years. Check it before you buy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the real difference between A Khata and B Khata in Bangalore?
A Khata means the property is on BBMP records with all dues paid and the building plan approved as per law. B Khata is a register BBMP started in 2008 for properties that were on its books but had not paid property tax or lacked approved plans. It is not a title document and it is not a clearance. It simply means the corporation knows the property exists but has flagged it as non-compliant.
Can I get a bank loan on a B Khata property?
Most nationalised banks and NBFCs will refuse a home loan on B Khata, and the ones that lend charge you 1 to 2 percent higher interest or cap the loan at 50 to 60 percent of value. I have seen buyers lose a sanctioned loan at the last stage because the legal report flagged B Khata. If you already paid a token advance, recovering it is a separate fight under Section 27 of the Specific Relief Act.
Can a B Khata property be converted to A Khata?
Yes, but only if the property qualifies under BBMP's Akrama Sakrama or the newer regularisation route, and only after you pay the betterment charges and penalty. In practice this takes 6 to 18 months, and many B Khata properties simply do not qualify because they sit on revenue land or violate setback rules. Do not buy on a seller's verbal promise that conversion is easy.
Is A Khata proof that the property title is clean?
No. This is the mistake I correct most often. A Khata only proves the property is on BBMP's tax records. It says nothing about who actually owns it, whether there are pending mortgages, or whether the mother deed has a gap. Title comes from the chain of sale deeds, the encumbrance certificate, and the revenue records. A Khata verification and a title verification are two different jobs.
How much does property title verification cost in Bangalore?
For a standard apartment or a BDA or BBMP site, a full title and A Khata versus B Khata verification runs between Rs 8,000 and Rs 20,000 depending on how old the chain of documents is and how many links you need to trace. Legal Brigade charges a flat fee quoted upfront, so you know the number before we open a single document. If the chain is broken or a partition deed needs to be examined, we tell you that before billing, not after.
How long does a property due-diligence check take?
A clean apartment file with 30 years of documents usually takes 48 to 72 working hours. Older revenue layouts, converted agricultural land, or properties with a partition or gift deed in the chain can take 5 to 7 working days because we pull records from the sub-registrar and the BBMP khata section. I will not rush a title opinion to meet a token advance deadline, and no honest lawyer should.
Can I do the A Khata verification myself or do I need a lawyer?
You can pull the khata certificate and the EC yourself from the BBMP portal and the Kaveri site for a small fee, and you should. But reading a 40-year chain of deeds, spotting a missing link, and catching an encumbrance that was discharged but never entered in the register is a different skill. I have caught three cases this year where the buyer's own check missed a subsisting mortgage. Use a lawyer for the title opinion, not for the printout.
If you have already paid a token advance and the seller is pushing you to register next week, get the khata status and the title chain checked before you sign anything else. At Legal Brigade, a full A Khata versus B Khata verification and title check is usually done in 48 to 72 hours at a flat fee we quote before we start, so there are no surprises at the end. Send us the sale deed, the mother deed, and the latest EC, and we will tell you plainly whether the property is safe to buy or you should walk away. book a free property consultation and let us look at the papers first.
Written by Advocate Raghavendra S C, a Bangalore-based property lawyer with 20+ years of practice in property title verification, due diligence, registration, and civil litigation across Karnataka courts and sub-registrar offices. For a property title check or due-diligence opinion in Bangalore, contact Legal Brigade at legalbrigade.co.in.