Document Guide · Goa

How to Check Matriz Records in Goa — Complete Guide 2026

Matriz Records in Goa are the Portuguese-era land register entries that form the root of every property's title chain. Every parcel carries a Matriz number under an Artigo entry. If the Matriz cannot be traced, the entire title chain is broken at the source. This guide covers retrieval and verification.

Quick Reference

Also calledMatriz Predial, Registo Predial, Artigo records, Portuguese tax register

Issued byMamlatdar (Taluka Revenue Office) for Matriz; Sub-Registrar (former Conservatoria) for Registo Predial; supplemented by DSLR Goa for archival index searches

Valid forPermanent historical record; remains the foundational ancestral title proof

CostRs 5 court fee stamp on application; Rs 50 stamp paper for issuing the certificate (South Goa); online fee through goaonline.gov.in payment gateway

Time takenTime-bound under the Goa (Right of Citizen to Time Bound Delivery of Public Services) Act, 2013; archival Index Form of Lands search at DSLR Panaji typically takes 30 to 90 days

Online portalmatrizsg.goa.gov.in (South Goa Matriz Search); goaonline.gov.in (Matriz Certificate service REV02) Goa

What is Matriz Records in Goa?

Definition

Matriz Records are the Portuguese-era property tax register entries that recorded every parcel of land in Goa under a unique Artigo number from 1510 to 1961. Registo Predial is the parallel ownership register kept at the Conservatoria (now folded into the Sub-Registrar offices) under Portuguese property law.

Every property that existed in Goa before 19 December 1961 carries an entry in the Matriz Predial. The Matriz number sits inside an Artigo entry that records who held the land, the boundaries, the type (rustico for rural or urbano for urban), and the assessed Portuguese-era tax. After liberation, India did not scrap this system. The Mamlatdar inherited custody of the Matriz registers, and the Sub-Registrar inherited custody of the Registo Predial books. Both remain legally binding today, and modern Form I & XIV entries reference back to them through the Index Form of Lands.

The Registo Predial entries are the Inscription-Description records you will see referenced in any pre-1961 deed. The Inscription names the owner and how they acquired the property; the Description fixes the parcel itself, its boundaries, and area. Form III Correspondence Certificate is the legal instrument that maps an old Artigo number to a current survey number. Without that bridge, the bank legal opinion fails. Matriz translation services are almost always required because the entries sit in archaic Portuguese legal terminology that no online translator can render reliably for court or bank use.

State-specific note: Every parcel in Goa carries a Matriz / Artigo number. If the seller cannot produce the Matriz Certificate or trace the Artigo to the current DSLR survey number, the title chain is broken at the root.

How to Get Matriz Records in Goa: Step-by-Step

The Matriz Certificate is issued by the Mamlatdar of the concerned Taluka. South Goa runs a dedicated digital search at matrizsg.goa.gov.in; statewide application is also available through goaonline.gov.in under Revenue Department services.

Online method (recommended)

Search for the Artigo on matrizsg

goa.gov.in (South Goa) Visit [matrizsg.goa.gov.in](http://matrizsg.goa.gov.in). Enter the search criteria (taluka, village, Artigo number, or Portuguese-era owner name). The South Goa Collectorate Matriz Search returns the digitised entry where available.

If you have only the Portuguese-era owner name, the village, and the vaddo, the Matriz can still be retrieved by name search; do not assume it is lost.

Apply through goaonline

gov.in (statewide) Register and log in on [goaonline.gov.in](http://goaonline.gov.in). Under Revenue Department services, select Matriz Certificate (Service ID REV02). Fill the application form with the property identifiers and the concerned Mamlatdar's office.

Pay the prescribed fee Pay the application fee through the secured online payment gateway

The challan and acknowledgement number are generated immediately.

Track and download Submit the application and note the acknowledgement number for status tracking

Once verified by the Mamlatdar, the digitally signed copy is made available within the timeline fixed under the Goa (Right of Citizen to Time Bound Delivery of Public Services) Act, 2013.

