Every year, thousands of people in India lose money — sometimes their life savings — by buying land without properly verifying its legal status. Title fraud, benami transactions, fake NA orders, undisclosed mortgages and pending court cases are more common than most people realise. The good news: all of this is now verifiable online, free of cost, using official government portals.

This guide walks you through exactly how to verify land records and find information about any land parcel in Maharashtra, Goa and Karnataka — step by step, with direct links to every portal you need.

First principle: Never pay an advance, sign an agreement or execute a sale deed without completing every verification step in this guide. A few hours of online verification can save you from decades of legal trouble.

What Information You Need Before You Start

To check land records for any plot, you need at least one of the following from the seller:

  • Survey Number — also called Gat Number (MH), Survey No. (Goa) or Survey Number (KA). This is the unique identifier of every land parcel in revenue records.
  • Village, Taluka and District — the administrative location where the land is recorded
  • Owner's Name — you can search by name on encumbrance portals
  • Registration Document Number — if the seller has the original sale deed with them

If the seller cannot or will not provide the Survey Number — walk away. No legitimate seller hesitates to give this. It is a public record. Any reluctance is a serious red flag.

Part 1: How to Verify Land in Maharashtra

Step 1 — Check the 7/12 Extract (Satbara Utara)

Maharashtra

The 7/12 extract is the most important document for any land in Maharashtra. It is a two-part revenue record maintained by the village Talathi (revenue officer). Part 7 shows ownership details. Part 12 shows cultivation and crop details. Together they tell you everything about who owns the land, who is cultivating it, what type of land it is, and whether there are any encumbrances.

How to check online — free:

1

Go to digitalsatbara.mahabhumi.gov.in

This is the official Maharashtra government portal for 7/12 extracts. It is completely free.

Open Digital Satbara
2

Select District → Taluka → Village

Use the dropdown menus to navigate to the correct district (e.g., Ratnagiri), then taluka (e.g., Sangameshwar), then village name. All villages in Maharashtra are listed.

3

Enter Survey Number and click Search

Type the Survey Number (Gat Kramank) exactly as given by the seller. The 7/12 extract will appear on screen. You can also search by owner name if you do not have the survey number.

4

Read the 7/12 carefully — check these columns

Column 1–6 (Ownership): Seller's name must appear here. If it does not — this is not their land to sell.
Column 7 (Cultivator): If a name appears here that is NOT the owner — a tenant may have legal occupancy rights over the land. This requires investigation before any purchase.
Column 10 (Other Rights/Encumbrances): Any loans, mortgages, court attachments, NA order details or government dues appear here. If anything is noted here, investigate it fully before proceeding.
Land Type: Shows whether the land is Jirayat (rain-fed), Bagayat (irrigated/orchard) or NA (Non-Agricultural). If you want to build and it shows agricultural — NA conversion is mandatory.

Also check the 8A extract on the same portal. The 8A shows the owner's complete land holding across all survey numbers in that village. This is used to verify that the seller actually owns the land they claim, and to check total holding against land ceiling limits.

Step 2 — Check the Encumbrance Certificate (EC)

Maharashtra

The Encumbrance Certificate shows every registered transaction on a property — sale deeds, mortgages, gift deeds, partition deeds, court orders — for the period you request. It is maintained by the Sub-Registrar of Assurances under the Inspector General of Registration (IGR).

1

Go to igrmaharashtra.gov.in → eSearch

Click on "eSearch" or "Document Search" from the main menu. This lets you search all registered documents by survey number or owner name.

IGR Maharashtra eSearch
2

Search by Survey Number or Owner Name

Select the district, SRO (Sub-Registrar Office), and enter the survey number. Request documents for the last 30 years minimum. You will see a list of all registered documents — sale deeds, mortgage deeds, partition deeds, court attachments.

3

Check for mortgages and verify the ownership chain

If you see a "Mortgage Deed" in the list — the land is pledged with a bank or private lender. The seller must clear this before you can get a clean title. Also trace the ownership chain: Person A sold to Person B, B sold to C — C is the current seller. If this chain is broken, the title may not be clear.

Step 3 — Verify NA Status

Maharashtra

If the land is shown as agricultural in the 7/12 but the seller claims it has been converted to NA (Non-Agricultural), verify this on the NA Seva portal.

1

Go to naseva.mahabhumi.gov.in

Enter the survey number and district to check the current NA status. The portal shows if an NA order has been issued, what purpose it was issued for, and any conditions attached.

