A buyer in Bengaluru once celebrated getting an e-khata for a plot near Sarjapur Road, believing the shiny digital certificate meant her property was finally fully legal. It did not. The e-khata simply put her existing B-khata into digital form, and the compliance gap that made it a B-khata in the first place was still there. She learned the hard way what every Bengaluru buyer needs to know before signing: the letter on the khata, A or B, matters far more than whether it is paper or digital.

The short answer. A-khata means a property is fully compliant with building and revenue rules, so home loans and resale move smoothly, while a B-khata signals a compliance gap that makes financing and resale harder. E-khata is the digital form of the khata record that BBMP moved to in 2024, and it does not change the A or B status, so digitising a B-khata leaves it a B-khata. The trade off for buyers is real: an A-khata property usually costs more but carries far less friction, while a B-khata may look cheaper and hide a harder path to a loan and a clean resale.

Khata trips up more Bengaluru buyers than almost any other document, partly because the digital shift has blurred what the certificate actually proves. This guide explains what A and B khata mean, what e-khata does and does not do, how to check a property's status, and why the distinction should shape your decision before you pay.

What is a khata and why does it matter?

A khata is the municipal record that identifies a property and its owner for property tax and civic purposes in Bengaluru, maintained by BBMP. It is not by itself proof of ownership, which comes from your registered title deed, but it is the record the local body uses to assess tax and to process approvals. Because lenders, buyers and the municipality all look at the khata, its type shapes how easily a property can be financed, transferred and built upon.

That is why the khata sits alongside the title deed and the encumbrance record as a core document to check. A clean title with a problematic khata still leaves a buyer with friction ahead, and the khata type is often the first thing a lender's legal team examines. Understanding the A versus B distinction before you commit lets you price that friction into your decision rather than discover it after you have paid.

What is the difference between A-khata and B-khata?

An A-khata denotes a property that complies with the applicable building plan, revenue and tax rules, while a B-khata denotes a property with a compliance gap, such as a plan deviation or an unapproved status. For an A-khata property, home loans are generally available from major lenders and resale proceeds with fewer objections. For a B-khata property, financing is harder to arrange, many lenders are cautious, and resale can be more complex, so a buyer should confirm loan eligibility directly with their bank before relying on it.

This does not make every B-khata property a bad buy, but it does make it a different one. A B-khata can sometimes be regularised or converted to A-khata by meeting the required compliance and paying the applicable fees through BBMP, though the terms and cost can change over time, so check the current position on the official BBMP records before assuming conversion is quick or cheap. Treat a B-khata as a flag to investigate, not a detail to wave through.

What exactly is e-khata, and does it upgrade a B-khata?

E-khata is the digital form of the khata record that BBMP introduced in 2024, replacing the older paper certificates for new issuance in Bengaluru urban limits. It is a change of format, not a change of status. Crucially, generating an e-khata for a B-khata property does not convert it into an A-khata; the A versus B distinction carries over into the digital record unchanged. A digital certificate on a non-compliant property is still a certificate for a non-compliant property.

This is the single most misunderstood point in Bengaluru today, and it catches buyers who assume the new digital khata is automatically a clean one. It is not. When you see an e-khata, read it for whether it reflects an A or a B status, exactly as you would a paper khata. The digital shift has made records easier to access, but it has not erased the compliance question that the A or B letter answers.

How do I check a property's khata status?

Check the khata on BBMP's official e-khata system, accessible through the bbmp.gov.in website and its e-Aasthi property records platform, using the property details. The digital record lets you see the khata for a property and confirm whether it is held as an A or B status rather than relying on what a seller tells you. Because BBMP has moved khata issuance and transactions onto this digital platform, the current record is the authoritative place to verify status.

Read the khata alongside the registered title deed, the encumbrance certificate and the tax receipts, since no single document tells the whole story. For the registration cost that follows once you are satisfied with the property, our guide to Bengaluru stamp duty and registration charges sets out what you will pay, and our guide to checking guidance value on the Kaveri portal covers the value your duty is calculated on.

Should I avoid a B-khata property entirely?

Not necessarily, but you should treat a B-khata as a reason to slow down and investigate, not a formality. The right question is not simply A or B, but whether the compliance gap behind a B-khata can be resolved, at what cost, and whether your lender will finance the purchase in its current state. For some buyers a B-khata property with a clear path to regularisation and a willing lender can still work; for others the friction outweighs the saving.

What you should never do is assume a B-khata is equivalent to an A-khata because the paperwork looks official or because it now comes as an e-khata. Get the khata status confirmed, ask your bank directly about financing, and factor any conversion cost and effort into your offer. The buyers who regret a B-khata purchase are almost always the ones who did not ask these questions until after they had committed their money. A few phone calls to your lender and a quick look at the official record cost nothing and can save you from a property that is far harder to finance or sell than it first appeared.

What khata mistakes do Bengaluru buyers make?

The common mistakes are treating an e-khata as proof of compliance, assuming a B-khata can be converted easily and cheaply, and skipping the khata check because the title looks clean. Each stems from misreading what the khata proves. An e-khata proves the record is digital, not that the property is compliant. Conversion terms vary and can be neither quick nor cheap. And a clean title does not cure a B-khata's compliance gap.

A quieter mistake is taking the seller's word for the khata type instead of checking the BBMP record yourself. The status is verifiable, so verify it. Read the A or B letter, confirm it on the official digital record, check financing with your lender, and price any B-khata friction into your decision. Done that way, khata becomes a manageable part of due diligence rather than the reason a Bengaluru purchase goes wrong.

A-khata, B-khata and e-khata compared

A khata checklist for Bengaluru buyers

1. Ask whether the property is held as an A-khata or a B-khata before discussing price.
2. Verify the khata status on BBMP's official e-khata record rather than trusting the seller.
3. Remember that an e-khata is only a digital format and does not change A or B status.
4. If it is a B-khata, ask your lender directly whether they will finance the purchase.
5. Check the current cost and requirements for any B to A conversion on the official BBMP records.
6. Read the khata alongside the title deed, encumbrance certificate and tax receipts.
7. Factor any B-khata friction or conversion cost into your offer before you commit.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between A-khata and B-khata in Bengaluru?

An A-khata denotes a property that is fully compliant with building and revenue rules, so home loans and resale move smoothly. A B-khata denotes a property with a compliance gap, which makes financing harder and resale more complex. The A or B status is the key thing a Bengaluru buyer should confirm before committing to a purchase.

Does an e-khata mean a property is legal or A-khata?

No. E-khata is only the digital form of the khata record that BBMP introduced in 2024. It does not change the A or B status, so an e-khata generated for a B-khata property remains a B-khata. Always read the digital khata for whether it reflects an A or B status rather than assuming digital means compliant.

How do I check a property's khata status?

Check it on BBMP's official e-khata system through the bbmp.gov.in website and its e-Aasthi property records platform, using the property details. Because BBMP has moved khata issuance and transactions to this digital platform, the online record is the authoritative place to confirm whether a property is held as an A or B khata.

Can a B-khata be converted to an A-khata?

Often yes, if the underlying compliance gap can be resolved and the applicable fees are paid through BBMP, though the terms and cost can change over time. Before relying on conversion, check the current requirements and fees on the official BBMP records and confirm the timeline, since conversion is not always quick or inexpensive.

Last updated 14 August 2026. PropNewz Team.