You get a Karnataka Encumbrance Certificate (EC) online on Kaveri 2.0 at kaveri.karnataka.gov.in: log in, start an EC application, search by property number or party name, pay, e-sign Form 22 with Aadhaar OTP, and download the signed EC from your dashboard. For the period from 1 April 2004 onward, the official service timeline is 3 working days. The fee is ₹10 application fee plus ₹30 for the first year and ₹10 for every later year searched.
An EC lists only documents registered at the Sub-Registrar's Office (SRO). A clean or "Nil" EC does not prove clean title — pending court cases, wills and powers of attorney do not appear on it.
Last verified 28 Oct 2026 against the Kaveri 2.0 portal, its in-portal EC FAQ and user manual, and the Department of Stamps and Registration website.
In short
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Official portal | Kaveri 2.0 — kaveri.karnataka.gov.in (linked from igr.karnataka.gov.in) |
| What you need | Kaveri login, property details (PID / survey no. / site no. / assessment no. / khata no.), Aadhaar for e-sign, online payment |
| Fee | ₹10 application + ₹30 for year 1 + ₹10 per extra year |
| Time (1 April 2004 onward) | 3 working days (Sakala timeline) |
| Time (before 1 April 2004) | 10 working days for the first 13 years, plus 1 day for every further 10 years |
| Formats | Form 15 (entries found) · Form 16 (Nil EC) · Form 17 (search by name of executant) |
| Where the PDF lands | Your Kaveri dashboard → Download Signed EC; the department also uploads it to DigiLocker |
| What it will not show | Unregistered deals, wills (Book 3), powers of attorney (Book 4), pending litigation |
Buying with a home loan? An EC is one input, not the verdict. For the chain-of-title, litigation and revenue checks an EC cannot cover, run a full LegiScore title check →
Which website is "Kaveri Online" in 2026?
Use Kaveri 2.0 at kaveri.karnataka.gov.in. The Department of Stamps and Registration links to this address as its "Kaveri Registration Portal", and the department's own Kaveri 2 FAQ tells first-time users to register there.
Many older guides and bookmarks still point to kaverionline.karnataka.gov.in. That was the first-generation "Kaveri Online Services" site. When we tested it on 28 Oct 2026, it did not respond, while Kaveri 2.0 loaded normally. If a search result sends you to the old address, go to kaveri.karnataka.gov.in instead.
Bhoomi is a different portal. People often search "Bhoomi EC online", but Bhoomi is the Revenue Department's land-records site. It gives the RTC (Pahani), mutation register, mutation history and khatha extract. It does not issue an EC. The EC comes from the registration side — Kaveri.
How to check EC online in Karnataka on Kaveri 2.0
This follows Section 19 of the Kaveri 2.0 citizen user manual and the portal's own EC screens.
Step 1: Create a Kaveri 2.0 account and log in
Open kaveri.karnataka.gov.in and click Register. Fill in your details. The portal sends an auto-generated password to your registered mobile number or email. Log in with it.
Step 2: Start an EC application
From your dashboard, start a new application and select Encumbrance Certificate (EC). Read the prerequisites screen and click Continue.
Step 3: Choose how to search
You have two options:
- Search by Property Number — the usual route. Select District, Taluk, Hobli/Town and Village. Choose Agricultural or Non-Agricultural. Enter the identifiers you have: survey number and hissa number for farm land, or PID, site number, assessment number or khata number for urban property.
- Search by Party Name — search by the name of a seller, purchaser or claimant. An EC issued on a name search is in Form 17.
A map-based option, GIS EC, lets you pick the parcel on a map. Tick "Use experimental map feature" while searching.
Step 4: Set the search period
Enter the From Date and To Date (date/month/year). The fee and the processing time both depend on this period.
Step 5: Check the result, then apply for the signed copy
Kaveri shows the matching entries on screen. Confirm that the result relates to your input. Then tick "I would like to proceed with applying for a digital signed copy of the EC."
Step 6: Pay the fee
The Fee Description screen shows the application fee and search fee. Pay by net banking, debit or credit card, or UPI.
Step 7: E-sign Form 22 with Aadhaar
Your EC application is Form 22. Click E-Sign, enter your Aadhaar number and the OTP sent to your registered mobile number, and submit. You can download or print the e-signed Form 22. The application then goes to the SRO.
