Document Guide · Bihar
How to Check a Lagaan Receipt in Bihar — Complete Guide 2026
A Lagaan Receipt proves all land revenue dues on a plot have been paid to the Bihar government. Unpaid Lagaan follows the land, not the seller; the buyer inherits the liability. Verify at least 5 years of receipts before signing anything. This guide covers how to check, collect, and what gaps mean.
Quick Reference
Also calledLagaan / Land Revenue Receipt / Bhumi Lagaan
Issued byCircle Office (Anchal Adhikari)
Valid forEach receipt covers the year it was paid
CostLagaan amount varies by plot area and land type
Time takenInstant online payment; receipt collected same day offline
Online portalbhulagan.bihar.gov.in
noteAlways verify 5 full years of receipts. One missing year means unpaid dues you will inherit as the new owner.
1
What is a Lagaan Receipt in Bihar?
Definition
Lagaan is the annual land revenue payable to the Bihar government on agricultural and rural land, collected by the Circle Office under the Bihar Tenancy Act. The Lagaan Receipt is the official proof that this payment is current and no dues are outstanding.
Land revenue in Bihar is not linked to the owner ,it is linked to the plot. This distinction matters. If a seller has skipped three years of Lagaan payments, that debt stays with the land when ownership transfers. The new buyer becomes responsible for clearing it. Sellers do not always disclose this. The only way to catch it is to check the receipts yourself, going back at least five years.
Bihar now allows Lagaan payment and receipt download online via bhulagan.bihar.gov.in. But the online portal only shows payments made through the digital system ,older offline payments may not appear. For plots in rural Mouzas where Lagaan was paid in cash at the Circle Office for years, the physical receipt book at the Anchal level is the authoritative record. Five years of clean receipts, either online or physically verified, is the minimum standard before purchase.
State-specific note: In Bihar, unpaid Lagaan does not disappear when the land is sold. The arrears attach to the plot. Verify 5 years of receipts,not just the most recent one.
2
How to Get Lagaan Receipt Bihar 2026: Step-by-Step
Online payment and receipt is possible via bhulagan.bihar.gov.in. To verify a seller's past payment history, the Circle Office is the reliable source. Have the Khata number and Mauza name ready.
Online method (recommended)
1
Open the Bhulagan portal Go to bhulagan
bihar.gov.in. This is Bihar's dedicated land revenue payment portal. It is separate from biharbhumi.bihar.gov.in.
2
Search by Khata or plot Enter your district, anchal, mauza, and Khata number
The system shows outstanding dues and payment history where digitised.
If the portal shows no history for older years, do not assume dues were paid. Offline records may not be on the system.
3
Pay any outstanding dues If dues are pending, pay online
Note the transaction reference and download the receipt immediately after payment confirmation.
4
Download the receipt Save the digitally generated receipt as PDF
This is valid for registration and official use. For historical receipts not on the portal, request physical copies from the Circle Office.
Offline method (Sub-Registrar Office)
1
Visit the Anchal Karyalay The Circle Office covering the Mauza holds physical Lagaan records
Confirm jurisdiction from the Bihar Bhumi portal.
2
Request payment history Ask the Anchal Adhikari for Lagaan payment records for the Khata number going back 5 years
Specify you need receipts for all years, not just current status.
3
Collect certified copies Request certified copies of receipts for each year
Whether certified copies carry a fee with the Circle Office.
If any year shows as unpaid, ask the seller to clear it before registration. Do not accept an undertaking ,get the actual receipt.
4
Cross-check against Jamabandi The Khata number on the Lagaan receipts must match the Khata number in the current Jamabandi entry
A mismatch means different plots or an unmutated ownership change.
3
What Does Lagaan Receipt Contain in Bihar?
Each Lagaan Receipt covers one payment year and carries five fields a buyer must check.
| Field | Description | Verification / Importance |
|---|---|---|
| Khata Number | Account number of the land holding | Must match the Khata in the current Jamabandi entry for legal validity |
| Mauza and Anchal | Revenue village (Mauza) and administrative circle (Anchal) | Confirms the receipt belongs to the correct geographic land record |
| Payment Year | The revenue year for which lagaan is paid | Check for missing years; gaps indicate pending dues or liability |
| Amount Paid | Total lagaan paid for that specific year | Ensures payment is complete, not partial |
| Receipt Number | Unique transaction ID of the payment | Used for authenticity verification at Circle Office or online portal |
Good sign: Five consecutive years of receipts with matching Khata number, same Mauza, full amounts paid, and no year missing in the sequence.
4
Common Issues With Lagaan Receipt Bihar 2026
Four issues here are specific to how Bihar's land revenue system separates online and offline records.
Online portal shows no history for older years
bhulagan.bihar.gov.in only reflects payments made through the digital system. Cash payments at the Circle Office before digitisation do not appear online. A blank portal record does not mean dues were unpaid.
