When a Bengaluru software engineer bought a resale flat in Whitefield, the sale deed was registered without a hitch and he assumed the hard part was over. Months later, applying for a top up loan, his bank asked for the khata in his name. It was still in the seller's. The property was his by deed, but the municipal record that the city, the bank and his own future buyer would rely on had never been updated. Getting the khata transferred after the fact cost him weeks he did not expect to spend. Khata transfer is the quiet final step that too many buyers treat as optional, and in today's Bengaluru it is anything but.

The short answer. A khata is the record maintained by the city corporation that ties a property to its owner for tax and civic purposes, and after you buy you must have it transferred, or mutated, into your name. Bengaluru now runs this through the digital e-Aasthi system, and an e-Khata has become central to registering and mutating property. The trade off buyers miss is timing. Sorting the khata as part of your purchase is routine, while fixing it years later, when a loan or a resale suddenly needs it, is slow and stressful.

What is a khata and what does it not prove?

A khata, literally an account, is the municipal record that identifies who is liable to pay property tax on a given property and captures its key details. It usually takes two forms you will hear about: the khata certificate, used for purposes like applying for utilities or a loan, and the khata extract, which sets out the property's assessment details. Having a khata in your name is what lets you pay tax, seek connections and deal with the property cleanly in the eyes of the corporation.

What a khata does not do is prove ownership by itself. It is a civic and tax record, not a title deed, so it sits alongside your registered sale deed and encumbrance certificate rather than replacing them. A buyer who treats a khata as proof of clean title is making a classic mistake. Read it together with the title chain, as our guide on verifying property title before buying explains.

What changed with e-Khata and the e-Aasthi system?

Bengaluru has moved its property records onto a digital platform called e-Aasthi, and the e-Khata generated there has become the reference record for property transactions in the city. In practical terms, an e-Khata is now central to registering a sale and to mutating the record into a new owner's name, and properties that have not been brought onto the digital system can face friction in transacting. Because this is an evolving area, confirm the current requirement for your property on the official BBMP portal at bbmp.gov.in rather than relying on hearsay.

The shift matters for buyers because it makes the khata position something to check up front, not after the deal. Before you commit, find out whether the property already has an e-Khata and whether it is a draft or a final e-Khata, since that affects how smoothly your registration and mutation will run.

A draft e-Khata is essentially a provisional record generated from existing data, while a final e-Khata is the verified version tied to the property and owner. The distinction is not a technicality. A seller who can only show a draft may still have steps to complete before the record is clean, and you want that resolved before your money is committed rather than after, when the pressure to finish the paperwork has moved to you.

A Khata or B Khata, what is the difference?

You will hear properties described as A Khata or B Khata, and the distinction affects your risk. An A Khata property is one recorded as fully compliant with civic rules and eligible for the full range of approvals and services. A B Khata historically referred to properties recorded on a separate register because of some deviation or pending regularisation, and such properties can face limits on loans, approvals and further construction. The table below sets out the common khata terms so you know exactly what you are being shown.

How does khata transfer actually work after I buy?

Khata transfer, also called mutation, is the process of changing the recorded owner in the corporation's database to your name after a sale. Under the current digital flow, where a sale is registered through the state Kaveri system, the mutation can be initiated automatically after registration, with the buyer and seller completing an Aadhaar based verification on the e-Aasthi portal so the system can process the change. You can also pursue khata transfer through the portal or the local ward office.

Typical documents include the registered sale deed, the previous khata certificate or extract, the latest property tax receipt, the encumbrance certificate and identity proof. Standard cases are generally processed within a few weeks, though timelines vary. Keep every acknowledgement, and do not consider your purchase truly complete until the khata clearly shows your name. A registered deed and an updated khata together are what a bank, the corporation and your own future buyer will all want to see.

Why should apartment buyers pay special attention?

For an apartment, the khata position is usually tied to the project and the individual unit, so confirm how the khata is recorded for the specific flat you are buying rather than assuming the whole project shares one clean record. If you are considering a large development such as Prestige Waterford in Whitefield, ask the seller or builder to show the khata for your exact unit and confirm it can be transferred to you.

This matters because a project can be broadly in order while an individual unit lags on its records, or the reverse. The only record that protects you is the one for the flat you will own, so insist on seeing it and confirming its status before you pay. Where a builder is still completing khata formalities for a new project, get a clear written timeline for when your unit's khata will be ready in your name.

How do I protect myself on khata during a purchase?

Make the khata part of your due diligence, not an afterthought. Confirm the property has a valid khata, check whether it is A Khata or B Khata and understand the implications, and verify whether an e-Khata exists and is final. Build the khata transfer into your closing plan so it happens promptly after registration, while everyone is still cooperative and the documents are fresh.

A useful discipline is to make the seller's cooperation on khata part of your written understanding. If any step needs the seller to complete a verification or hand over an original, agree that before handover rather than chasing them once they have your money and have moved on. The buyers who struggle with khata are almost always the ones who left it for later.

If a property is B Khata, do not simply walk away, but do go in with open eyes: understand what regularisation, if any, is possible, how it affects your loan, and price the risk accordingly. Take professional advice where the position is unclear, because the cost of guidance is trivial next to the cost of a stuck record.

A seven step khata transfer checklist for Bengaluru buyers

Run these around your purchase so the record ends up clean.

1. Ask the seller for the current khata certificate and extract and note the owner shown.
2. Check whether the property is A Khata or B Khata and understand the consequences.
3. Confirm whether an e-Khata exists on the e-Aasthi system and whether it is draft or final.
4. Verify the khata details match the sale deed, tax receipts and encumbrance certificate.
5. Register the sale and initiate the mutation, completing any Aadhaar based verification required.
6. Submit the registered sale deed, prior khata, tax receipt, encumbrance certificate and identity proof.
7. Track the application through to completion and confirm the khata now clearly shows your name.

Frequently asked questions

Is a khata the same as proof of ownership?

No. A khata is a municipal record that identifies who is liable for property tax and captures the property's details, but it is not a title deed. It sits alongside your registered sale deed and encumbrance certificate rather than replacing them. Treat a khata as one record among several, and read it together with the title chain before you buy.

What is e-Khata and why does it matter now?

An e-Khata is the digital khata generated on Bengaluru's e-Aasthi system, which the city has made central to registering and mutating property. Properties not yet on the digital system can face friction in transacting. Before you buy, check whether the property has an e-Khata and whether it shows as a draft or a final version.

What is the difference between A Khata and B Khata?

An A Khata property is recorded as fully compliant and has the broadest access to loans, approvals and services. A B Khata property sits on a separate register because of a deviation or pending regularisation, and can face limits on loans, approvals and construction. If a property is B Khata, understand the implications and price the risk accordingly.

How long does a khata transfer take?

Standard khata transfers are generally processed within a few weeks once the sale is registered and the documents are in order, though timelines vary with the case and the workload at the corporation. Keep every acknowledgement, complete any Aadhaar based verification promptly, and follow the application through until the khata clearly shows your name as the owner.

Last updated 2026-08-17. PropNewz Team.