Obtaining an Encumbrance Certificate in Karnataka

Volunteer Credits: AN & Sioux helped with nailing many a nitty gritty in this article

About Encumbrance Certificate

What is an Encumbrance Certificate

An Encumbrance Certificate (EC) is a record of registered transactions related to a property. It helps buyers and banks confirm that the property has a clear title, isn’t mortgaged, and has no legal or financial issues.

What transactions are included in EC?

The EC includes any transaction registered with the Sub-Registrar Office. Examples: mortgage, sale, gift deed, partition deed, settlement deed, lease agreement, and court orders related to the property. The EC does not show any pending court cases, Power of Attorney appointments, or will deeds linked to the property.

Types of Encumbrance Certificate

In Karnataka, Encumbrance Certificates (ECs) are issued in different forms based on whether any transactions are recorded for a property during the selected period:

Form 15 is issued when there are registered transactions (like sale, mortgage, or gift) related to the property during the selected period. For example, if a mortgage was registered in 2015 but you request the EC for 2020–2025, it won’t show up – because it falls outside the selected period. So if you want to verify the history of a property, apply for the EC over a longer time span.

Form 16, also called a Nil Encumbrance Certificate, is issued when no registered transactions are found during the selected period. However, you might also get a Nil EC if your search didn’t match any property. The more accurate property details you enter, the better your chances of retrieving a complete record and confirming that there are no transactions or mortgages. To ensure the Nil EC is valid, search for a longer period using the same criteria, ideally covering a time when you know a transaction occurred: if the property appears, then the original Nil EC truly reflects no transactions in the selected window.

Form 17 is issued when you search for an EC using only a party name. It shows the history of registered transactions and the owner’s name. However, Form 17 is not accepted by banks for legal or loan purposes. For official purposes, you must search using property details and get a Form 15 or Form 16.

Which Department issues the EC?

In Karnataka, the Encumbrance Certificate is issued by the Department of Stamps and Registration.

How do I contact the Department?

Visit the website: igr.karnataka.gov.in

The Contact Us section lists details for the Technical Team, Sub-Registrar Offices (SROs), District Registrar Offices (DROs), and the Head Office.

Helpline: 080-68265316

Email: [email protected] / [email protected]

Getting a response may take persistence. If your service is delayed, consider filing a Sakala appeal or an RTI.

About Kaveri Portal

What is the Kaveri portal

Kaveri is a portal by the Department of Stamps and Registration, Karnataka, for accessing registration-related services such as applying for ECs, verifying registered documents, property valuation, calculating registration fees, booking registration appointments, making online payments for stamp duty, marriage registration, and related services.

The URL is kaveri.karnataka.gov.in

Is there a preferred browser for accessing the Kaveri portal?

It’s recommended to use Google Chrome for the best performance.

What languages is the Kaveri website available in?

The Kaveri portal is available in English and Kannada. You can switch languages using the toggle at the top right of the portal.

Tap the three-line menu icon at the top left of your mobile screen. You’ll find the Register and Login options at the bottom of the dropdown.

I’m outside the country. I am not able to access the Kaveri portal.

The portal blocks international IPs and VPNs as a precaution against hacking. Some users outside India have accessed the site using Windscribe or SurfShark VPN by selecting an Indian server. This isn’t always guaranteed to work.

I don’t have an Indian mobile number. Can I register with a US number?

No, registration requires an Indian mobile number.

How do I register on the Kaveri portal?

To register on the Kaveri portal, follow these steps:

Go to kaveri.karnataka.gov.in and click on “Register” at the top right of the screen.
Fill in your First Name, Last Name, and Gender.
Enter your mobile number. A “Send OTP” button will appear. Click it and enter the OTP sent to your mobile number.
Enter your email address. Another “Send OTP” button will appear. Click it and enter the OTP sent to your email address. (The email will be from [email protected] with the subject “User Registration Information Kaveri 2.0”. Check your Updates or Spam folder if you don’t see it in your inbox.)
Choose a Security Question from the dropdown list and provide an answer. Options include:
- Date of Birth
- Favourite Movie
- Mother’s Maiden Name
- Favourite Cricket Team
- Make/Model of First Car
- Occupation
Enter the CAPTCHA displayed on the screen.
Click “Register”.

Once your registration is successful, you will receive an email with your login name and password from [email protected] with the subject “User Login Information Kaveri 2.0”.

I’m not getting the OTP

OTPs usually arrive quickly by email but may be delayed via SMS. Check your email inbox and spam folder if you don’t receive the SMS OTP right away.

