Is the free EC from TNREGINET enough?

The free EC covers 1 January 1975 to the previous day and lists every registered transaction for the survey number. The Registration Department says it is given for informative purposes. If a bank, court or office asks for a certified copy, apply for the signed EC, which carries a QR code on every page and the Sub-Registrar's digital signature.

How long does a certified EC take?

TNREGINET says an online EC is delivered to your login within three working days, not counting the date of application. The EC dashboard showed the same three-working-day limit on 22 October 2026. For the period before 1 January 1975, apply in writing at the Sub-Registrar office, which delivers the signed EC within four days.

What if a transaction I know about is missing?

First check the village, survey number, subdivision and period you entered. The Citizen Charter says that if the land had an old survey number, you must state it too, or its entries will not appear. If the EC itself is wrong, give a written petition to the Sub-Registrar with a copy of the document and the EC.

Can I get one EC if the village moved between Sub-Registrar offices?

Yes. The Registration Department says that if a village came under different Sub-Registrar offices for different periods, you can apply for a single EC covering the whole period. For an office that has closed, select the closed office's name on the portal for the period after 1 January 1975.

Will I get a refund if I entered the wrong details?

No. TNREGINET warns that wrong or insufficient details will produce a wrong EC and that it will not entertain refund requests for a wrong EC. Before you pay, check the survey number, subdivision, village and period against the patta and the parent deed. The free view is a good way to test the search first.

Where can I complain about an EC problem?

For complaints and clarifications, the Registration Department lists 9498452110, 9498452120 and 9498452130, Monday to Friday, 10 am to 5.45 pm. For software problems, the toll-free number is 1800 102 5174. You can also email helpdesk@tnreginet.net or write to the District Registrar concerned.

Record guide

Encumbrance Certificate (EC) in Tamil Nadu

An Encumbrance Certificate (EC) in Tamil Nadu lists the documents registered against a property for the period you choose, such as sale deeds, mortgages, gifts and settlements. The Registration Department issues it through TNREGINET (tnreginet.gov.in). Anyone can view and download an EC for any period from 1 January 1975 free of cost, without logging in, by entering the zone, district, Sub-Registrar office, village and survey number. The Department says the free copy is for information. For a certified EC, log in and use E-Services > Encumbrance Certificate > Search and Apply EC. The Duty and Fees page lists a Rs 1 application fee, Rs 30 for the first year, Rs 10 for each further year and Rs 200 extra for the computerised period from 1987. The signed EC reaches your login with a QR code within three working days. For years before 1975, apply at the Sub-Registrar office.

Definition

Encumbrance Certificate (EC): A statement from the Registration Department that contains all the transactions registered for a particular property during a particular period. For each document it gives the number and year, the dates of execution and registration, the nature of the deed, the executants and claimants, the consideration value and the market value.

When you need it

Before you decide to buy. The Registration Department advises getting the EC as the first step to find out the transactions and ownership of a property. Check it again just before registration, because a deed registered after your first search will not be in the earlier copy. A lender or court that wants a certified copy will need the signed EC, not the free one.

Steps

Open TNREGINET (tnreginet.gov.in/portal) and switch to English. Go to E-Services > Encumbrance Certificate > View EC, or click View/Download Encumbrance Certificate @ Free of Cost on the home page.
Choose Property Details based Search (Survey Wise, Plot Flat Wise or Ward Block Wise) or Document Number based Search.
Select the zone, district and Sub-Registrar office, set the EC start and end dates, select the village and enter the survey and subdivision numbers. Click Add.
Type the captcha and click Search. If the result has fewer than 200 entries, download the EC PDF at once. If it has more, the portal emails the PDF to you.
For a certified EC, log in and go to E-Services > Encumbrance Certificate > Search and Apply EC. Enter the property details, boundaries and extent, then click Apply Online.
Enter your name and mobile number and pay the fee online.
When the SMS arrives, download the signed EC from E-Services > Encumbrance Certificate > Request List.

What you need to search

Zone, district and Sub-Registrar office
EC start and end dates (the free view covers 1 January 1975 to the previous day)
Registration village or revenue village
Survey number and subdivision number, or plot or flat number, or town survey number with ward and block
The old survey number, if the land was renumbered
For a document search: Sub-Registrar office, document number, year and document type

Fees

Encumbrance Certificate (EC) fee. Source: tnreginet.gov.in, as of 2026-10-22.

Certified EC for one survey number: Rs 1 application fee, Rs 30 search fee for the first year, Rs 10 for each additional year, and Rs 200 extra for the computerised period from 1987. Viewing and downloading the EC online is free. (source: https://tnreginet.gov.in/portal/webHP?requestType=ApplicationRH&actionVal=openDutyAndFee&screenId=114&menuCode=1195008&auditUSFlag=true, as of 2026-10-22. Verify with sub-registrar.)

How to read it

Each row is one registered document: its number and year, the dates of execution, presentation and registration, the nature of the document, the executants and claimants, the volume and page number, the consideration and market values, and the property schedule. Read from the oldest entry. The claimant in the last sale, gift, settlement or partition should be your seller. For each mortgage, look for a later receipt or release. The EC also prints the data availability period for the village. Check that it covers the years you searched.

Red flags

A mortgage or deposit of title deeds with no later receipt or release
The seller is not the claimant in the last sale, gift, settlement or partition deed
A sale agreement or power of attorney in favour of someone other than the seller
No entry for a deed the seller says was registered
Entries under an old survey number that your search did not include
A data availability period for the village that does not cover the years you searched

Questions

Is the free EC from TNREGINET enough?: The free EC covers 1 January 1975 to the previous day and lists every registered transaction for the survey number. The Registration Department says it is given for informative purposes. If a bank, court or office asks for a certified copy, apply for the signed EC, which carries a QR code on every page and the Sub-Registrar's digital signature.
How long does a certified EC take?: TNREGINET says an online EC is delivered to your login within three working days, not counting the date of application. The EC dashboard showed the same three-working-day limit on 22 October 2026. For the period before 1 January 1975, apply in writing at the Sub-Registrar office, which delivers the signed EC within four days.
What if a transaction I know about is missing?: First check the village, survey number, subdivision and period you entered. The Citizen Charter says that if the land had an old survey number, you must state it too, or its entries will not appear. If the EC itself is wrong, give a written petition to the Sub-Registrar with a copy of the document and the EC.
Can I get one EC if the village moved between Sub-Registrar offices?: Yes. The Registration Department says that if a village came under different Sub-Registrar offices for different periods, you can apply for a single EC covering the whole period. For an office that has closed, select the closed office's name on the portal for the period after 1 January 1975.
Will I get a refund if I entered the wrong details?: No. TNREGINET warns that wrong or insufficient details will produce a wrong EC and that it will not entertain refund requests for a wrong EC. Before you pay, check the survey number, subdivision, village and period against the patta and the parent deed. The free view is a good way to test the search first.
Where can I complain about an EC problem?: For complaints and clarifications, the Registration Department lists 9498452110, 9498452120 and 9498452130, Monday to Friday, 10 am to 5.45 pm. For software problems, the toll-free number is 1800 102 5174. You can also email helpdesk@tnreginet.net or write to the District Registrar concerned.

Sources

TNREGINET - Registration Department, Tamil Nadu (Search Encumbrance Certificate)
Fee source — as of 2026-10-22

Last reviewed 22 Oct 2026 by LawyerDesk Team

Quality check: 9 of 6 required sections filled. General information only, not legal advice.

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