NA Seva Portal

Alternatively, ask the seller for the original NA Order document issued by the District Collector. This document has a unique order number, date, survey number, area, purpose and conditions. Verify the details against the 7/12.

Step 4 — Check MahaRERA (for layouts and projects)

Maharashtra

If you are buying a plot in a residential layout or gated development, the project must be registered with MahaRERA under the Maharashtra Real Estate Regulatory Authority Act. Any layout with more than 8 plots or area above 500 sqm must be registered.

1

Search on maharera.mahaonline.gov.in

Enter the project name or developer name. A registered project will show the LP number, RERA registration number, project timeline, developer details and any complaints. If the project is not registered — do not buy any plot in it.

MahaRERA Search

Part 2: How to Verify Land in Goa

Goa has a unique land records system rooted in its Portuguese colonial history. The documents, portals and process are different from Maharashtra. Here is exactly what to do.

Step 1 — Check Form I & XIV (Goa's 7/12 equivalent)

Goa

In Goa, land records are maintained under the Portuguese-era cadastral survey system. The primary document is Form I & XIV, maintained by the Department of Settlement & Land Records (DSLR). Form I shows ownership and survey details. Form XIV shows cultivation and crop details.

1

Go to the Goa DSLR Land Records portal

Access Form I & XIV using the survey number, village and taluka. The portal covers both North Goa and South Goa talukas.

Goa DSLR Portal Goa Online Services
2

Check for Communidade land — critical in Goa

If the Form I shows "Communidade" as the owner or co-owner — this land belongs to the traditional Gaunkari village community and cannot be sold to individuals. Buying Communidade land is illegal and the transaction will be void. This is one of the most common fraud types in Goa land transactions.

Step 2 — Verify TCP Sanad (Goa's NA equivalent)

Goa

In Goa, all land use is governed by the Town and Country Planning (TCP) Department under the Regional Plan for Goa. A Sanad is the TCP Department's permission to use land for a non-agricultural purpose. Without it, you cannot legally construct on agricultural land in Goa.

1

Visit or contact the TCP Department

The TCP Department offices are in Panaji (North Goa) and Margao (South Goa). Check whether the land falls in a Residential, Commercial, Agriculture, Eco-Sensitive or Forest zone under the Regional Plan. Only Residential and Commercial zones permit construction.

TCP Department Goa

Step 3 — CRZ Check for Coastal Goa

Goa

If the land is within 500 metres of the coastline, CRZ (Coastal Regulation Zone) rules apply. In most rural coastal areas of Goa, construction is prohibited within 200 metres of the High Tide Line. Verify this with the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) before any purchase.

GCZMA — CRZ Verification

Step 4 — Encumbrance & Registration in Goa

Goa

Get an Encumbrance Certificate covering the last 30 years from the Sub-Registrar of Assurances office (Panaji for North Goa, Margao for South Goa). This shows all past registered transactions including mortgages and court orders. You can apply online via Goa Online Services or in person at the Sub-Registrar office.

Goa Online — EC Application

Important for Goa: Always engage a Goa-licensed advocate for title search. The Portuguese-era registration system in Goa has unique documentation requirements that general advocates from other states may not be familiar with.

Part 3: How to Verify Land in Karnataka

Step 1 — Check the RTC (Record of Rights, Tenancy and Crops)

Karnataka

In Karnataka, the primary land record is the RTC (Pahani) — maintained on the Bhoomi online portal. This is Karnataka's equivalent of Maharashtra's 7/12 extract. It shows ownership (Khatedar), the nature of land, cultivator name, and any encumbrances.

1

Go to landrecords.karnataka.gov.in or bhoomi.karnataka.gov.in

Select the district, taluk and village. Enter the survey number. The RTC will display showing: Khatedar (owner) name, nature of land (wet/dry/converted), cultivator name, and any encumbrances in the mutation column.

Bhoomi Land Records Bhoomi Online
2

What to check in the RTC

Khatedar name: Must match the seller's name.
Nature of land: Wet (irrigated), Dry (rain-fed) or Converted (DC Order obtained).
Cultivator column: If a tenant name appears separate from the owner — investigate tenancy rights before purchase.
Mutation column: Shows recent ownership changes. Check that all mutations are legitimate and continuous.

Step 2 — Check Encumbrance on Kaveri Online

Karnataka

The Inspector General of Registration (IGR) Karnataka operates the Kaveri Online portal where you can search all registered documents for a property — sale deeds, mortgages, partition deeds and court attachments.

1

Go to kaverionline.karnataka.gov.in

Search by property location or owner name. Download or view the Encumbrance Certificate (EC) for the last 30 years. If a mortgage deed appears — the property is pledged with a lender and must be cleared before sale.

