Can I buy land in Andhra Pradesh?
All land categories are accessible to any Indian citizen
AgriculturalHorticulturalResidentialCommercialIndustrial
Andhra Pradesh has no state-origin restriction on land purchases and does not require farmer status. Any Indian citizen can buy agricultural or non-agricultural land across all 28 districts. The September 2025 repeal of the 60-year-old NALA Act has dramatically simplified the conversion process for agricultural-to-non-agricultural use.
Land-ceiling rules under the AP Land Reforms Act, 1973
- Wet (irrigated) land: maximum 10 acres (4.05 hectares) per family unit.
- Dry (non-irrigated) land: maximum 25 acres (10.12 hectares) per family unit.
- Family unit = head of household plus dependents; mixed holdings convert at 1 ha wet = 2.5 ha dry.
- Excess land is automatically transferred to the state without compensation.
28districts,
Andhra Pradesh: open in all districts; tribal mandals protected
Regular districts:
All 28 districts are open to outside buyers. AP was reorganised from 13 to 26 districts in April 2022; Markapuram and Polavaram were added in December 2025.
Fifth Schedule mandals:
Specific mandals in Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram, Srikakulam and parts of East Godavari are scheduled areas under the AP Scheduled Areas Land Transfer Regulation, 1959. Verify with the District Collector before purchase.
The NALA Act was repealed on 1 September 2025. Conversion approvals now run through a single fee structure with 15 to 30 day turnaround under the District Collector or Municipal / Panchayat authority, instead of the earlier 3 to 6 months.
Due diligence checklist before buying
- Verify the mandal is not a Fifth Schedule scheduled area through the District Collector's office.
- Conduct a 12-year minimum title search via the IGRS AP portal.
- Confirm family aggregate holdings stay within ceiling limits and obtain a ceiling certificate.
- Confirm land classification (agricultural vs non-agricultural) in official records.
- Stamp and register the sale deed at the Sub-Registrar office; budget 5 to 7 percent stamp duty plus 1 percent registration fee.
Disclaimer · benami arrangements are a criminal offence
- Buying land in another person's name to circumvent state-origin, residency, occupation or tribal-area restrictions is a benami arrangement, prohibited under the Prohibition of Benami Property Transactions Act, 1988 (as amended in 2016).
- Penalty: 1 to 7 years rigorous imprisonment plus a fine of up to 25% of the property's fair-market value.
- The property can be confiscated by the Government of India and the deed cancelled.
- Power-of-attorney workarounds, ownership-mimic 99-year leases, and shell-company structures are not recognised — do not attempt them.