For court or bank submission, also commission a court-recognised certified Portuguese translation; the digital Matriz alone is not enough.

Offline method (Sub-Registrar Office)

Identify the correct Mamlatdar The Matriz is issued only by the Mamlatdar with jurisdiction over the village where the property lies

Each of Goa's 12 talukas holds its own Matriz register.

Submit a plain-paper application Address the application on plain paper to "The Concerned Mamlatdar and Head of Taluka Revenue Office

" State the village, vaddo, and either the Artigo number or the original Portuguese-era owner name.

Affix the prescribed stamps Affix a Rs 5 court fee stamp on the application

South Goa Collectorate also requires a Rs 50 stamp paper attached for issuing the certificate.

Collect the certified Matriz Certificate Collect the certified copy from the Mamlatdar's revenue clerk on the appointed date under the 2013 Time Bound Delivery Act timeline

For deeper Index Form of Lands extracts at DSLR Panaji, the standard search takes 30 to 90 days.

Apply for at least two certified copies; banks, lawyers, and the Sub-Registrar each need a separate original.

What Do Matriz Records Contain in Goa?

A complete Matriz / Registo Predial extract carries the historical identity, ownership trail, and tax assessment of the parcel.

Field	What it means	What to check
Unique Portuguese-era registration identifier of the parcel	Match with the references in pre-1961 deeds and the Index Form of Lands at DSLR Matriz Number and Section	Tax-register identifier and the section (rustico or urbano) under which the parcel is recorded
Names the Portuguese-era owner and how the property was acquired (sale, inheritance, grant)	Trace through every recorded Inscription transfer up to the current seller Property Description (Descricao)	Boundaries, area, vaddo, and physical features as recorded in the Conservatoria
Assessed value and tax (foro or imposto predial) recorded historically	Confirm dues are not in arrears under the current municipal or panchayat system Inscription Entries (Registo Predial)	Each registered transfer of ownership in the Conservatoria book

Good sign: A clean Matriz extract shows a continuous chain of Inscription entries with the Artigo number consistent across every transfer, the Descricao matching the current cadastral plan, and a Form III Correspondence Certificate mapping the Artigo to the present DSLR survey number.

Common Issues With Matriz Records in Goa

Pre-1961 records fail in Goa-specific ways that catch out every buyer who relies only on Form I & XIV or Form D.

Untraceable Matriz / Artigo number

The seller cannot produce a Matriz Certificate because the Artigo number is missing from older deeds, was lost in archival transfer, or was never properly recorded. The title chain is broken at the root.

Fix: Engage a Goa property records consultant to perform an Index Form of Lands search at DSLR Panaji. If the Artigo cannot be located after a thorough search, treat the property as unbankable.

Untranslated archaic Portuguese

Matriz and Registo Predial entries are written in 19th-century Portuguese legal terminology. A modern court will not enforce, and no bank will lend against, what cannot be read in English.

Fix: Commission a court-recognised certified translation. Have it notarised and attached to every modern title document in the chain.

Artigo does not reconcile with current survey number

The modern DSLR map uses a survey number that does not match the Artigo cited in the title deed. This is common where parcels were partitioned or merged after 1961.

Fix: Apply for a Form III Correspondence Certificate from the Inspector of Surveys & Land Records. The Form III is the legal bridge between the Portuguese register and the modern survey number.

Missing Inscription transfer in the Registo Predial

Every transfer of ownership before 1961 had to be inscribed in the Conservatoria. A missing Inscription entry between two recorded owners means an unrecorded transfer that any descendant of the missing owner can later challenge.

Fix: Pull the full Registo Predial extract from the relevant Sub-Registrar (former Conservatoria) and verify the inscription sequence. A gap means the title is defective.

Seller claims property has no Matriz

Some sellers claim their property is "post-1961" and therefore needs no Matriz reference. Most ancestral properties trace back, and the Matriz still exists; the seller simply has not searched for it.