Kaveri Online Karnataka

Step 3 — DC Order for Land Conversion

Karnataka

In Karnataka, converting agricultural land to residential or commercial use requires a DC Order — permission from the Deputy Commissioner under Section 95 of the Karnataka Land Revenue Act. If you plan to build on agricultural land, the seller must have obtained this order. Verify it at the DC Office of the respective district.

Verification That Applies to All 3 States

Check for Court Cases on eCourts

Even if all revenue records are clean, there may be litigation on the property that does not appear in revenue records — partition disputes between family members, injunctions from creditors, or civil suits between past owners. Always check.

1

Search on ecourts.gov.in by party name

Go to eCourts and search by the current owner's name in the state and district where the land is located. If any pending case appears — investigate it with a lawyer before proceeding.

eCourts India Bombay High Court (MH & Goa) Karnataka High Court

Check Land Boundary Maps Online

Use these map portals to verify the physical extent and boundaries of the land before visiting the site:

Bhulekh — Maharashtra Maps Bhoomni — Karnataka Maps Bhu-Naksha — All India

The Complete Verification Checklist

Print this and tick each item before paying any advance:

Survey Number obtained from sellerWith village, taluka and district
7/12 / Form I&XIV / RTC downloaded from official portalNot from seller — download yourself from the government website
Seller's name matches revenue recordsOwnership column must clearly show seller's name
No tenant name in cultivator columnAny tenant name requires investigation — do not proceed without legal advice
Encumbrance Certificate (30 years) — no mortgagesDownload from IGR (MH), Kaveri (KA) or Sub-Registrar (Goa)
NA order / TCP Sanad / DC Order verifiedIf you plan to construct — conversion permission must exist
No court cases found on eCourtsSearch by owner's full name in the relevant district
CRZ checked for coastal landFor any land within 2km of coastline in Konkan, Goa or Karnataka
Physical boundary inspection done with licensed surveyorWalk the boundary stones with seller present. Compare with map.
Advocate title search completedOnline checks are preliminary — always get a qualified advocate's written opinion

Red Flags — Stop Immediately If You See These

Seller refuses to give Survey NumberNo legitimate seller withholds this. It is a public record.
Seller's name does not appear in revenue recordsThey cannot legally sell what is not in their name. Stop immediately.
Mortgage appears on Encumbrance CertificateDo not pay any advance until the mortgage is cleared and EC is clean.
Multiple names in ownership — not all involved in saleAll co-owners must sign the sale deed. Absence of any co-owner creates title dispute.
Seller is rushing you to pay advance quicklyHigh urgency is a classic fraud tactic. Genuine sellers are patient.
Land price is far below market rateSuspiciously cheap land usually has a hidden legal problem. Verify everything extra carefully.
Seller says NA is "applied for" but order not yet receivedPending applications can be rejected. Never pay full price for land without actual NA order in hand.
Plot in a layout with no RERA registrationAny layout above 8 plots in MH, Goa or KA must be RERA registered. No registration = no legal protection for buyer.

How Much Does Online Verification Cost?

All the official government portals listed in this guide are completely free. You do not need to pay anyone to check the 7/12, RTC, Bhoomi records or eCourts. The only costs involved are:

  • Certified copy of documents: ₹50–₹200 per document at Sub-Registrar offices if you need a certified physical copy
  • Licensed surveyor for boundary demarcation: ₹5,000–₹20,000 depending on land size and location
  • Advocate title search: ₹10,000–₹50,000 depending on the complexity and advocate's fee. This is the most important investment you can make — far cheaper than losing a property dispute.

Total cost of verification: ₹20,000–₹75,000 typically. For a land transaction worth ₹20–₹50 lakh or more, this is 0.1–0.3% of the property value — easily the best money you will spend in the entire transaction.

What Nilprabha Infinity Does for Every Transaction

Every land transaction Nilprabha Infinity facilitates — whether we represent the buyer or seller — goes through this complete verification process before any agreement is signed:

  • 7/12 / RTC / Form I&XIV downloaded from official portals and reviewed
  • Encumbrance Certificate obtained from the relevant registration department
  • NA / DC Order / TCP Sanad verified
  • eCourts check on all owners
  • CRZ verification for all coastal properties
  • Physical site visit and boundary inspection
  • Advocate title opinion obtained before sale agreement is drafted

This is not optional for us — it is how we protect our clients and our own reputation. We have never facilitated a transaction that later resulted in a title dispute, and we intend to keep it that way.