Record guide
Encumbrance Certificate (EC) in Karnataka
An Encumbrance Certificate (EC) in Karnataka is a record of the registered transactions on a property, such as sales, mortgages and gifts, for the period you choose. The Department of Stamps and Registration issues it through the Kaveri 2.0 portal (kaveri.karnataka.gov.in). You apply online in Form 22, select the district, taluk and village, enter the property number (survey number, surnoc and hissa for farm land; PID, site, assessment or khata number for other property) and e-sign with your Aadhaar OTP. The IGR fee table lists Rs 35 for the first year searched and Rs 10 for each further year. Under the Sakala Services Act, an EC for the period from 1 April 2004 is due in 3 working days. Older periods take 10 working days for the first 13 years, plus one day for each further ten years. The Sub-Registrar's office signs it digitally and you download it from your Kaveri login. It does not show wills, powers of attorney or court cases.
Definition
Encumbrance Certificate (EC): A certificate from the Sub-Registrar that lists the documents registered against a property in Book 1 for a chosen period. Rule 148 of the Karnataka Registration Rules, 1965 provides for it in Forms 15 to 17 of Schedule B, and Rule 151 says it must list all acts and encumbrances affecting the property.
When you need it
Before you buy, to see the registered sales, mortgages and other deeds on the property and to match them with the seller's chain of title. A lender may also ask for it with a loan application. A Nil EC only means that no registered deed was found for the property details and period searched. It is not proof that the property is free of every claim.
Steps
- Register on Kaveri 2.0 (kaveri.karnataka.gov.in) with your mobile number and email. The portal sends you a password.
- Log in, start a new application and select Encumbrance Certificate (EC).
- Choose a search by property number or by party name, then select the district, taluk, hobli and village.
- Enter the property numbers and the From and To dates of the search period. Use Add more to enter other numbers for the same property.
- Pay online by net banking, UPI or card when the payment notice appears. Manual payment is not accepted.
- E-sign the Form 22 application with your Aadhaar number and OTP. It then goes to the Sub-Registrar's office.
- After the office signs the EC, download it from your Kaveri dashboard.
What you need to search
- District, taluk, hobli or town, and village
- Agricultural land: survey number, surnoc and hissa number
- Other property: property number type and number (PID, site, assessment or khata number)
- Search by name: the name of the party who executed the deeds
- Search period: From and To dates
- Aadhaar number and the mobile linked to it, for e-sign
Fees
Rs 35 for the first year searched, plus Rs 10 for each further year (IGR Karnataka EC fee table).
Rs 35 for the first year searched, plus Rs 10 for each further year (IGR Karnataka EC fee table). (source: https://igr.karnataka.gov.in/111/ec-and-cc-fee/en, as of 2026-10-19. Verify with sub-registrar.)
How to read it
Each entry is a document registered at the Sub-Registrar's office, listed with its registration number and date, the type of deed and the parties. Check that the seller is the party in whose favour the last sale, gift or partition was registered. For every mortgage, look for a later release deed in the same list. Read the EC with the RTC and the khata, because it covers registered documents only.
Red flags
- A mortgage entry with no later release deed in the list
- The seller is not the party in whose favour the last sale or gift deed was registered
- A sale agreement, lease or other deed in favour of someone other than the seller
- A Nil EC for a property the seller says they bought by registered deed
- A search period that does not cover the years you need to check
- The seller relies on a will or power of attorney, which an EC does not show
Questions
- Does an EC show every transaction on a property?
- No. It shows documents registered in Book 1 at the Sub-Registrar's office for the period searched. Wills and adoption deeds (Book 3) and powers of attorney (Book 4) do not appear. Pending court cases are not shown either, according to the IGR Karnataka FAQ.
- What is a Nil EC?
- A Nil EC is issued when no registered deed is found for the property details and period in the application. If you know a deed exists, the IGR FAQ advises searching again with more search parameters, such as other property numbers for the same land.
- Can I get an EC for years before 2004?
- Yes. Apply on Kaveri 2.0 in the same way, enter the period and e-sign the application, which goes to the Sub-Registrar. Under Sakala, it takes 10 working days for the first 13 years, plus one day for each further ten years.
- Do I need to visit the Sub-Registrar's office?
- No. Department officers verify the application and sign the EC digitally. After payment and signing, you download the signed EC from your Kaveri 2.0 login. Payment is online only.
- Why does the fee on the portal differ from the fee table?
- IGR Karnataka publishes two versions. The fee table lists Rs 35 for the first year and Rs 10 for each further year. The EC FAQ lists a Rs 10 application fee, Rs 30 for the first year and Rs 10 for each further year. Pay the amount Kaveri shows.
- Where can I complain about an EC application?
- The Department of Stamps and Registration lists helpline 080-68265316 and the email helpdsr@karnataka.gov.in for Kaveri 2.0 issues. If the Sakala deadline passes, the District Registrar is the competent officer listed for the EC service.
Sources
- Kaveri 2.0 - Department of Stamps and Registration, Karnataka
- Fee source — as of 2026-10-19
Last reviewed by LawyerDesk Team
Quality check: 9 of 6 required sections filled. General information only, not legal advice.
Need a property report?
Get a comprehensive title search report powered by LegiScore.
Powered by LegiScore Trusted by homebuyers, lawyers and lenders