A Khata, B Khata and e-Khata: A Bengaluru Buyer Guide

Ramesh found what looked like a bargain in an established Bengaluru locality, a two bedroom flat priced noticeably below similar homes nearby. The catch surfaced only when his bank looked at the paperwork and declined the loan. The property had a B khata, not an A khata, and the lender would not finance it. The lower price was not generosity; it was the market discounting a property that carried a civic gap. Ramesh had never heard of the distinction until it cost him a loan, and it is one of the first things any Bengaluru buyer should learn to check.

The short answer. A khata is the municipal record that identifies a property for tax and names who is liable, and in Bengaluru an A khata signals a fully valid property while a B khata flags legal or planning gaps that block many approvals. Since October 2024 the record has been digitised as e-khata, which BBMP has made mandatory for property registration. The trade-off is real: a B khata home may be cheaper, but it can be hard to finance, renovate or resell, so treat the khata type as a core check, not a formality, and transfer the khata into your name after you buy.

What is a khata and why does it matter?

A khata is an official municipal entry that identifies a property for taxation and records who is responsible for paying that tax. As the Sobha guide explains, it is the account through which the local body assesses and collects property tax, and it is one of the documents lenders and authorities look at when they assess a property. For a buyer, the khata is a quick window into a property's civic standing: it helps you verify ownership as recorded by the municipality, check the tax history, and spot potential legal or financing obstacles before you commit money to the deal.

What is the difference between A khata and B khata?

An A khata marks a property as fully compliant in the municipal record, while a B khata flags gaps. The Sobha guide describes the A khata as an entry with the required assessment details that can support tax payment, registration related checks and home loan applications. A B khata, by contrast, applies to properties with issues such as unauthorised construction, layout deviations or missing approvals, and crucially, paying tax on a B khata does not by itself regularise the underlying violation. So the B khata is not simply a lower tier of the same thing; it is a record that the property has a compliance problem the authority has noted.

What does a B khata actually block?

A B khata can stand in the way of financing, construction and a clean resale. According to the Sobha guide, B khata properties may face restrictions on loan eligibility, with lenders declining to finance them, limits on building permits and construction, regulatory limits on resale, and extra scrutiny during transactions. None of this means a B khata property is worthless, and many are lived in happily, but it does mean the discount you see on the price is the market pricing in these frictions. If you are relying on a home loan, in particular, a B khata can be a hard stop, as Ramesh discovered.

It is worth verifying the khata type yourself rather than taking a seller or agent at their word. A property described casually as having a khata may in fact be a B khata, and the difference is the whole point. Because the record is now digitised, you can check the e-khata details for the property and confirm whether it is an A or B khata, whether the owner named matches your seller, and whether tax is paid up to date. A five minute check here can save you the kind of surprise Ramesh met only when his bank looked at the file.

What is e-khata and is it mandatory?

The e-khata is the digitised form of the khata record, introduced in October 2024. The Sobha guide is clear that e-khata is not a separate category but the digital version of the relevant khata, and that it is mandatory for real estate registration in Bangalore. For a buyer this matters because a transaction now runs through the digital record, so the property you are buying should have its e-khata in order for registration to proceed smoothly. Ask to see the e-khata early, and check that the details on it match the property and the seller before you move towards registration.

How do I transfer the khata after buying?

You transfer the khata into your name through the BBMP after the sale, and it is an essential step, not an optional one. The Sevantay guide sets out a five step process: you apply at the BBMP revenue office with the transfer form and documents, the office verifies the papers, a revenue inspector confirms the property details, the transfer is approved and a new khata is issued, and you then become responsible for the property tax. The documents typically include the registered sale deed, the previous owner's khata, current tax receipts with no arrears, a long period encumbrance certificate, the mutation copy, and your identity proof.

What does the transfer cost and how long does it take?

Budget for a fee of around 2 percent of the property value and a wait of a few weeks. The Sevantay guide puts the khata registration fee at about 2 percent of the property value, taken on the guidance value or sale value whichever is higher, plus a small application fee and a nominal charge per extract. It lists a standard transfer timeline of about 15 to 30 working days, longer where there are complications or for inheritance cases. Fees and timelines can change, so confirm the current figures with the BBMP before you apply, and keep the tax receipts and the new khata safe once issued.

Skipping the transfer after purchase is a common and costly mistake. If the khata stays in the seller's name, the municipal record still shows them as the person liable for the property, which can complicate your tax payments, your future resale and even your ability to prove your standing as the recorded holder. The registered sale deed makes you the legal owner, but the khata transfer is what aligns the municipal record with that reality. Treat it as the final step of the purchase, to be completed soon after registration rather than left for a vague later date.

Can a B khata be converted to an A khata?

In many cases a B khata can be converted to an A khata, but it is a process with cost and time attached. Conversion generally requires clearing the compliance gap and paying a conversion fee linked to the guidance value, and the government has from time to time run drives that adjust these fees, so the exact amount and any current concession should be checked with the BBMP rather than assumed. Conversion timelines are longer than a routine transfer, often running to a few months. If you are considering a B khata property with a plan to convert, treat the conversion as uncertain and price and plan for it accordingly rather than assuming it will be quick or cheap.

What should a Bengaluru buyer do about khata?

Check the khata type early, verify the e-khata, and plan the transfer as part of your purchase. Doing this before you pay a token protects you from Ramesh's situation, where the problem only appeared at the loan stage. The checklist below sets out a practical order.

1. Ask whether the property has an A khata or a B khata.
2. View the e-khata and check the details match the property and seller.
3. Confirm property tax is paid up to date with no arrears.
4. If it is a B khata, understand the gap and the cost to convert.
5. Make your loan offer conditional on the khata your lender accepts.
6. After registration, apply to transfer the khata into your name.
7. Keep the new khata, extract and tax receipts with your papers.

Common questions from Bengaluru buyers

What is the difference between A khata and B khata?

An A khata marks a property as fully valid in the municipal record and supports loans, approvals and a clean resale. A B khata records the property for tax but flags gaps such as unauthorised construction or missing approvals, and paying tax on it does not regularise the violation. B khata properties often struggle to get loans and approvals.

What is e-khata and is it mandatory in Bengaluru?

The e-khata is the digitised version of the khata record, introduced in October 2024. It is not a separate category but the digital form of the existing khata. Guides note that BBMP has made e-khata mandatory for property registration in Bangalore, so the property you buy should have its e-khata in order for registration to proceed.

How do I transfer a khata after buying a property?

Apply to the BBMP revenue office with the transfer form, the registered sale deed, the previous khata, tax receipts with no arrears, an encumbrance certificate and your identity proof. The office verifies the papers, inspects the property, and issues a new khata. A standard transfer usually takes about 15 to 30 working days.

Can a B khata be converted to an A khata?

Often yes, but it takes time and money. Conversion generally requires clearing the compliance gap and paying a fee linked to the guidance value, and it can take a few months. Because government drives sometimes change the fee, confirm the current cost with the BBMP rather than assuming, and plan for the conversion before you rely on it.

Khata is one of the civic checks that decide whether a purchase is smooth or troubled. Read it with our guide to FSI and FAR, since unauthorised construction often sits behind a B khata, and budget the deal with our explainer on the cost to register a home in Bengaluru. If you are evaluating a project such as Godrej Woodland on Sarjapur Road, ask about the khata status of the land and units.

Last updated 2026-09-04. PropNewz Team.