Last Verified: March 2026 | Next Review: June 2026
Property registration (registry) is the legal transfer of ownership and payment of stamp duty at the Sub-Registrar’s office. A land record (mutation/daakhil-kharij) is the revenue department’s ledger for tax collection. After registering a property, buyers must separately apply for mutation so the government officially recognizes them as the taxpayer and owner.
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You just paid ₹50 lakh for a plot and got the paperwork done at the Sub-Registrar’s office. You have the stamped papers in hand, so you think you own it. Six months later, you check the state’s land portal and the seller’s name is still showing as the owner. Panic sets in. This is the classic confusion between property registration and land records that traps thousands of first-time buyers in India every year.
The Core Difference: Registry vs. Bhulekh
To understand this, you need to separate the legal ownership of the property from the government’s tax records.
Property Registration (The Registry / Bainama):
This happens at the Sub-Registrar of Assurances office. When you buy a property, the seller transfers the title to you through a Sale Deed. You pay stamp duty and registration charges to the state government. This document proves in a court of law that you legally bought the property. However, the Sub-Registrar’s office does not automatically tell the local revenue department to update their files.
Land Records (Mutation / Daakhil-Kharij / Bhulekh):
This happens at the Tehsil or Revenue office. Mutation is the process of changing the name of the owner in the local municipal or revenue records. The government needs to know who to send the property tax bill to. If you don’t do this, the previous owner remains the official taxpayer in the government’s eyes.
Take Ramesh from Pune. He bought an apartment and assumed the builder handled everything. When he applied for a bank loan against the property three years later, the bank rejected his application because the 7/12 extract (the local land record) still showed the builder’s name. He had to run to the Talathi office for weeks to fix a process he should have done immediately after registration.
Who Needs to Update Both Records?
You must apply for a change in land records if you acquired property through:
A direct purchase (Sale Deed)
Inheritance after the death of the original owner
A registered Gift Deed
A partition of family property
Power of Attorney transfer (where legally valid)
If you just registered a lease or a rental agreement, you do not need to update the land ownership records.
Documents You Need Before Applying for Mutation
Keep these ready on your phone or computer. From what we’ve seen, applications with clear, legible document scans get processed almost twice as fast by the Circle Officer.
Mandatory Documents:
Copy of the Registered Sale Deed (Bainama) or Gift Deed
Aadhaar Card (आधार कार्ड) of the buyer
Latest property tax receipt (to prove there are no pending dues)
An Indemnity Bond or Affidavit on stamp paper (varies by state, usually ₹10 to ₹100 stamp paper)
For Inheritance Cases:
Death Certificate of the deceased owner
Legal Heir Certificate or Succession Certificate
Copy of the Will (if applicable)
Mobile Upload Tip: Most state portals require documents in PDF format, strictly under 2MB. If you take photos of a 20-page sale deed with your phone, the file will be too large. Use a free PDF compressor tool on your mobile browser before you start the form.
Standard Fees and Legal Timelines (2025-26)
The fees for mutation are entirely separate from the heavy stamp duty you paid during registration.
Application Fee: Very nominal. Many states (like Bihar and Karnataka) process online applications for free. Offline applications might require a ₹25 to ₹100 court fee stamp affixed to the form, depending on your state’s Revenue Act.
Penalty for Delay: If you fail to apply for mutation within 3-6 months of registration, some municipal corporations charge a late fee ranging from ₹250 to ₹1,000.
Processing Time: By law, uncontested mutations should be completed within 15 to 45 days. A public notice is issued giving anyone 15 days to raise an objection. If no one objects, the name is updated.
How to Apply for Mutation Online (State Portal Guide)
Because land is a state subject, every state has a different portal (e.g., UP Bhulekh, Bihar Bhumi, MahaBhumi, Dharani in Telangana). The interface changes, but the core steps remain identical. We will use the standard revenue portal flow as the example.
Step 1: Visit Your State’s Revenue Portal
Go to the official .gov.in or .nic.in land records website for your state. Create a citizen login using your mobile number and OTP.
Step 2: Locate the Application Button
Click on the button labeled “Apply Online Mutation”, “Daakhil Kharij Avedan”, or “Name Transfer.”
[Screenshot: A citizen dashboard showing options for ‘View Land Record’, ‘Apply for Mutation’, and ‘Pay Tax’.]
Step 3: Enter Property and Deed Details
The portal will ask for the Registration Number, Date of Registration, and the SRO (Sub-Registrar Office) name. You can find all of this on the first page of your registered sale deed.
Step 4: Fill in Buyer and Seller Information
Enter the exact names, Aadhaar numbers, and addresses of both parties as printed on the deed.
Step 5: Provide Khasra/Khatauni Details
You must enter the specific plot number, survey number, or Khasra number. This tells the system exactly which piece of land needs a name change.
Warning: The revenue portal dropdowns for selecting ‘Tehsil’ or ‘Village’ often freeze on mobile browsers. If the next box doesn’t load, switch your phone browser to ‘Desktop Site’ mode.
Step 6: Upload Documents and Submit
Upload your compressed PDF of the Sale Deed. Click submit. You will receive an Application Reference Number on your screen and via SMS. Keep this number safe.
