Khata Certificate, Extract and Endorsement: Which One a Bengaluru Buyer Needs
The khata certificate, extract and endorsement are three different BBMP documents that confuse most buyers. Learn what each one proves, when you need it, and why none of them is proof of title.
A first time buyer in Bengaluru in October 2026 was handed a thick file by the seller and told everything was in order. Inside were three papers that all said khata at the top, and the buyer assumed they were copies of the same thing. They were not the same at all. One was a khata certificate, one a khata extract, and one an endorsement, and each does a different job. Treating them as interchangeable is how buyers end up missing the one document a bank or sub registrar actually asks for, or worse, mistaking a tax account for proof that the seller owns the property at all.
The short answer. The khata certificate confirms that the property sits in the municipal records in the owner's name, the extract is the detailed account statement with dimensions, value and tax status, and the endorsement records a khata being registered or transferred. You generally need the certificate and the extract together, plus the endorsement for the current owner. The trade off is a little document gathering against the risk of a stalled loan or registration, and none of the three proves ownership by itself.
What is a khata, and why three documents?
A khata, which means account in Kannada, is the municipal record of a property for the purpose of property tax and civic services. In Bengaluru it is maintained by the city corporation, and it is required for everyday steps like applying for a home loan, registering a transfer, and getting utility connections. Because it is an account rather than a single statement, the corporation issues more than one kind of document from it, each answering a different question about that account.
Think of it the way the homefirst guidance frames it: the khata certificate confirms the account exists, and the extract is the account statement that tells you everything recorded in it. The endorsement is the third piece, the record of a change to the account, such as a new khata being created or an existing one being transferred to a new owner. Once you see them as account, statement and change log rather than three versions of one paper, the confusion clears.
The reason this matters to a buyer is that different parties ask for different pieces. A lender wants the extract to check dimensions and dues, a sub registrar and your lawyer want the certificate to confirm the account stands in the seller's name, and the endorsement is what shows the account actually moved when ownership last changed rather than merely being claimed to have moved. Carrying only one of the three can leave you short at exactly the wrong moment, and sending you back to the corporation office for a document you could have collected in the first visit.
Certificate, extract and endorsement: what each one is
The table sets the three documents side by side, with the newer digital khata added, so you can see at a glance what each proves and where you will be asked for it.
| Document | What it is and where you need it |
| Khata certificate | Confirms the property is in municipal records under the owner, used for registration, loans, trade licence and utilities |
| Khata extract | Detailed account statement with dimensions, built up area, assessed value and tax status, used for valuation and due diligence |
| Khata endorsement | Records a khata event such as a new registration or a transfer, evidencing the change in the account |
| e khata | The same khata in digital form on the municipal portal, increasingly the standard version buyers and banks rely on |
One more distinction is worth holding onto. A fully compliant property on an approved layout usually gets both a certificate and an extract, while a property that is not fully regularised may only have an extract and no certificate. If a seller can produce an extract but no certificate, ask why, because the gap often points to a compliance issue you want to understand before you pay.
This is also why the khata question is simpler in a well run apartment project than in a standalone resale. In a planned development such as My Home in Whitefield, the khata for each flat flows from an approved plan and a clean parent title, so the certificate, extract and endorsement tend to line up without drama. In a resale bought from an individual, especially an older property, you are more likely to meet gaps, a missing certificate, an extract that does not match the built area, or a khata still in a previous owner's name, each of which is a question to resolve before money changes hands.
Is a khata the same as proof of ownership?
No, and this is the most important thing a buyer can understand about the khata. A khata is a tax and civic account, not a title document. It records who the corporation treats as responsible for the property for tax, but it does not establish that the person legally owns the land. Ownership is proved by the registered sale deed, supported by a clean chain of prior deeds and an encumbrance certificate showing no undisclosed loans or sales.
In practice the khata and the title should agree, and a khata standing in the seller's name is a healthy sign. But a khata can exist in a name that does not have good title, and a good title can exist where the khata has not yet been updated. So treat the khata as one supporting record among several, not as the answer to who owns this. For how the khata fits with the A and B khata distinction and the move to e khata, see our guide to A khata, B khata and e khata in Bengaluru.
How a buyer uses these before registration
The right habit is to gather and cross check the khata documents before you pay, not after you move in. The steps below turn three confusing papers into a quick verification.
- Ask the seller for the khata certificate, the latest khata extract and the endorsement for the current owner.
- Confirm the owner name on the certificate matches the seller and the sale deed exactly.
- Check the extract's dimensions and built up area against the sale deed and the actual property.
- Read the tax status on the extract to confirm property tax is paid up to date.
- Look at the endorsement to see that the account moved cleanly when ownership last changed.
- Verify the e khata on the municipal portal where it has been issued for the property.
- Keep copies with your title file, and plan to transfer the khata to your name after you buy.
Transferring the khata into your name is a separate step after registration, and skipping it leaves the account pointing at the seller. Our guide to the khata transfer process after buying walks through how to complete that change so your tax and civic records match your deed.
e khata and what it changed
The move to e khata has made these documents easier to obtain and verify, because the account and its statement now live on the municipal portal rather than only in a paper register. For a buyer that is a real improvement, since you can check an e khata online rather than relying on a photocopy the seller hands you. The underlying ideas are unchanged, a certificate confirming the account, an extract giving the detail, and an endorsement recording changes, but the digital version is increasingly the one banks and the registration system expect to see.
Because the e khata system has been rolled out in stages, not every property shows a complete digital record yet, and some older entries are still being migrated. If the e khata for a property is incomplete or missing, that is a reason to ask questions rather than to assume a problem, but it should be resolved before you register. The safest position for a buyer is a property whose e khata, extract and sale deed all tell the same consistent story.
A practical tip ties the whole thing together. When you collect these documents, lay the extract, the sale deed and the latest tax receipt next to each other and read the same four facts off each one: the owner name, the property identification number, the dimensions and the address. If all four match across all three papers, the khata side of your due diligence is in good shape. If any one of them disagrees, you have found a thread worth pulling before you commit, which is exactly the kind of quiet inconsistency that turns into a slow, expensive problem for a buyer who noticed it only after registration.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a khata certificate and extract?
The khata certificate confirms that the property exists in the municipal records under the owner's name, like confirming an account exists. The khata extract is the detailed account statement, listing dimensions, built up area, assessed value and tax status. Buyers usually need both, the certificate to prove the account and the extract for the detail.
What is a khata endorsement?
A khata endorsement is the document the municipal body issues to record a khata event, typically the registration of a new khata or the transfer of an existing one into a buyer's name. It evidences the change in the account rather than the property details, so it sits alongside the certificate and extract.
Is a khata the same as proof of ownership?
No. A khata is a municipal account for property tax and civic purposes, not a title document. Ownership is proved by the registered sale deed and a clean chain of title with an encumbrance certificate. A khata in a seller's name supports the picture, but it does not by itself prove they own the property.
Which khata documents should I collect when buying in Bengaluru?
Ask for the khata certificate, the latest khata extract and the endorsement recording the current owner, along with the e khata where issued. Match the details on the extract against the sale deed and the tax receipts. After you buy, apply to transfer the khata into your own name without delay.
Last updated 2026-10-07. PropNewz Team.
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