For how long is the OTP sent by Kaveri valid?

The OTP is valid for 10 minutes.

I often get an ‘Invalid Captcha’ error

This usually happens due to confusing characters. Common lookalikes to watch for:

l (lowercase L) vs 1 (number one)
O (uppercase O) vs 0 (zero) – the zero is egg shaped
i (uppercase i) vs 1 (number one)
g (lowercase g) vs 9 (number nine)
z (lowercase z) vs 2 (number two)

Tip: If the CAPTCHA is hard to read, click the refresh icon to get a new one.

Can I change my email address, phone number, username, or secret question?

Click the blue person icon at the top right of the Kaveri portal and select Profile from the dropdown menu for the options to change email address, phone number, username, or secret question.

Note: When we checked on June 1, 2025, this feature was not functioning properly. Users attempting to update these details encountered an error message: “File Uploaded Failed.”

To log in to the Kaveri Portal, follow these steps:

First, register an account on the Kaveri portal.
After registering, click the “Login” button located at the top right of the page.
Enter your username (this is the email address you used during registration).
Enter your password (this is a system-generated password that was sent to you via SMS and email when you registered).
Enter the CAPTCHA displayed on the screen.
After entering the CAPTCHA, you will receive a One-Time Password (OTP) on both your registered phone number and email address. If you experience a delay with one, check the other.
Enter the OTP.
Click the “Log in” button.

I forgot the Kaveri portal password. How do I reset it?

Click on ‘Login’ at the top right of the Kaveri portal. Select ‘Forgot Password’, then enter the email ID and phone number you used during registration. You’ll get an SMS and email with a new auto-generated password.

We recommend changing the password to something easy to remember. You may get logged out multiple times during the process, and if your browser doesn’t save login info, you’ll need to enter it each time. This can be frustrating, so a simple password helps if saving isn’t an option.

How do I change the password?

After logging in, click the blue person icon at the top right. Select ‘Change Password’, enter your old password, and set a new one.

How to Log Out of the Kaveri portal?

At the top right of the Kaveri portal, click the blue person icon. From the dropdown menu, select the third option ‘Logout’.

Process to get an EC

How to get an EC

In Karnataka, getting an EC is fully online through the Kaveri portal. There’s no need to visit any government office, and there is no in-person process.

What is the overall process for getting an EC?

Find the village name in the title deed of the property and enter it in the Kaveri Village Finder tool https://zencitizen.chromatikk.com/2024/11/07/kaveri-village-finder/ to get the corresponding district, taluk, and hobli as per Kaveri’s mapping. If you find that the corresponding village name, taluk, or district shown in this tool are different from what’s in your deed, this is expected, as Kaveri portal uses a different mapping.
Search for your property using either the name of one of the parties, or by property identifier. We have given detailed search tips.
Make payment.
Complete eSign
After the SRO approves the application, you can download the EC

What do I need to get an EC

You need:

The village name and either one of:
- Property detail like survey number, Property ID, or Khata number
- Name of one of the parties
- The document number of the title deed. It will be in the format: ABC-1-11111-2011-12
An Aadhaar ID linked to your mobile number
Credit or debit card, net banking, or UPI to make an online payment (cash is not accepted)

Will I get a physical copy of the EC?

No, you’ll only get a soft copy that you can download from the Kaveri portal. It’s digitally signed so it has the same validity as a physical copy signed by the Registrar.

What is the meaning of digitally signed?

A digitally signed document has an official electronic signature. This confirms that the document is legally valid and equal to a physical copy signed by the Registrar. You can use it for legal, financial, or official purposes without needing a printed or stamped version.

How much does it cost to get an EC?

The fee for a digitally signed EC depends on how many years you want to check. There’s a fixed application fee of Rs. 10, plus a search fee of Rs. 30 for the first year and Rs. 10 for each extra year.

How long does it take to get an EC?

It depends on the time period you select.

From 1st April 2004 to today: 3 working days

Before 1st April 2004:

Up to 13 years: 10 working days
More than 13 years: 10 days plus 1 extra day for every additional 10 years

How much time will it take to submit the EC application EC online?

The tricky part is locating your property. If you have enough property identifiers, it can be quick. Plan to spend around an hour.

Do I need to be the owner of the property to get an EC?

No, anyone can apply for and get the EC for a property.

Will I get status updates on the application?

You’ll get an SMS only when you submit the application or when it’s ready to download.

The application may go through several stages after submission. You won’t receive SMS notifications for these, but you can track the progress in the Kaveri portal.