The Tehsildar Route: Doing it Offline
If your state does not support online mutation, or if the portal is throwing server errors, you must do this physically.
Go to your local Tehsil office, Circle Officer (CO), or the village Patwari/Talathi.
Ask for the “Mutation Application Form” (often free or costs ₹10 at the local photocopy shop).
Fill it out and attach photocopies of your Sale Deed, Aadhaar, and tax receipts.
Submit it at the receiving counter. They will give you a stamped receipt with a file number.
The Patwari will verify the physical possession of the land and forward the report to the Revenue Inspector.
How to Check Your Daakhil-Kharij Status
Once submitted, your application moves through several desks. You can track this on the same portal where you applied.
Click on “Check Mutation Status” or “Application Track.”
Enter your Case Number or Application Reference Number.
Understanding the Status:
Pending at Karamchari/Patwari: The village officer is verifying the documents.
Pending at CO/Tehsildar: The file is awaiting final signature.
Notice Generated: A 15-day public notice has been issued to check for objections.
Disposed/Approved: The process is complete. You can now download your updated land record.
Why Your Mutation Gets Rejected (And How to Fix It)
Filing the application is easy, but getting it approved requires precision. Here are the most common reasons applications get rejected and how to fix them.
❌ Error 1: “Mismatch in Khasra Number”
The survey number on your sale deed does not match the government’s online record for that plot.
✅ Fix: You must apply for a correction deed (Rectification Deed) at the Sub-Registrar’s office first, getting the seller to sign off on the correct number, before reapplying for mutation.
❌ Error 2: File Upload Fails on Mobile
You tap “Upload” but the screen just refreshes.
✅ Fix: This is a common session timeout issue on mobile browsers. Compress your PDF to under 2MB, clear your browser cache, and try again on a desktop computer.
❌ Error 3: “Previous Owner Name Not Found”
You bought the property from someone who never did their own mutation. The system still shows the owner from 20 years ago.
✅ Fix: You cannot mutate the property directly. You must submit a chain of previous sale deeds to the Tehsildar offline to establish how the property reached you.
❌ Error 4: Application Stuck at “Patwari Level” for Months
Online portals promise 30 days, but physical verification can stall.
✅ Fix: The portal interface hasn’t been updated to show physical blockages. Take your reference number and physically visit the Patwari’s office. Often, they just need to see the original sale deed to click ‘Approve’.
❌ Error 5: Pending Property Tax Dues
The mutation is rejected because the previous owner left unpaid water or property bills.
✅ Fix: The revenue department will not transfer names on an asset with government dues. Pay the outstanding tax, get the NOC (No Objection Certificate), and reapply.
Frequently Asked Questions by Property Buyers
Is registry enough to prove ownership?
A registry proves legal transfer between buyer and seller, but without mutation, you are not the recognized owner in government revenue records. You cannot easily get bank loans or building permits without both.
What is the time limit for mutation after registry?
Most states require you to apply within 3 to 6 months of the property registration. Applying later may attract a small penalty fee.
Property mutation ka status kaise check kare?
Go to your state’s official land records website (Bhulekh), find the “Track Mutation” or “Daakhil Kharij Status” link, and enter your application reference number to see which officer is holding the file.
Can a mutation be cancelled?
Yes. If someone files a valid legal objection within the 15-day public notice period claiming fraudulent registry or a title dispute, the Circle Officer can hold or reject the mutation application.
Do I need to pay a bribe for mutation?
No. All states are moving this process online to eliminate middle-men. If an official demands money, file a formal complaint on the CPGRAMS portal (pgportal.gov.in) against the specific Tehsil office.
What happens if I never do the mutation?
If you skip mutation, the previous owner can illegally sell the property again, or their legal heirs could claim it. You will also face severe issues when trying to sell the property or applying for utilities.
Can I do mutation through my smartphone?
Yes, most state portals are accessible via mobile. However, formatting issues and PDF upload size limits make it highly recommended to use a laptop or desktop for the actual form submission.
Is mutation necessary for flats and apartments?
Yes. While the land might belong to the society, your specific flat needs to be mutated in municipal corporation records so the property tax bill is generated in your name.
State Revenue Helpdesks
If the online portal is completely down or your application is illegally stuck, you can contact the state grievance cells.
| Organization | Action / Portal |
| State Revenue Portals | Search “[State Name] Bhulekh” or “[State Name] Revenue Department” on Google for the exact .gov.in link. |
| Central Grievance Portal | pgportal.gov.in (Use if local Tehsildar is unresponsive for over 60 days) |
| National Consumer Helpline | 1915 (Only for complaints against builders, not for government department delays) |
Author Bio Box
Chinnagounder Thiruvenkatam — Editor at Tips Clear
Expertise: Indian government digital services, citizen portals, RTI, consumer rights, transport & identity documentation
Experience: 8 years covering government service processes for Indian citizens
Our team personally tests each portal process before publishing and updates guides when interfaces or rules change.
This content is educational and not personalized legal, financial, or medical advice. Always verify the latest process on the official government portal before applying.
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“This process was last verified on March 2026. Portal interfaces change — always confirm the latest steps at your state’s official revenue department website.”
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