Encumbrance Certificate in Kerala

IGR stands for Inspector General of Registration. In Kerala, as in most other states of India, this is a very important and relevant department that falls under the administration of the respective state government. The key objectives of this department include ensuring fair practices by detecting and preventing fraud and ensuring the safety and ease of accessibility for important documentation.

Some of the important services offered by the IGR include:

• Encumbrance Certificate: Encumbrance certificate in Kerala is a mandatory requirement for property transactions. More on this in the upcoming sections.

• Document Registration: All information regarding document registration, eligibility and applicability, including the escalation mechanism.

• Document Writing Fee: Complete list of maximum fees applicable for different kinds of document writers or scribes, so you don’t end up paying extra.

• Stamp Duty and Fees: Complete list of relevant stamp duty charges that are used for different business and other legal transactions.

• Marriage Registration: Details regarding the solemnization and registration of marriages.

• Society Registration: Societies looking to register themselves under the Societies Registration Act 1860 can find all the relevant information through this service.

The encumbrance certificate in Kerala serves as an assurance that a property is not disputed or under any ongoing monetary and legal liabilities. This, in turn, allows the free-hold sale of the said property and associated transfer of title and ownership. The different scenarios which require the production of an encumbrance certificate in Kerala include:

• Withdrawal of PF or while taking a loan against your PF amount for purchase of property and/or construction of a house

• Seeking loan against property from a bank or any non-banking financial lender, to confirm that there are not other ongoing loans on the same property

• Any transfer of ownership due to sale or gifting of property

Paying land tax is a mandatory requirement (unless in special exempted situations). If it has not been paid for more than 3 years in succession then the encumbrance certificate of Kerala needs to be produced with the local authority and tax needs to be paid to avoid penalties and other action.

The Registration Department provides several services, and as one would expect, these services have an associated charge or fee with them. Here is a helpful table that shows the fees of the common transactions associated with the encumbrance certificate in Kerala.

If there are multiple owners of the property, then each owner has to pay the mentioned fees. Apart from this, there are several other services provided by the IGR and the fees for them can be checked online at their official web page.

The status of the EC application can be checked online by logging in to the IGR Kerala’s official website. The option ‘EC Status’ in the menu needs to be clicked and you will be required to provide your transaction ID. You can even download the EC online. The detailed steps have been mentioned in the next section.

Here are some documents that you will require to apply for an EC in Kerala:

• Attested address proof documents like utility bills, Aadhaar card, PAN card, and so on.

• Property registration document.

• Documents such as release deed, property sale deed, and partition deed.

• Papers reflecting the deed number.

• Other crucial documents like release deed, property sale deed, and partition deed.

• Address proof documents of the property.

After the successful filing of your EC online Kerala application and the payment of the applicable fee, the concerned sub-registrar office will initiate the process of generating and issuing the EC. The checking of the status and even the downloading process after the generation of EC can be conveniently done by following these simple steps.

Follow the steps from 1 - 3, as mentioned in the How to Apply section.

• The three options that will be visible include ‘Submit Application for EC’, ‘Print Acknowledgement’, and ‘EC Status’.

• By clicking on ‘EC Status’, you can easily track the status of your application.

• You will be required to provide your Transaction ID, which you should have saved as part of step 13 in the previous section.

• Similarly, once the EC is ready, you can download its PDF version and store it on your PC or smartphone.

Note: It is recommended to check the details mentioned in the EC with your property deed to ensure there are no discrepancies.

To apply, check the status and/or download the encumbrance certificate of Kerala online or to avail any of the other useful services offered by the Registration Department, you can use the below-provided contact details.

If you are purchasing or selling property in Kerala, or for that matter, any state in India, you must ensure the right paperwork and documentation is produced. One such important document to be created at the time of a property transaction is an encumbrance certificate – a document that certifies that a property is not disputed or under any ongoing monetary and legal liabilities. To create the same, you must apply with the Inspector General of Registration, Kerala. Follow the steps mentioned above to do so in a hassle-free and seamless manner. If you want to purchase property, and are facing a fund crunch, avail of an instant home loan through the vast network of home loan providers listed on the Bajaj Markets website.