Can I buy land in Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu?
All non-tribal land is accessible to any Indian citizen
ResidentialCommercialIndustrialTourism / Resort
The merged UT — Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu — has no outsider restrictions and the most liberal regulatory framework in India after the 2023 General Development Rules (GDR). The pivotal step is the Collector's Non-Agricultural (N.A.) permission, paired with DNHPDA building permission for the structure. Most transactions clear in 60–120 days end-to-end.
Three administrative areas
- Dadra & Nagar Haveli (Silvassa headquarters): tax-free industrial / residential hub; Khanvel, Turang, Marwad zones.
- Daman (Nani Daman): mid-sized town; Fort area is heritage-cleared transferable.
- Diu (small island): tourist destination; resort and small-format residential; limited supply.
- ST land exists only in scattered DNH forest villages (~20% of area) and is rarely enforced.
3areas,
All three areas open for outsiders
Dadra & Nagar Haveli (Silvassa):
Industrial and residential; SEZ + tax-free industrial hub. ST land in scattered forest villages but rarely enforced.
Daman:
Mid-sized town; minimal ST land; Fort area allows transfers with heritage clearance.
Diu:
Small island; no ST land; fully open for residential and resort use; limited availability.
No statutory ceiling on land quantity for any buyer. Historic agricultural ceiling was abolished; N.A. permission allows free conversion. Silvassa SEZ plots have fixed sizes but no per-buyer limit.
How to buy — four-step process
- Verify the colony is on the DNHPDA Approved Colonies List at dnh.gov.in. If not on the list, the title is non-transferable — do not purchase.
- Apply to the District Collector (Silvassa or Daman) for Non-Agricultural (N.A.) permission with property documents, site map and ID; ₹2,000–5,000; 15–30 days.
- File the building plan with DNHPDA along with N.A. permission; comply with GDR 2023 (FSI, setbacks, height); ₹5,000–20,000; 20–45 days.
- Standard registration before the Sub-Registrar; 5% stamp duty; 15–20 days. Total: 60–120 days.
Due diligence checklist before buying
- Verify the colony on the DNHPDA Approved Colonies List before any deposit.
- Obtain Collector's N.A. permission BEFORE signing the deed (not after).
- Confirm with the Collector that the parcel is NOT in a Scheduled Tribe reserve.
- Conduct a property survey to confirm boundaries.
- Engage a UT-licensed lawyer (~₹10,000–20,000) for a full title audit.
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.