Step 8: Wait for the SRO
SRO staff verify the application, prepare the EC and digitally sign it. You do not need to visit the office.
How to download the EC PDF on Kaveri
- Log in to Kaveri 2.0 and open your dashboard.
- Open the EC application.
- Click Download Signed EC. The file is a digitally signed PDF.
When the EC is ready, the department's message says it has been "uploaded to digilocker", so you can also get the copy from your DigiLocker account.
Kaveri states that Adobe Reader 10 is required to view the downloaded document. Use Adobe Reader instead of a browser preview so that the digital signature is checked.
How to verify a Karnataka EC
- On Kaveri: the portal has a Verify Document → Verify EC Document option. Enter the EC application number from the certificate.
- In the PDF: open it in Adobe Reader and check the signature panel. Confirm that the signature is valid and the document has not been changed after signing.
- Against the property: check that the SRO, village, survey/property number and period on the EC match the property you are buying. An EC that is correct for a different survey number is worthless.
Karnataka EC fees in 2026
The Kaveri 2.0 EC FAQ gives the fee as:
- Application fee: ₹10
- Search fee: ₹30 for the first year, and ₹10 for every subsequent year
| Search period | Application fee | Search fee | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 year | ₹10 | ₹30 | ₹40 |
| 13 years | ₹10 | ₹30 + (12 × ₹10) = ₹150 | ₹160 |
| 30 years | ₹10 | ₹30 + (29 × ₹10) = ₹320 | ₹330 |
The totals are our arithmetic from the published rule. The Fee Description screen shows the exact amount before you pay.
Do not confuse this with the registration fee for a sale deed. Karnataka raised the registration fee from 1% to 2% with effect from 31 August 2025.
How long does a Karnataka EC take?
EC is a notified Sakala service. The timelines shown on Kaveri are:
| Period searched | Service timeline |
|---|---|
| 1 April 2004 to date | 3 working days |
| Before 1 April 2004 — first 13 years | 10 working days |
| Before 1 April 2004 — more than 13 years | 10 days + 1 day for every further 10 years |
How far back do Kaveri's online EC records go?
Kaveri's EC data covers 1 April 2004 onward. For an earlier period, Kaveri now accepts an online application for a pre-2004 EC. You fill the form and e-sign it in the same way. The SRO then searches its older registers, which is why the timeline is longer. Kaveri adds that for a pre-2004 EC you can also collect the original copy from the Sub-Registrar's Office.
For older or ancestral property, the pre-2004 years are often where the problems sit. See Kaveri records from 2004: how to check older encumbrances in Bangalore.
Form 15 vs Form 16 vs Form 17
| Form | When it is issued | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| Form 15 | Registered transactions found in the period | Lists the registered documents found for the property in that period |
| Form 16 | No registered transaction found | "Nil Encumbrance Certificate" |
| Form 17 | The search was made by the executant's name | Entries found against that name |
For a purchase or a loan, you want a Form 15 or Form 16 for the property, covering the full period your lawyer or lender asks for. More detail: Form 15 vs Form 16 Encumbrance Certificate.
What a clean EC does not show
An EC is built from documents registered in Book 1 at the SRO — the register of non-testamentary documents relating to immovable property. That one fact explains its blind spots. Each blind spot below has its own check.
| Not on the EC | Why | How to check |
|---|---|---|
| Pending court cases | Kaveri's FAQ says plainly: "Pending litigation on the property is not reflected in the encumbrance certificate." | Search the seller's name and the property on eCourts |
| Wills and adoption deeds | Registered in Book 3, not Book 1 | Ask how each past owner got title. If by inheritance, get the will or legal-heir papers |
| Powers of attorney | Registered in Book 4, not Book 1 | Ask for every GPA or SPA in the chain and check it was in force on the sale date. See GPA vs SPA |
| Unregistered deals | An unregistered agreement to sell, or a loan with no registered mortgage deed, never enters Book 1 | Ask the seller in writing. Search CERSAI, which has a public search by asset and by borrower |
| Documents filed under another number | Kaveri's FAQ says that if you get a Nil EC for a property that has had a transaction, you should search again with more parameters | Search by old and new survey numbers, PID and khata number, and run a party-name search (Form 17) |
| Revenue-side problems | Mutations, RTC entries and revenue disputes sit with the Revenue Department, not the SRO | Check RTC, mutation history and dispute cases on Bhoomi |
| Years outside your search | The EC covers only the dates you entered | Search the full period your lender asks for, including pre-2004 years where relevant |
So a Nil EC means no Book 1 registration was found for the identifiers and dates you searched. It does not mean "no problems". More on this: Why a clean EC is not enough.
