How To Apply Encumbrance Certificate In Tamil Nadu

The first step while considering the purchase of a property, the buyer has to ensure that the legal title of the property is clear – whether there is any lien/charge on the property, or if there are other owners / claimants to the property other than the seller, if the property has been mortgaged or if there is any existing housing loan against the property or if the property is subject to a legal issue.

An Encumbrance Certificate is a document which is used to check if there is any charge created/lien on any property then such information will be available in the Encumbrance Certificate (EC). An EC is a document available at the concerned Sub-Registrar’s office (An EC also can be obtained online) which contains details of charges made on the property. If there are no charges against a property for the period mentioned in the EC then a Nil Encumbrance Certificate is given.

How to view an EC online in Tamilnadu?

1. Go to TNREGINET portal (Inspector General of Registration Portal by the Government of Tamilnadu)  - https://tnreginet.gov.in/portal/
2. Under the E-Services drop down menu, select Encumbrance Certicate and click View EC.
3. In the subsequent page EC can be viewed in 2 options:

1. EC – The Entire Encumbrance Certificate for property for specified property
2. Documentwise – This is check if a particular document number appears  in the EC or not.

If EC is selected, then details of the property such as Zone, District, Sub registrar office, Village along with Survey No. and Subdivision Number along with period of the EC have to be specified. After validation of the code, EC, if any, will be available for download as a pdf file.

Alternatively, if document wise option is selected, then you have choose the Sub Registrar  Office from the drop down box, mention the document number and year and type of document and then validate the code to get the details.

The above method is for getting a computerized copy of an EC.

How to get a digitally signed copy of the EC?

The procedure for that is similar, Login to tnreginet portal, go to E-services drop down menu, Select Encumbrance certificate and then ‘Search and Apply EC’ however, for that one has to create and login to the tnreginet portal and go through the same procedure above and make payment for the EC through online payment gateway. The EC once ready will be ready for download from the Request List – tab under the same menu. The Fee for EC is:

E.C. Application fee:  Re.1/-

Search Fee for the 1^st year - Rs.  15/-

Search fee for every additional year - Rs. 5/-

Additional Fees in Computerised period,that is, from 1987 - Rs. 100/-

How to apply for Encumbrance Certificate offline?

Visit the concerned Sub-Registrar office (pertaining to the property). Fill in the details of the property and period for which EC is required in EC Application form, Applications are available free of cost and the same can be downloaded (The application form can be downloaded from – www.tnreginet.gov.in – under More drop down menu – Public utility Forms – Public utility Forms). Make the payment at the SRO office. A receipt will be given on payment of the fee and the same should be retained to collect the EC once it is ready.