Document Guide · Bihar

How to Check Encumbrance Certificate in Bihar — Complete Guide 2026

An Encumbrance Certificate confirms a property has no registered mortgages, loans, or legal claims against it. In Bihar, the EC covers only registered transactions ,always cross-check it with the Khatauni before finalising any purchase. This guide covers how to get it, what it contains, and what it misses.

Quick Reference

Also calledEC / EC via IGRS Bihar

Issued bySub-Registrar (IGRS Bihar)

Valid forCovers a specific period you request; no fixed expiry

CostCurrent fee with Sub-Registrar / igrs.bihar.gov.in.

Time takenProcessing time with Sub-Registrar.

Online portaligrs.bihar.gov.in / bhumijankari.bihar.gov.in

noteEC covers only registered transactions. Unregistered claims and informal loans do not appear. Cross-check with Khatauni to catch ownership gaps the EC will not show.

What is Encumbrance Certificate in Bihar?

Definition

An Encumbrance Certificate is a document issued by the Sub-Registrar under IGRS Bihar that lists all registered transactions ,mortgages, sale deeds, gift deeds, and court attachments ,recorded against a property over a specified period. It proves the property is free of registered financial liabilities.

The EC works by searching the Sub-Registrar's deed registration database for a given property over the years you request. If a mortgage was registered, it shows. If a sale deed was registered, it shows. What it does not show is anything that bypassed registration ,informal loans against the land, oral agreements, or revenue-level disputes recorded only in the Khatauni and not in the IGRS system.

This is the gap buyers miss. An EC showing "nil encumbrance" over 30 years feels like a clean title. But if the current owner borrowed money informally using the land as collateral, or if a dispute is recorded only in the Jamabandi, the EC will be silent on both. In Bihar, the instruction to cross-check EC with Khatauni exists precisely because these two systems record different types of claims. One without the other gives an incomplete picture. Both together give you something close to certainty.

State-specific note: Bihar's EC covers only IGRS-registered transactions. Unregistered encumbrances and Jamabandi-level disputes will not appear. Always run the Khatauni check alongside the EC, not after it.

How to Get Encumbrance Certificate Bihar 2026: Step-by-Step

Have the property's deed number, Sub-Registrar office name, and the period you want covered ready before starting. The online route via Bhumijankari is faster; the offline route at the Sub-Registrar office gives a signed certified copy.

Online method (recommended)

Open Bhumijankari Go to bhumijankari

bihar.gov.in. Register or log in. Look for the Encumbrance Certificate section on the homepage.

Enter property details

Select the registration office, enter the deed number or property details, and specify the start and end dates for the period you want searched

Request at least 30 years of history. Mortgages taken before a previous sale sometimes survive if the discharge was not registered.

Pay the fee and submit Pay the applicable fee online

Current fee at igrs.bihar.gov.in before applying\] Submit the application and note your request number.

Download the EC Once processed, download the EC as a PDF

Check every entry listed against the property ,each transaction type, party name, and date.

A "nil encumbrance" result means no registered transactions were found for that period. It does not mean the property is dispute-free.

Offline method (Sub-Registrar Office)

Visit the correct office The Sub-Registrar office where the property's deeds were registered is the right office

Confirm jurisdiction before visiting.

Submit the application Fill the EC application form with property details and the period requested

Pay the fee at the counter.

Wait for processing The Sub-Registrar office searches deed records for the requested period

Processing time with local Sub-Registrar office.

Collect the certified copy Collect the signed EC

This version carries official weight for bank submissions and legal proceedings ,the online PDF may need sub-registrar attestation for some banks.

Ask whether the office has fully digitised records for your requested period. Older pre-computerisation records may be incomplete.

What Does Encumbrance Certificate Contain in Bihar?

Each EC entry corresponds to one registered transaction ,read every line before drawing any conclusion.

Field	Meaning	Important Check
\\\#	Source	URL
1	IGRS Bihar Official Portal	\[https://igrs.bihar.gov.in\](https://igrs.bihar.gov.in/)
2	Bhumijankari Bihar Portal	\[https://www.bhumijankari.bihar.gov.in\](https://www.bhumijankari.bihar.gov.in/)
3	1acre.in – How to Buy Land in Bihar	\<https://1acre.in/guides/how-to-buy-land-in-bihar\>
4	Bajaj Housing Finance – Bihar Registration	\<https://www.bajajhousingfinance.in/resources/property-registration-in-bihar\>
5	Bihar Land Fraud Guide	\<https://www.biharbhumiseva.in/blogs/land-fraud-in-bihar-every-buyer-should-know/\>
Property details	Survey/plot number, location, area as registered	Must match the property being sold to confirm correct EC
Transaction type	Sale deed, mortgage, gift deed, court attachment, etc.	Any active mortgage or attachment is a red flag
Party names	Buyer, seller, or lender involved in each transaction	Seller's name must appear in the chain; gaps mean missing deeds
Transaction date	Date each deed was registered	Check for recent mortgages taken after the last sale
Deed number	Unique registration number for each transaction	Use this to pull the full deed from the Sub-Registrar if needed

Good sign: No active mortgages or attachments, seller's name appears in a clean ownership chain, and the most recent transaction matches the current sale being discussed.