How to read the entries on your EC
For each entry on a Form 15, check four things:
- Document type — sale, mortgage, release, gift, partition and so on. A mortgage with no later release deed may still be live. See EC shows an old mortgage that was never cancelled.
- Parties — the last sale should end with the person now selling to you. If not, read Khata shows the seller but the EC shows a different owner.
- Dates — a long silent gap may be a genuine nil period or a missing record. See EC gap years: genuine nil or missing record.
- Property description — survey number, extent and boundaries should match the sale deed.
Full walkthrough: How to read an Encumbrance Certificate.
Common problems on Kaveri and what to do
- Nil EC for a property you know was sold or mortgaged. Search again with more identifiers (old survey number, PID, khata number) and run a party-name search. This is the fix Kaveri's own FAQ gives.
- Party-name search unavailable. Kaveri has shown a notice that the "EC Search by Name" facility is under technical enhancement and open only during set hours. Use the property-number search, or try again in the hours shown on the portal.
- "EC search limit reached for the user". The portal limits searches per login. Plan your search details before you start.
- E-sign fails. E-sign needs your Aadhaar number and an OTP on your registered mobile number. Check that the number is active, then retry.
- Stuck application or grievance. The Kaveri 2.0 helpline is 080-68265316. Complaints can also go to helpdsr@karnataka.gov.in.
Frequently asked questions
What is the official Kaveri 2.0 website for EC?
kaveri.karnataka.gov.in. The Department of Stamps and Registration links to it from igr.karnataka.gov.in. The older kaverionline.karnataka.gov.in address belongs to the first-generation Kaveri Online Services site.
How do I download the Kaveri online EC PDF?
Log in to Kaveri 2.0, open your EC application from the dashboard and click Download Signed EC. The department also uploads the signed EC to DigiLocker. Open the PDF in Adobe Reader so the digital signature is validated.
Can I get the EC from Bhoomi?
No. Bhoomi gives revenue records — RTC, mutation register, mutation history and khatha extract. The EC is issued by the Department of Stamps and Registration through Kaveri 2.0. You usually need both.
How much does a Karnataka EC cost online?
₹10 application fee plus a search fee of ₹30 for the first year and ₹10 for each further year. By that rule, a 13-year EC comes to ₹160 and a 30-year EC to ₹330. The portal shows the exact fee before payment.
Is Aadhaar mandatory for a Karnataka EC?
Yes, for the digitally signed EC. Kaveri requires you to e-sign the Form 22 application, and e-sign uses Aadhaar OTP.
Do I need to visit the Sub-Registrar's Office?
No. Kaveri states that after successful payment the EC is available in your citizen login. For a pre-2004 EC, you can also collect the original copy from the SRO if you want it.
Can I get an EC for the period before 2004 online?
You can apply online and e-sign the application. The SRO prepares it from its older registers, so it takes longer: 10 working days for the first 13 years, plus 1 day for every further 10 years.
Does a Nil EC (Form 16) mean the property is safe?
No. It means no Book 1 registration was found for the identifiers and period you searched. Pending litigation, wills, powers of attorney and unregistered deals do not show on an EC. Check each one separately.
Does an EC show pending court cases?
No. Kaveri's own FAQ says pending litigation is not reflected in the EC. Search eCourts separately.
What is the difference between an EC and a khata in Karnataka?
The EC is a registration record of transactions on the property. The khata is a municipal or panchayat record used for property-tax assessment. You need both, and they should point to the same owner. See Patta and khata guide.
How many years of EC should I take?
Take the period your lawyer or lender asks for, and remember that the fee rises by only ₹10 per extra year. See Title chain: 13 years vs 30 years and Bank wants a 30-year title chain.
Beyond the EC: a full title check
An EC answers one question: what was registered in Book 1 for these identifiers and dates. A safe purchase also needs the sale-deed chain, litigation, revenue records and approvals.
LegiScore reads the EC with the rest of the file — sale deeds, RTC and mutation records, and court searches — and gives a Legal Property Score (LPS) with the specific gaps flagged. For Bengaluru and the rest of Karnataka, see the Karnataka property due diligence guide and the Bangalore guide.
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