Fix: Search by village and vaddo at matrizsg.goa.gov.in or apply at the Mamlatdar by name. Treat any seller's claim of "no Matriz exists" as a red flag warranting independent search.

Stamp paper or court fee stamp not affixed correctly

Mamlatdar offices in South Goa reject applications without the Rs 50 stamp paper and Rs 5 court fee stamp. Applications are returned without acknowledgement, costing weeks of delay.

Fix: Confirm the prescribed stamp requirements at the relevant Mamlatdar before submitting; affix all stamps on the application itself, not on a covering letter.

Why Matriz Records Matter for Land Buyers in Goa

Matriz Records are the foundational title document for every Goa property regardless of how recent the latest sale deed is.

📋

Forms the root of the title chain The Matriz / Registo Predial entries are where legal title was first recorded

Every modern Form I & XIV, Form D, and Sale Deed traces back to them. Without that root, the chain has no anchor and no bank will lend against it.

⚠

Goa-specific: every parcel has a Matriz number The WARNING is the rule: every Goa property carries a Matriz / Artigo number

An untraceable entry is not a missing detail; it is a broken title chain that no buyer should accept.

🏦

Required for ancestral home loans and bank legal opinion Banks lending against pre-1961 Goa properties require the Matriz Certificate, the certified Portuguese translation, and the Form III Correspondence Certificate

Files without these three documents are rejected at legal vetting.

🔍

Goa-specific: bridges Portuguese and Indian land systems Goa runs a dual documentation system

The Matriz / Registo Predial is the Portuguese half; Form I & XIV / Form D / DSLR Survey is the Indian half. Both halves must reconcile through the Form III Correspondence Certificate. No other Indian state imposes this reconciliation requirement on every transaction.

Red flag: A seller who insists "we don't need the old Portuguese papers" or "the Matriz is too old to find" is hiding a broken title chain. Treat the absence of a Matriz Certificate as a refusal to sell, not a paperwork shortfall.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What are Matriz Records in Goa?

Matriz Records in Goa are Portuguese-era property tax register and ownership register entries (Matriz Predial and Registo Predial) that recorded every parcel under a unique Artigo number. They form the root of every Goa property title chain and are issued by the Mamlatdar.

Where do I get a Matriz Certificate in Goa?

From the Mamlatdar of the concerned Taluka, on a plain-paper application with a Rs 5 court fee stamp and a Rs 50 stamp paper for the certificate (South Goa). The certificate can also be applied for online through goaonline.gov.in under Revenue Department services.

What is an Artigo number in Goa Matriz records?

The Artigo number is the unique identifier used in the Portuguese-era registration system to identify a parcel. Every Goa property carries one. It is the bridge between historical Matriz entries and the current DSLR survey number through Form III.

Can I check Matriz Records online in Goa?

Yes. South Goa Collectorate runs a Matriz Search at matrizsg.goa.gov.in for digitised entries. Statewide application for the certified Matriz Certificate is available through goaonline.gov.in under Revenue Department services (Service ID REV02).

What is the difference between Matriz and Registo Predial in Goa?

Matriz is the Portuguese tax register held at the Mamlatdar that recorded the parcel and its assessed tax. Registo Predial is the ownership register held at the Conservatoria (now Sub-Registrar) that recorded each transfer through Inscription entries.

Do I need a Portuguese translation of Matriz Records in Goa?

Yes. Matriz and Registo Predial entries are in archaic Portuguese legal terminology. Banks, courts, and the Sub-Registrar require a court-recognised certified translation for every entry referenced in the modern title deed.

What if the Matriz number cannot be traced for a Goa property?

An untraceable Matriz means the title chain is broken at the root. Engage a Goa property records consultant to search the Index Form of Lands at DSLR Panaji. If still untraceable, the property is unbankable and should not be purchased.

How do I match an old Artigo number to the current survey number in Goa?

Apply for a Form III Correspondence Certificate from the Inspector of Surveys & Land Records. The Form III formally certifies that the Portuguese-era Artigo and the current DSLR survey number refer to the same parcel.

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