In February 2026 a buyer looking at a small apartment block off a narrow lane in Bengaluru was told the building had two more floors than the road could support. The developer had built beyond what the sanctioned plan allowed, and those upper flats sat in a legal grey zone that could block an occupancy certificate for the whole building. The number that decides how much can be built on a plot is the floor area ratio, and a buyer who understands it can spot an over built project before signing anything. It is one of the least glamorous checks in a purchase and one of the most protective.

The short answer. Floor area ratio, also called FSI, is the ratio of the total built up floor area of a building to the area of its plot, and in Bengaluru it is set mainly by the width of the road the plot faces. The trade off worth knowing is that a project built within its sanctioned FAR is on firm ground, while floors added beyond the sanctioned limit are unauthorised and can be denied an occupancy certificate or face penalties, so checking FAR compliance protects both your title and your loan.

What exactly is FSI or FAR?

FSI and FAR are two names for the same ratio, the total built up floor area of a building divided by the area of the plot it stands on. A plot of 1,000 square feet with a permitted FAR of 2 can carry 2,000 square feet of built up area across all its floors. The ratio is the tool a planning authority uses to control how densely land is developed, balancing population against the roads, water and drainage that must serve it. A higher FAR allows a taller or larger building, while a lower FAR keeps development lighter. For a buyer, the FAR is not an abstract planning term, it is the boundary that separates the legal, sanctioned part of a building from any portion built beyond permission. Knowing it lets you ask whether the flat you are buying sits within that boundary.

Because the FAR is fixed against the plot and its sanctioned plan, it is a figure the developer must respect, not one open to negotiation. The sanctioned plan issued by the authority is where the permitted FAR and the approved floors are recorded, which is why that document sits at the heart of any FAR check.

How is FAR decided in Bengaluru?

In Bengaluru the FAR is decided mainly by the width of the road the plot faces, under the rules of the Bangalore Development Authority and the city corporation. The wider the abutting road, the higher the permitted FAR, because a wider road can carry the traffic that a denser building generates. As a rough guide, plots on roads up to about 30 feet carry a lower FAR, those on 40 foot roads a little more, and those on roads above 60 feet the highest bands. The exact figure also depends on the plot's zone, its survey number and the applicable master plan, so the road width sets the broad band while the specific plot details fix the final number. The table below gives the approximate pattern so you can see how road width drives the limit.

Read these as indicative bands, not exact entitlements, because the final permitted FAR for a specific plot is what the sanctioned plan records. Developers can also buy additional building rights through premium FAR or transferable development rights, which lift the base figure within limits the authority sets.

Why does FAR matter to a flat buyer?

FAR matters because a building that exceeds its sanctioned FAR has an unauthorised portion, and that portion can put the whole project at risk. When a developer builds floors beyond what the plan allows, those extra floors are not legally sanctioned, which can lead the authority to withhold the occupancy certificate, impose penalties, or in serious cases order the excess to be removed. A buyer who ends up owning a flat in an unauthorised portion may struggle to get a home loan, since lenders check approvals, and may face difficulty reselling later. The risk is not always visible on a site visit, because an over built tower looks like any other, which is exactly why the paper check against the sanctioned FAR matters. There is also a quieter cost. Where an authority regularises an excess against a penalty, that cost can find its way to the flat owners, and where it does not, the shadow over the title lingers into every future sale. A flat that is clean on FAR carries none of this baggage, which is why the check is worth the small effort it takes even when the building looks finished and occupied. Our guide to the documents to collect at possession covers the occupancy certificate that a FAR compliant building should be able to produce.

How do you check a building against its FAR?

You check by comparing the sanctioned plan against what has actually been built. Ask the developer for the sanctioned building plan, which records the permitted FAR and the number of approved floors, and confirm the building on the ground matches it, floor for floor. Where a project claims additional FAR through premium FAR or transferable development rights, ask for the documents that support it. Because the permitted FAR depends on the exact plot, its zone and the abutting road, the safest confirmation is with the Bangalore Development Authority or the city corporation rather than the developer's word alone. This is a check best done before you pay a booking amount, since it is far easier to walk away from a project with a FAR problem than to fix one you have already bought into. Our guide to A khata and B khata covers a related record that also reflects whether a property is fully authorised.

How does FAR sit with the rest of your due diligence?

FAR compliance is one layer of the approval checks that sit alongside title and registration in a sound purchase. A flat needs a clear title, a project registered where required, a sanctioned plan the building actually follows, and an occupancy certificate at handover. FAR is the thread that ties the sanctioned plan to what stands on the ground, so a building that respects its FAR is more likely to clear its occupancy certificate cleanly. Treating these checks as one connected sequence, rather than isolated boxes, is what keeps an unauthorised portion from slipping past you. A buyer who confirms the FAR, the title and the approvals together buys with far more confidence than one who relies on the brochure and the show flat. The check also protects the value of the flat over time, because a building known to be fully authorised commands trust from future buyers and lenders alike. In a city where construction has often run ahead of approvals, being the buyer who insisted on seeing the sanctioned plan is a quiet advantage that pays off years later.

How do you verify FAR compliance, step by step?

Treat the FAR check as a routine you run before you commit to a project. These steps turn an abstract ratio into a concrete confirmation.

1. Ask the developer for the sanctioned building plan and the permitted FAR on it.
2. Note the number of floors the sanctioned plan approves for the building.
3. Count the floors actually built and compare them against the sanctioned number.
4. Check the width of the road the plot faces, since it drives the permitted FAR.
5. Ask for premium FAR or transferable development rights papers if extra FAR is claimed.
6. Confirm the permitted FAR for the plot with the development authority or corporation.
7. Walk away or seek written clarity if the building exceeds its sanctioned FAR.

Run this check on the specific project you are weighing. A buyer considering a launch such as Godrej Whitefield Villas should ask for the sanctioned plan and confirm the built form matches the approved FAR, so the purchase rests on the sanctioned reality rather than the marketing.

Frequently asked questions

What is FSI or FAR in Bengaluru?

FSI and FAR are the same ratio, the total built up floor area of a building divided by its plot area. In Bengaluru the permitted FAR is set mainly by the width of the road the plot faces, under the Bangalore Development Authority and city corporation rules, and it fixes how much can legally be built on a plot.

How is FAR calculated for a plot in Bengaluru?

The permitted FAR is decided mainly by the width of the abutting road, with wider roads allowing a higher FAR, and then refined by the plot's zone, survey number and the applicable master plan. The exact figure is recorded on the sanctioned building plan, which is why that document is the one to confirm the FAR against.

What happens if a building exceeds its sanctioned FAR?

Floors built beyond the sanctioned FAR are unauthorised, which can lead the authority to withhold the occupancy certificate, impose penalties, or order the excess removed. A buyer of a flat in that portion may face home loan and resale difficulties, so confirming FAR compliance before booking protects both your title and your finances.

How do I check a project's FAR compliance?

Ask the developer for the sanctioned building plan showing the permitted FAR and approved floors, compare it with what is actually built, and confirm the permitted FAR for the plot with the Bangalore Development Authority or the city corporation. Doing this before you pay a booking amount is far easier than fixing a FAR problem afterwards.

The FAR bands in this guide reflect the Bengaluru floor area ratio rules summarised in this explainer on FSI in Bangalore. Because FAR limits, premium FAR and master plan rules are revised over time, always confirm the permitted FAR for your specific plot with the Bangalore Development Authority or the city corporation before you commit.

Last updated 2026-08-13. PropNewz Team.