Possible stages include:

Payment pending at payment gateway
Payment received at payment gateway
Ready for e-sign
Application forwarded to FDA
Application signed by SRO
Download signed EC

There are no email updates.

We’ve curated these videos for you:

Applying for EC (Kannada) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFp2cz6nwm4
Applying for EC (English) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajo8nnsB7I8

What are the common technical issues with the Kaveri portal and how to resolve them?

Getting logged out frequently

The portal logs you out often. To reduce hassle, save your username and password in your browser. If that’s not possible, change the auto-generated password to something memorable so you can re-enter it quickly.

“Multiple active session is detected. Do you want to clear all your previous active session(s)?” error message

This usually means you closed the Kaveri portal tab without logging out and are now trying to log in again, or you’re attempting to log in on one device while still logged in on another. Just click OK. You may need to repeat this a couple of times until you receive the OTP and can log in.

Payment issues

Fewer issues have been reported when ‘Mode of Payment’ is set to ‘Netbanking’ and ‘Type of e-Payment’ is selected as ‘SBI e-Pay’
Keep your payment details ready as delays can lead to “Payment pending at payment gateway” status. It may take days for this status to change. Wait for a day or two, and if the status does not change, start a new application
You can pay using a debit card by entering the card number in the field meant for credit card.
Some users have reported issues such as “I get a blank screen after clicking ‘Payment’” or “My payment is successful, but clicking ‘Send for E-Sign’ doesn’t take me to the next screen. It is just stuck on the screen.” In such cases:
- Try after some time, preferably during working hours (10 am to 5 pm on weekdays). The portal may be under maintenance.
- Try a different browser or device.
- Clear your browser cookies and cache, then try again.

“Login isn’t working even though I entered correct username, password and Captcha”
“I get invalid captcha error although I am certain I entered Captcha correctly”
The Captcha changes every time I try to log in without any error message

eSign & Other Issues

“I entered all the right information but I get ‘e-sign failed. Try again’”
“There is no ‘Submit’ or ‘OK’ button after I finish the e-Sign”
“Failed in generating Sakala” or “Unable to save the application”

How to resolve common issues

Try after some time, preferably during working hours (10 am to 5 pm on weekdays). The portal may be under maintenance.
Try a different browser or device.
Clear your browser cookies and cache, then try again.

What are the common issues when getting an EC? Is there a way to work around them?

Technical issues on Kaveri portal

Technical issues with the portal such as getting logged out frequently. We share tips to work around these technical issues.

Can’t Find the Property to get EC

I cannot find Bengaluru Urban district

On the Kaveri portal, you won’t find ‘Bengaluru Urban’ as an option. Instead, it’s split into Basavanagudi, Gandhinagar, Jayanagar, Rajajinagar, and Shivajinagar – corresponding to the 5 District Registrar Offices (DROs) in Bengaluru. Kaveri treats these DROs like separate districts to route the application to the correct jurisdiction.

This creates confusion for citizens, as the very first step in getting an EC is selecting the district, and those looking for properties in Bengaluru Urban can’t find ‘Bengaluru Urban’ in the list.

To help with this, Zen Citizen created the Kaveri Village Finder tool. https://zencitizen.chromatikk.com/2024/11/07/kaveri-village-finder/

Enter the village name from your title deed (sale deed, gift deed, or release deed), and it will show the district (and the taluk, hobli, and village name as per Kaveri’s mapping. You may find that even the village name, taluk, or district differ from what’s in your deed – this is normal, as Kaveri uses a different mapping.

What is a Village Name?

In Karnataka, land records use the revenue village name, as the basic administration unit. Typically we refer to addresses as localities or neighborhoods. Example, Indira Nagar or Jaya Nagar in Bengaluru. However, officially, your property is part of a revenue village, a group of villages form a Hobli, group of hobli’s form a Taluk, and a group of Taluk’s form a District.

For example, 100 Feet Road in Indiranagar falls under:

Village: K.G. Thippasandra

Hobli: Marathahalli

Taluk: Bangalore-East

District: Shivajinagar

How do I find the Taluk, Hobli and Village name?

You can find the ‘village name’ in the title deed of the property (for example, sale deed, gift deed, release deed) or in an earlier EC taken for the property.

Tips for finding your property record.

