Reading a Hyderabad Property Ad: The TG RERA Numbers That Must Appear and How to Check Them

A full page newspaper advertisement for a new Hyderabad tower lands on the breakfast table on a Sunday. There is a rendering of a glass facade, a list of amenities, a price starting at a round number and a phone number in large type. Somewhere on that page, if the promoter has followed the Telangana regulator's direction, there should be two numbers and one web address sitting in the top right corner. They are easy to skim past. They are the fastest check a Hyderabad buyer can run before calling the sales team.

The short answer. The Real Estate Regulatory Authority, Telangana State has issued a public notice under Section 37 of the RERA Act directing that project advertisements in a prospectus, print media, hoardings or any other visual medium carry the competent authority's project permit number, the TG RERA registration number and the TG RERA website address in the top right corner, in a font at least as large as the one used for the project's contact details and address. For FM radio, electronic media and SMS, the registration number and the approval details must be mentioned prominently. The trade-off: a correct number on an ad tells you where to look, not that the project is sound, so the number is the start of your checks, not the end.

What exactly has TG RERA told promoters to print?

Three items, in a fixed place. The TG RERA public notice for the attention of promoters of real estate projects says that advertisements of real estate projects in the prospectus, print media, hoardings or any other visual medium shall mention the competent authority's project permit number and the registration number, along with the TG RERA website URL, in the top right corner.

The notice also sets a size rule. The block must be in a font size equal to or larger than the font size used for the project contact details and address in that advertisement. The sample block printed in the notice has three lines: the layout, building or permission number, with the issuing body named as HMDA, GHMC, DTCP, gram panchayat and so on; the TG RERA registration number; and the website, https://rera.telangana.gov.in.

For audio and short formats, the notice says that in advertisements on FM radio, through electronic media and by SMS, the registration number issued by the regulator, along with the approval details of HMDA, GHMC, DTCP, corporations, municipalities or gram panchayats, shall be prominently mentioned.

Why does a regulator's notice bind a builder's advertisement?

Because the RERA Act gives the authority that power. Section 37 of the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 says the authority may issue directions from time to time to promoters, allottees or real estate agents as it considers necessary, and that such directions shall be binding on all concerned. The TG RERA notice states that it was issued under Section 37.

The notice builds on a rule already in the Act. Section 11(2) says an advertisement or prospectus issued by the promoter shall mention prominently the website address of the authority, where all details of the registered project have been entered, and include the registration number obtained from the authority. The Telangana direction adds the permit number of the approving body and fixes where and how large the block must appear.

It also matters what counts as an advertisement. Section 2(b) defines it broadly: any document described or issued as an advertisement through any medium, including any notice, circular or other publicity in any form, that informs people about a project, offers a unit for sale or invites people to buy or make advances or deposits.

What should you do with the two numbers?

Use each one to look up a different record. The RERA registration number takes you to the project's page on the TG RERA website. Section 11(1) of the Act says a promoter must create a web page on the authority's website and enter the project's details for public viewing, including the registration granted and quarterly updates on units booked, approvals taken and pending, and the status of the project. Our guide to verifying a TG RERA project registration walks through that search step by step.

The permit number points to the approving body named next to it, such as HMDA, GHMC or DTCP. It identifies the layout or building permission the project relies on. A buyer can ask the sales team for a copy of that permission and compare the permit number, the survey numbers and the number of floors with what the advertisement shows.

The two records should agree. If the ad shows a tower of one height and the permission or the RERA web page shows another, that gap is a question for the promoter before any money moves. For a sense of how a listed project's details sit alongside its registration, see a project page such as DSR Ciel in Gopanpally, which carries its TG RERA number.

What does it mean if an ad has no registration number at all?

It is a warning sign that needs an answer. Section 3(1) of the Act says no promoter shall advertise, market, book, sell or offer for sale, or invite persons to purchase in any manner, any plot, apartment or building in a real estate project in a planning area without registering the project with the authority. The Act has exceptions in Section 3(2), such as projects where the land does not exceed 500 square metres or the apartments do not exceed eight inclusive of all phases.

