Who Can Buy Farmland Now: Karnataka's Agricultural Land Rule for Bengaluru Buyers

A salaried buyer had long assumed a small farm plot near Bengaluru was simply off limits to someone like him. Years ago a friend had been turned away for earning too much from a city job to qualify as a farmer. So when a broker mentioned an agricultural parcel on the fringe, the buyer almost dismissed it out of habit. The old rule he remembered had, in fact, been repealed. The barrier that once stopped a non farmer from buying agricultural land in Karnataka was no longer there.

The short answer. Since the Karnataka Land Reforms amendment of 2020, any Indian citizen can buy agricultural land in the state, whether or not they are a farmer, and the earlier income ceiling was removed. Companies, trusts, and similar entities still face restrictions. The trade-off is eligibility versus use. Being allowed to buy the land is not the same as being allowed to build on it, since you still need conversion for a non agricultural purpose, and there have been signals that the older restrictions could return, so verify the current law before you commit.

What changed in 2020?

The 2020 amendment repealed the sections that had barred many buyers from agricultural land. Before that, Karnataka law under Sections 79A and 79B prevented a person with significant non agricultural income from acquiring agricultural land, and effectively required a buyer to be an agriculturist. A salaried professional earning above a threshold from a city job simply could not buy a farm parcel.

The Karnataka Land Reforms amendment of 2020 removed those sections. It took away the income ceiling and the requirement that a buyer be a farmer, opening agricultural land to any citizen of India. This was a significant shift, because it turned a category of land that was closed to most urban buyers into one they could legally acquire.

For a Bengaluru buyer, this reframed the fringe of the city. Parcels that were previously the preserve of agriculturists became options, at least in terms of who may buy them, which is why it is worth knowing the current rule rather than acting on an outdated memory of the old one.

It is worth understanding why the old rule existed at all, because it shapes how buyers should read the change. Sections 79A and 79B were meant to keep agricultural land in the hands of those who farm it, and to stop wealthy non farmers from accumulating it. Removing them widened access but also removed a filter, so the responsibility to check what you are buying now sits more squarely on the buyer. The law made it easier to buy, not easier to buy well.

Who can and cannot buy now?

The relaxation is for individual citizens, and it does not extend equally to every kind of buyer. Any individual who is a citizen of India can now buy agricultural land in Karnataka, regardless of income or farming background. Entities such as companies, cooperative societies, trusts, and associations of persons, however, still face restrictions, with only limited exceptions.

The table below contrasts the position before and after the amendment so the change is clear.

Ceiling limits on how much agricultural land a person may hold still apply, so this is not a licence to acquire without limit. And because the rules differ for entities, a purchase routed through a company or trust needs its own legal check rather than an assumption that the relaxation applies. This matters for buyers who plan to hold property through a family company or a trust for succession or tax reasons, since the vehicle that is convenient for other assets may not be permitted to hold agricultural land at all.

Does buying mean you can build?

No. The right to buy agricultural land is not the right to build a house on it. The amendment changed who can acquire agricultural land, but it did not change the separate requirement that land used for a home or any non agricultural purpose must first be converted. Buying the parcel and then trying to build without conversion leaves you unable to get plan approvals or a legal structure.

Conversion, often called DC conversion, is the step that officially changes the land use from agricultural to non agricultural, and it is a process in its own right. Our guide on DC conversion in Karnataka explains what it involves and how to verify it. Treat the purchase and the conversion as two separate questions, and do not assume that being allowed to own the land settles what you can do with it.

The land records also deserve the same scrutiny as any land purchase, since agricultural parcels come with their own set of survey and revenue documents. Our guide on the survey records a Bengaluru land buyer must read covers the papers that establish exactly what you are buying.

Could the rules change again?

They could, and that possibility is itself a reason for caution. The relaxation came through the 2020 amendment, and there have since been public statements about restoring the older restrictions of Sections 79A and 79B. As of the most recent position, those sections remain repealed and the relaxed rule stands, but the fact that reinstating them has been discussed means the law in this area cannot be treated as settled forever.

For a buyer, the practical response is simple, confirm the current legal position close to the time of your purchase rather than relying on this or any article as the final word. A lawyer can tell you the state of the law on the day you buy, which matters most in an area where the government has signalled it may change course. Buying on today's rule is fine, but do so knowing it is today's rule.

There is a further reason to document your eligibility carefully. If the rules were ever tightened again, a purchase validly made under the current, relaxed law would generally be judged by the law as it stood when you bought, but you want the paperwork to show clearly that you were eligible at the time. Keep the date of your purchase, the legal position then, and your own status as an individual citizen on record, so that a future change cannot cast doubt on a transaction that was sound when you made it.

How should a buyer approach agricultural land?

Work through these steps before committing to an agricultural parcel on the city's edge. Each keeps the purchase both legal and useful.

1. Confirm the current law on who may buy agricultural land in Karnataka, with a lawyer, near your purchase date.
2. Check that you, as an individual citizen, are eligible, and take advice if buying through an entity.
3. Verify the land records, including the survey and revenue documents, for the exact parcel.
4. Decide your intended use, and remember that a home requires conversion, not just ownership.
5. Plan the DC conversion as a separate step before you rely on building anything.
6. Check ceiling limits so your total agricultural holding stays within what the law allows.
7. Have the title examined, since agricultural land carries its own history of transfers and records.

Approached this way, an agricultural parcel becomes a considered purchase rather than an impulse based on either an outdated barrier or an over optimistic assumption about building on it.

Why this matters on the Bengaluru fringe

The relaxed rule matters most where the city meets the countryside, because that is where agricultural land and urban demand overlap. Buyers drawn to larger parcels or lower prices on the fringe now have a legal route that many assumed was closed, but the same buyers must be clear eyed about conversion, records, and the shifting policy around the rule itself. Eligibility to buy is only the first of several questions.

For a buyer who mainly wants a home site, an approved plotted development such as KNS Ananta Plots in Kengeri can be a simpler path than raw agricultural land, since the conversion and approvals are already in place. Agricultural land is a genuine option under the current rule, but weigh it against a ready, converted plot with the full picture in view rather than the memory of an old restriction. The right choice depends on what you actually want, raw land now with work to do later, or a site you can begin building on straight away.

What do Bengaluru buyers ask most about agricultural land?

Can a non-farmer buy agricultural land in Karnataka now?

Yes. After the 2020 amendment to the Karnataka Land Reforms Act, any Indian citizen can buy agricultural land in the state, whether or not they are a farmer, and the earlier income ceiling was removed. Before 2020, a buyer with high non-agricultural income was barred, but that restriction no longer applies to individuals.

Do I still need to convert agricultural land before building on it?

Yes. Being allowed to buy agricultural land is not the same as being allowed to build on it. To use the land for a home or a non-agricultural purpose, you still need DC conversion, which changes the land use officially. Buying agricultural land and skipping conversion leaves you unable to build or get approvals legally.

Can a company or trust buy agricultural land in Karnataka?

Generally no. The 2020 amendment eased the rules for individual citizens, but companies, cooperative societies, trusts, and associations of persons still face restrictions on buying agricultural land in Karnataka, with only limited exceptions. If a purchase is through such an entity, take specific legal advice on whether it is permitted at all.

Could these rules change again?

They could, so a buyer should confirm the current law before purchasing. The relaxation came through a 2020 amendment, and there have since been public statements about possibly restoring the older restrictions. As of now those restrictions remain repealed, but because this is a shifting area, verify the position with a lawyer close to the time of your purchase.

Last updated 2026-09-13. PropNewz Team.