Sanctioned Building Plan: How to Verify Approval Before You Buy

A Bengaluru buyer liked a flat on the fifth floor of a new building, until a careful lawyer asked one question: how many floors does the sanctioned plan allow? The plan permitted four. The fifth floor, the very one being sold, was unauthorised construction the corporation could order demolished, and its presence could block the whole building's occupancy certificate. The flat looked finished and desirable, but on paper it should not have existed. One comparison of the plan against the building saved the buyer from a serious mistake.

The short answer. A sanctioned building plan is the official approval that permits a building of a specific size, height and layout on a plot, and you should verify it before buying. Confirm the plan was issued by the authority with jurisdiction over the plot, then compare it against the actual building, especially the number of floors, the setbacks and the built up area. The risk to grasp: construction that deviates from the sanctioned plan is unauthorised, can be ordered demolished, and can block the occupancy certificate, so a deviation is not a detail but a threat to the flat you are buying.

What is a sanctioned building plan, and why does it matter?

A sanctioned building plan is the approval a planning authority grants that permits construction of a building to specified parameters: the number of floors, the height, the setbacks from the boundaries, and the built up area allowed by the floor area ratio. The building that is actually constructed is supposed to match this approved plan. For a buyer, the sanctioned plan is the benchmark against which you check whether what is being sold is legal.

It matters because a building that does not follow its sanctioned plan carries a legal risk that passes to you as the owner. Unauthorised construction can attract penalties, can be refused an occupancy certificate, and in serious cases can be ordered demolished. So the sanctioned plan is not just a technical document for the builder; it is the reference a careful buyer uses to confirm the flat is part of a legally approved building.

Which authority's sanction applies to your property?

The approval that matters is the one issued by the authority with jurisdiction over your specific plot, and getting this right is the first step. Within the core city and its extended limits, the BBMP sanctions building plans. Layouts and areas developed under the development authority fall under the BDA, and properties in peripheral or panchayat areas may come under other bodies. An approval from the wrong authority is not a valid approval for your property.

So before you even compare the plan against the building, confirm which authority should have sanctioned it and that the sanction you are shown comes from that body. A common trap is a document that looks official but was issued by an authority without jurisdiction over the plot. For how the floor area ratio shapes the allowed building, see our note on premium FAR and taller towers.

How do you verify the sanctioned plan against the building?

You verify by obtaining a copy of the sanctioned plan and comparing it, point by point, against the building as it actually stands. Start with the number of floors, because adding floors beyond the sanctioned count is one of the most common deviations in Bengaluru and one of the most serious. Then check the setbacks, the spaces the building must leave from the plot boundaries, and the overall built up area against what the floor area ratio permits.

Do this before you pay any advance, not at the registration table, because a deviation discovered late is far harder to walk away from. For an under construction flat, ask the developer for the sanctioned plan and match the unit you are buying to it. If the building has more floors, smaller setbacks or a larger footprint than the plan allows, treat that as a serious question to resolve before proceeding, not a technicality to overlook. It also helps to check the date and validity of the sanction, since an approval can lapse if construction did not begin in time, and to confirm the plan you are shown is the latest revised sanction rather than a superseded earlier version.

What are building plan deviations, and why are they risky?

A deviation is any construction that departs from the sanctioned plan, such as extra floors, reduced setbacks or a larger built up area than approved. Deviations are risky because the unauthorised portion has no legal sanction, which exposes it to penalty and, in serious cases, to a demolition order from the authority. Just as important for a buyer, deviations that are not regularised before completion can prevent the building from getting its occupancy certificate.

That last point links directly to your ability to use the flat. Without an occupancy certificate, a building may face problems with utilities, resale and regularisation, and the flat you buy inherits that exposure. Our guide to the occupancy certificate versus completion certificate explains why a clean OC, which depends on the building matching its sanctioned plan, is central to a safe purchase.

Can building plan deviations be regularised?

Some deviations can be regularised, but only up to a limited extent, and you should not assume any deviation will be. The authorities have a process to regularise minor deviations up to a set threshold on payment of charges, while deviations beyond that limit may not be regularisable at all and remain exposed to action. Because the threshold and the process can change, do not rely on a builder's assurance that a large deviation will simply be regularised later.

For a buyer, the safe approach is to treat regularisation as uncertain rather than guaranteed. A small, regularisable deviation may be manageable, but a significant one, such as an extra floor or a major encroachment on setbacks, is a serious risk that a promise of future regularisation does not remove. Confirm the current position with the authority or a lawyer rather than taking the deviation on trust.

What should a buyer do about the sanctioned plan?

Obtain the sanctioned plan, confirm the approving authority, and compare the plan against the building before you commit. Focus on the floor count, the setbacks and the built up area, and take a lawyer's help to read the plan if you are unsure. The table below sets out the key checks and why each matters.

Whether it is a modest flat or a larger home such as one at Brigade Kadugodi, comparing the building against its sanctioned plan is a check worth doing every time.

What is the takeaway?

The takeaway is that the sanctioned plan is the yardstick of a building's legality, and comparing it against the actual construction is one of the most valuable checks a buyer can do. A building that follows its plan is on solid ground; one that deviates carries risks of penalty, a blocked occupancy certificate, and in serious cases demolition of the unauthorised portion.

So make the sanctioned plan a specific request early, confirm the right authority issued it, and match it to the building before you pay. This guide explains what to check and why it matters; doing the comparison, ideally with a lawyer, is the step that protects you from buying construction that should not exist.

Seven step sanctioned plan checklist

1. Identify which authority has jurisdiction over the plot and should sanction the plan.
2. Obtain a copy of the sanctioned building plan for the property.
3. Confirm the sanction was issued by the correct authority, not another body.
4. Compare the sanctioned floor count against the floors actually built.
5. Check the setbacks and built up area on the plan against the actual building.
6. Treat any deviation as a serious risk, since regularisation is not guaranteed.
7. Confirm that deviations, if any, do not block the occupancy certificate, with legal help.

Do this before you pay any advance, not at registration. The sanctioned plan is the single document that tells you whether the building you are buying into is legally what it claims to be. A short comparison, done early, is the cheapest protection against inheriting someone else's unauthorised construction.

How do I check if a building has an approved plan in Bengaluru?

Obtain a copy of the sanctioned building plan and confirm it was issued by the authority with jurisdiction over the plot, such as the BBMP or the BDA. Then compare the plan against the actual building, checking the floor count, setbacks and built up area. Doing this before you pay any advance, ideally with a lawyer, is the safest approach.

What happens if a building deviates from its sanctioned plan?

Construction that deviates from the sanctioned plan is unauthorised. It can attract penalties, can be refused an occupancy certificate, and in serious cases can be ordered demolished. Deviations not regularised before completion can block the OC, which affects utilities, resale and regularisation. So a deviation is a real risk to the flat, not a minor technicality.

Can a plan deviation be regularised in Bengaluru?

Minor deviations up to a set threshold may be regularisable on payment of charges, but larger deviations may not be regularisable at all and remain exposed to action. Because the threshold and process can change, do not rely on a builder's assurance that a big deviation will be regularised later. Confirm the current position with the authority or a lawyer.

Which authority sanctions building plans in Bengaluru?

It depends on where the plot sits. The BBMP sanctions plans within the core city and its extended limits, the BDA sanctions plans for areas under its authority, and peripheral or panchayat areas may fall under other bodies. The approval that matters is the one from the authority with jurisdiction over your specific plot, so confirm that first.

Last updated 2026-09-08. PropNewz Team.