The search process is easy if you have the title deed document on hand (for example, sale deed, gift deed, release deed)

Find the village name in the title deed of the property or a previous EC and enter it in the Kaveri Village Finder tool https://zencitizen.chromatikk.com/2024/11/07/kaveri-village-finder/ to get the corresponding district, taluk, and hobli as per Kaveri’s mapping. If you find that the corresponding village name, taluk, or district shown in this tool are different from what’s in your deed, this is expected, as Kaveri portal uses a different mapping.
You can search for your property using either the name of one of the parties to the title deed, or by using a property identifier such as Khata number. Note that, results are retrieved based on information recorded in the title deed at the time of the transaction. So, if the property is old and does not have a Khata number, say, you cannot search by Khata number.Search only using the property identifiers included in the title document. The property won’t appear in the search results, and you’ll get a Form 16 or ‘Nil Encumbrance’.
Use a narrow time window around a transaction date. The transaction can be a registration or taking a loan. Set the ‘From’ date to 1–2 days before the actual transaction date. Use the current date as the ‘To’ date to get the most recent EC.
If you searching by Name, please note the following
- The entire name must be entered in the ‘First Name’ field
- You need to enter the entire name. For example, if your name is “Anand Bharat Karthik” and you enter only “Anand” as the first name, you will not be able to locate your property.
- If there is a dot in your name, please include it
- Check if there is a space after the dot in your name as it is in the title deed or previous EC you have. This will affect the search results.
- When you search by name, you may see several properties for that name. Scroll through the results to find the property you are trying to get an EC.
- If you search for a property using a name, you’ll get Form 17, which isn’t always accepted by banks or government offices. You can first search by name, then use the property details from the results to run a second search using the property identifier. Note the property details including the document reference number which is listed in the last column of the table.
If you are searching by property identifier:
- Remember to select ‘Non-Agricultural’ if it applies to your property. The default setting is ‘Agricultural’, and it’s easy to overlook changing it.
- You can use a simple identifier like Flat Number to narrow the results.
- You may find multiple properties in the search results. Narrowing them isn’t always possible, as the Kaveri portal uses an OR condition when you search with more than one identifier. Scroll through the results, find your property, and copy the document reference number listed in the last column of that row. Enter this number in the ‘Property Description’ text box. DO NOT proceed to make the payment if multiple rows appear and you haven’t entered the document number—if you do, the application will be rejected, as the SRO won’t know which property to issue the EC for.
If you only have a document number and not the party name or property identifier, you can find the names of the parties by going to ‘New Application’ → ‘Certified Copy’. In Quick Search, enter the document number in the format ABC-1-11111-2011-12 (District Registrar Office code – Book Number – Volume Number – Financial Year of registration). Click Search to view the first page of the title deed, where the party names will be shown. Note, only the first page of the document will be shown.
If you used a narrow search window to make it easier to find the property, remember to expand the search window to cover the full time period you want the EC for before making the payment.
Other Notes:
- If you see multiple entries for the same property, it indicates the property has undergone multiple transactions. You can proceed to payment with confidence.
- Don’t be intimidated by the sections ‘Boundary Details’ and ‘Unit of Measurement’. These sections are not mandatory.
- Even if there’s an active loan on the property, it won’t appear in the results if the loan was taken outside of the time period you provided.
Known bug: Below the search results, you’ll see an option “Can’t locate your property,” which prompts you to enter a document reference number from the Title Deed. However, the ‘View Documents’ button doesn’t work.

When I search for the property, I am getting a Form 16. What is Form 16?

Form 16, also called a Nil Encumbrance Certificate, is issued when no registered transactions are found during the selected period.

However, you might also get a Nil EC if your search didn’t match any property.

The more accurate property details you enter, the better your chances of retrieving a complete record and confirming that there are no transactions or mortgages.

To ensure the Nil EC is valid, search for a longer period using the same criteria, ideally covering a time when you know a transaction occurred: if the property appears, then the original Nil EC truly reflects no transactions in the selected window.

If you know there was a transaction during the period you searched but your property doesn’t appear in the results, it means the search criteria you entered are incorrect.

You may encounter issues when making payment

Keep your payment information such as credit card, debit card, Netbanking or UPI details handy as your payment window can time out by the time you get them.

Please select ‘Net Banking’ for a smoother payment experience.

Delay in getting the application approved by the Registrar

If there’s a delay in receiving your EC beyond the government’s promised time limit, file a Sakala appeal. To do this, you’ll need the Sakala acknowledgement number, which is generated when you make the EC payment. Screenshot or copy this number. You can also find it in the SMS confirming receipt of your application.

You can’t return to an EC application to edit it later.