Fix: Always check physical records at the Circle Office for years not visible on the portal.
Seller provides only recent receipts
Some sellers hand over just the current year's receipt. Arrears from 3 to 5 years ago stay hidden. The buyer inherits those dues on taking ownership.
Fix: Ask for 5 full years of receipts. Check each year individually. Reject the transaction if any year is missing.
Fake Lagaan receipts
Printed fake receipts exist in Bihar's rural land market. They look genuine but carry fabricated receipt numbers that do not exist in the Circle Office register.
Fix: Take any seller-provided receipt to the Circle Office and verify the receipt number against the register before accepting it.
Khata number mismatch between receipt and Jamabandi
A Lagaan receipt showing a different Khata number from the current Jamabandi means one of two things: the wrong plot's dues were paid, or ownership changed but mutation was never done. Either way, the receipt does not cover the land being sold.
Fix: Cross-check Khata numbers across Lagaan receipt, Jamabandi, and the sale deed before proceeding.
Partial payment records
In some cases, Lagaan was paid but only partially ,the remainder carried forward. The receipt exists but does not clear the full dues for that year.
Fix: Ask the Circle Office for a dues clearance confirmation, not just a payment receipt.
5
Why Lagaan Receipt Matters for Land Buyers in Bihar
Unpaid land revenue is a liability that transfers with the land, not with the seller.
Dues follow the plot Bihar land revenue arrears attach to the Khata, not the person
The moment you take ownership, all unpaid Lagaan from previous years becomes your debt. One year of arrears is manageable. Five years of unpaid dues is a significant financial liability discovered after registration.
Verify 5 years minimum One receipt is not verification
The Bihar state-specific requirement is 5 years because revenue disputes and gaps in Bihar's rural land records are common. A single-year check misses compounded arrears built up quietly over multiple years.
Registration and loan impact The sub-registrar may require evidence of paid land revenue dues before registration
Banks also check for outstanding dues during loan title searches. Unpaid Lagaan surfaces at both stages and can stall both processes.
Bihar-specific: offline records are primary bhulagan
bihar.gov.in is the official payment portal but does not carry complete historical data for all Mouzas. In rural areas, the Circle Office physical register is the authoritative source. Trusting only the portal for a rural plot purchase is not enough.
Red flag: A seller who offers only one or two recent receipts, or who says "Lagaan is very small, no problem" without producing the full five years, is hiding arrears. Walk away until every year is shown.
Browse verified land in Bihar
1acre.in checks Lagaan and document status on Bihar listings before they go live. Find plots where revenue dues are already confirmed clear.
Browse Verified Bihar LandsFrequently Asked Questions
What is Lagaan Receipt Bihar 2026 and why does a buyer need it?
It proves all land revenue dues are paid on a plot. Unpaid Lagaan in Bihar attaches to the land, not the seller. The buyer inherits every rupee of arrears on taking ownership. Always verify 5 years of receipts before agreeing to buy.
How do I pay Lagaan online in Bihar?
Go to bhulagan.bihar.gov.in, enter district, anchal, mauza, and Khata number, check outstanding dues, and pay online. Download the receipt immediately after confirmation. For historical records not on the portal, visit the Circle Office directly.
How many years of Lagaan receipts should I verify in Bihar?
A minimum of 5 years. Bihar's state-specific guidance requires this because arrears can build up quietly across multiple years without obvious signs. One recent receipt does not clear past dues. Check each year individually.
Can land be registered in Bihar with unpaid Lagaan dues?
The sub-registrar may require revenue clearance before completing registration. Even if registration proceeds, the buyer inherits all unpaid dues. Do not rely on the registration proceeding as confirmation that Lagaan is clear.
How do I get a Lagaan receipt from the Circle Office in Bihar?
Visit the Anchal Karyalay covering your Mauza. Give the Khata number and Mauza name. Request payment history for the last 5 years and ask for certified copies of each year's receipt. Verify each receipt number against the office register.
What happens if Lagaan is unpaid on land being sold in Bihar?
All arrears transfer to the new owner at the point of sale. The government can recover unpaid land revenue from the current Khata holder regardless of who was the original defaulter. There is no protection for buyers who do not check before purchase.
Is Lagaan receipt mandatory for property registration in Bihar?
The sub-registrar may ask for revenue clearance. Banks require it during loan title searches. Treat it as mandatory for any rural or agricultural land transaction in Bihar, even if not always enforced at the registration counter in every district.
Why does bhulagan.bihar.gov.in not show all past Lagaan payments?
The portal only reflects payments made through the digital system after Bihar's online revenue collection was introduced. Older cash payments at Circle Offices were not fully migrated. For years not visible online, the Circle Office physical register is the authoritative record. ##