The Act's penalties show how seriously it treats this. Section 59(1) says a promoter who contravenes Section 3 is liable to a penalty which may extend up to ten per cent of the estimated cost of the project, as determined by the authority. Separately, Section 63 says a promoter who fails to comply with the authority's orders or directions is liable to a penalty for every day the default continues, which may cumulatively extend up to five per cent of the estimated cost.

For you, the practical reading is simple. An "expression of interest" or "pre-launch" offer with no registration number is the kind of advertising Section 3 addresses. Ask for the number in writing, and if the answer is that registration is "in process", treat the offer as not yet ready for your money.

What if the flat turns out different from the advertisement?

The Act gives a buyer who relied on the ad a route to compensation. Section 12 says that where any person makes an advance or a deposit on the basis of information in a notice, advertisement or prospectus, or on the basis of a model apartment, plot or building, and sustains loss or damage because of an incorrect or false statement in it, that person shall be compensated by the promoter in the manner provided under the Act.

The same section gives an exit. Its proviso says that if the person affected intends to withdraw from the project, they shall be returned their entire investment along with interest at the prescribed rate and the compensation provided under the Act.

This is why the advertisement is worth keeping. A dated newspaper page, a screenshot of a social media post or a saved SMS is the evidence that links a promise to the promoter. Section 31(1) says any aggrieved person may file a complaint with the authority or the adjudicating officer for any violation of the Act, and the explanation includes an association of allottees within "person". Our guide to TG RERA complaint forms explains the filing route.

How do the ad rules compare across formats?

Here is what the Act and the TG RERA notice require, by format.

What should you check before paying a booking amount?

Run the ad through these checks before you visit the site office or transfer a token.

1. Find the block in the top right corner and note the permit number, the RERA number and the website.
2. Search the RERA number on the TG RERA website and open the project's page.
3. Match the promoter name, project name and address on that page with the advertisement.
4. Ask for the layout or building permission and compare its number with the one printed.
5. Ask to see the sanctioned plans and specifications at the time of booking.
6. Save the advertisement, brochure or SMS with its date as a record.
7. Pay no more than ten per cent before a written agreement for sale is registered.

The last two checks come straight from the Act. Section 11(3)(a) says the promoter, at the time of booking and issue of the allotment letter, shall make available to the allottee the sanctioned plans, layout plans and specifications approved by the competent authority. Section 13(1) says a promoter shall not accept more than ten per cent of the cost of the apartment, plot or building as an advance or application fee without first entering into a written agreement for sale and registering it.

Frequently asked questions

Where should the TG RERA number appear on a Hyderabad property ad?

TG RERA's public notice under Section 37 says print, prospectus, hoarding and other visual advertisements must show the competent authority's project permit number, the TG RERA registration number and the TG RERA website in the top right corner, in a font at least as large as the one used for the project's contact details and address.

Do radio and SMS property ads also need the RERA number?

Yes. The TG RERA notice says advertisements on FM radio, through electronic media and by SMS must prominently mention the registration number issued by the regulator, together with the approval details of the body that approved the project, such as HMDA, GHMC, DTCP, a corporation, a municipality or a gram panchayat.

Can a builder advertise a project before RERA registration?

Section 3(1) of the RERA Act says no promoter shall advertise, market, book, sell or invite people to buy units in a project in a planning area without registering it, subject to exceptions such as projects up to 500 square metres or eight apartments. Section 59 allows a penalty of up to ten per cent of project cost.

What can I claim if the flat differs from the advertisement?

Section 12 of the RERA Act says a person who paid an advance or deposit relying on an advertisement, prospectus or model flat and suffers loss from a false statement shall be compensated by the promoter. If that person withdraws, the entire investment is returned with interest at the prescribed rate, plus compensation.

Last updated 2026-10-21. PropNewz Team.