You can’t return to an EC application to edit it later. If you don’t click ‘Continue’ after searching, the application won’t be saved. If you do click ‘Continue’, you’ll be taken to the next step—Make Payment. After this point, you can’t go back to edit the application, such as changing the EC time period. The status in the Dashboard will show as ‘Make Payment’ or ‘Delete Application’.

If you have the property identifiers, this is a quick process and not a major inconvenience.

To find your saved application on the Kaveri portal:

Log in to your Kaveri portal account. Below the ‘New Application’ section you’ll see various services listed horizontally.
Click on the ‘EC Applications’ tab. There, you’ll find a list of EC applications either in progress after payment or waiting for payment.

What are some things I should know before applying for an EC?

The search process is easy if you have the title deed document on hand (for example, sale deed, gift deed, release deed)
Payment is non-refundable, so carefully check the details in the draft EC before proceeding with payment.
- Ensure you are getting the EC for the right property. You may find multiple properties in the search results. Narrowing them isn’t always possible, as the Kaveri portal uses an OR condition when you search with more than one identifier. Scroll through the results, find your property, and copy the document reference number listed in the last column of that row. Enter this number in the ‘Property Description’ text box. DO NOT proceed to make the payment if multiple rows appear and you haven’t entered the document number—if you do, the application will be rejected, as the SRO won’t know which property to issue the EC for.
- Ensure you’re selecting the correct time period for the EC. You may use a narrow window to find the property, but when applying for the EC, set the right time range.
- Note the type of EC before making the payment: Form 16 (Nil Encumbrance) is issued when no transactions are found, Form 15 when you search using a property identifier, and Form 17 when you search using a party’s name. Form 17 is not always accepted by banks or government offices. If you receive a Form 17, use the property details shown to run a second search using the property identifier. Also, note the document reference number listed in the last column of Form 17 – you can enter this in the ‘Property Description’ text field if multiple results appear when searching by property identifier.

Redressal process

Sakala – First Appeal

If your EC is not delivered within the timeline promised under Sakala or is rejected without valid justification, you can file an appeal.

Use this link to submit a first appeal to the Competent Officer—in this case, the District Registrar. You need the acknowledgement number provided at the time of payment for the EC.

Expected Resolution: Within 30 working days, you should either receive the EC or a clear explanation detailing whether your application did not meet the necessary requirements.

Sakala – Escalating to a Second Appeal

If the resolution from your first appeal is unsatisfactory, you have the option to file a second appeal.

Submit your appeal here to the Appellate Authority—in this case, the Inspector General of Registration and Commissioner of Stamps.

The Appellate Authority is required to provide a final decision within 30 working days.

Note: The decision made at this stage is conclusive and binding. Ensure you have all relevant documentation from the first appeal process when submitting the second appeal.

Miscellaneous

Draft EC

There is no charge for viewing the draft EC online. If you’re checking whether any transactions were registered on your property without your knowledge, viewing the draft EC is sufficient.

However, if you need to submit the EC as proof to a bank, court, or share it with a prospective buyer, you should get a certified copy, namely Form 17 or Form 15.

In the dashboard beside my EC application, I see an option to ‘View Form 22’. What is Form 22?

Form 22 is the draft version of the Encumbrance Certificate. It’s the document the SRO will digitally sign and then make available on the portal for you to download.

Challan

A challan is an official payment receipt used to make government payments in Karnataka. You first generate the challan on the portal, then use it to make the payment. It remains valid for 90 days; if payment isn’t made within that time, a new challan must be generated.

What does the ‘Verify Challan’ option on the dashboard next to my EC application mean?

“Verify Challan” is a feature to check if a generated challan has been paid. This feature is useful if you’ve made a payment but aren’t sure it went through, as you can confirm its status.

Chargeback

What is a chargeback? I’m being asked to agree to conditions like: “I understand that my transaction is not eligible for a chargeback” and “I accept that a chargeback is not automatic, and any refund request must be made directly to the concerned government department.”

A chargeback refers to a refund initiated by your bank or card issuer when you dispute a transaction. It’s typically used when a payment was unauthorized, duplicated, or if goods/services weren’t received.

In the context of these statements, you’re agreeing that you can’t request a refund through your bank for this payment. If you want a refund, you must directly contact the relevant government department.

Khajane

Khajane is the online financial and payment platform launched by the Government of Karnataka

CAPTCHAs when searching for a property

When searching for a property, you don’t need to enter the CAPTCHA each time. As long as you don’t switch between ‘Search by Name’ and ‘Search by Property’, the CAPTCHA remains valid.

For how long will the digitally signed EC be available on the portal?

There’s no time limit; you can return to the portal and download the EC again at any time.