Common Issues With Encumbrance Certificate in Bihar

Three of these issues are specific to how Bihar's registration and revenue systems interact ,read them before trusting any EC.

EC period too short

Buyers often request EC for 10 or 15 years. Mortgages taken before a prior sale, if not discharged and registered, can survive longer. A 10-year EC will miss them entirely.

Fix: Always request a minimum of 30 years. If the property is older, go back further.

Pre-computerisation records missing

Bihar's IGRS digitisation covers records from specific years onward. Deeds registered before computerisation may not appear in the online search, creating a false "nil encumbrance" result.

Fix: Ask the Sub-Registrar office specifically whether physical registers were searched for your requested period. If not, request a manual search.

Unregistered mortgage not in EC

Informal loans taken by using land as collateral ,common in Bihar's rural areas ,are never registered with the Sub-Registrar. The EC will show nothing. The lender may still have a claim, enforced through civil court.

Fix: Ask the seller directly for a declaration of no informal loans. Cross-check the Khatauni for any dispute entries. Talk to neighbours and adjacent landowners.

EC shows clean but Khatauni shows dispute

These two systems are independent. A property can show "nil encumbrance" on EC while the Jamabandi carries an active ownership dispute or mutation contest. Buyers who check only the EC miss this entirely.

Fix: Run both checks together, not in sequence. The Khatauni check is not optional even when the EC is clean.

Wrong property details searched

If the deed number or survey number entered is even slightly off, the EC returns results for a different property. A clean EC on the wrong plot is worthless.

Fix: Cross-check the property details on the EC against the sale deed and the Khatauni entry before accepting it as valid for your transaction.

Active mortgage not yet discharged

A seller may have cleared a loan but not registered the discharge deed. The EC will still show the mortgage as active. This is a title defect until the discharge is registered.

Fix: If an old mortgage appears, insist the seller produce the registered discharge deed before proceeding. No discharge deed, no deal.

Why Encumbrance Certificate Matters for Land Buyers in Bihar

The EC answers one question cleanly: has anything been registered against this property? Everything beyond that requires a second check.

📋

Mortgage and loan verification Banks require an EC before approving any loan against property

It confirms no prior mortgage is active. Without a clean EC, no lender in Bihar will process the application. This makes it the first document most lenders ask for.

⚠

EC covers only registered claims Bihar's EC misses unregistered encumbrances entirely

An EC alone is not sufficient proof of clean title. The cross-check with Khatauni exists because disputes, mutation contests, and informal loans live in the revenue system, not the registration system.

🏦

Required for registration and loans Both the Sub-Registrar and banks expect a current EC before a sale is completed

Most banks ask for EC covering the last 13 to 30 years.

🔍

Bihar-specific: two systems, two checks Bihar runs IGRS for registration records and Bihar Bhumi for revenue records

They do not talk to each other. A property can be clean on one and disputed on the other. No single document covers both. That is why the state-specific warning is to cross-check EC with Khatauni, not treat either as sufficient alone.

Red flag: If a seller provides an EC but refuses to let you cross-check with the current Khatauni, something in the revenue record is being hidden. Do not proceed until both are confirmed clean.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is Encumbrance Certificate Bihar 2026 and why does a buyer need it?

It lists all registered mortgages, sale deeds, and attachments on a property over a requested period. Banks require it before approving loans. Buyers need it to confirm no active mortgage exists. But it covers only registered transactions ,always pair it with a Khatauni check.

How do I get Encumbrance Certificate online in Bihar?

Go to bhumijankari.bihar.gov.in, log in, select the EC section, enter property and deed details, specify the period, pay the fee, and download the PDF. For a certified copy valid for bank submissions, collect it from the Sub-Registrar office directly.

What is the validity of Encumbrance Certificate in Bihar?

The EC covers the specific period you request ,it does not expire. However, banks typically ask for an EC that covers up to the current date. If you got your EC six months ago, get a fresh one before registration to confirm nothing new was registered since.

How much does Encumbrance Certificate cost in Bihar?

Current fee at igrs.bihar.gov.in or with the Sub-Registrar office before applying, as fee schedules change and confirmed figures were not available at time of publication.

What does Encumbrance Certificate contain in Bihar?

It lists every registered transaction on the property for the requested period: sale deeds, mortgages, gift deeds, court attachments, and party names. Each entry shows the transaction type, parties involved, date, and deed number. A nil result means no registered transactions were found.

Is EC mandatory for land registration in Bihar?

It is not a statutory requirement for registration itself, but the Sub-Registrar and lenders expect it. No bank will process a loan without it. For any serious purchase, treat it as mandatory even when technically optional at the registration counter.

Why must EC be cross-checked with Khatauni in Bihar?

Bihar's EC covers only IGRS-registered transactions. The Khatauni (Jamabandi) records ownership disputes, mutation contests, and revenue-level claims that never pass through the Sub-Registrar. A property can be EC-clean and Khatauni-disputed at the same time. Check both.

What period should EC cover for a Bihar land purchase?

Request at least 30 years. Mortgages from before a previous sale can survive if the discharge was not registered. A 10 or 15-year EC misses these. If the property is older, ask the Sub-Registrar whether pre-computerisation physical registers were also searched. ##

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