BuySellProperty
LoginPost Property
Documents · 8 min read

Property documents, explained plainly

What each paper proves, and what its absence should tell you.

Ownership

The sale deed is the proof of transfer. The title chain — the run of earlier deeds — shows the ownership has never broken.

An encumbrance certificate lists loans and charges registered against the property. Ask for the last thirty years.

Permission to build and occupy

The approved plan shows what the authority allowed. Compare it against what stands; unapproved additions are your problem after you buy.

The occupancy certificate says the building is legally fit to live in. Without it, loans and resale both get harder.

Dues and registration

Property tax receipts and the society no-dues letter confirm nothing outstanding will follow you.

For anything under construction, the RERA registration number lets you check timelines and complaints on the state authority's site.

More articlesOpen checklists

Read next

DOCUMENTS
Society transfer, NOC and maintenance dues
DOCUMENTS
Property registration, step by step
DOCUMENTS
How to check a RERA number, state by state

Review documents with an independent professional before committing funds.