Document Guide · Karnataka
How to Check Building Plan Approval in Karnataka — Complete Guide 2026
A building plan approval in Karnataka is the government's written permission to construct, confirming your proposed building respects zoning rules, height limits, setbacks, and FAR. Whatever goes up on the ground must match that sanctioned plan, floor by floor. This guide covers which authority handles your plot, how to apply, and what to check before buying any built property.
Quick Reference
Also calledSanctioned Plan, Plan Sanction, BBMP Plan Sanction, BDA Plan Sanction
Issued byBDA / BBMP / GBA / BMRDA / Local Body depends entirely on plot jurisdiction
Valid forPermanent once issued; fresh approval needed for any additional floors or major deviations
CostRs 5,000 to Rs 1,00,000+ depending on plot size, authority, and building type [VERIFY with issuing authority]
Time taken15 to 60 days depending on authority, plot size, and document completeness
Online portalbpas.bbmpgov.in (BBMP OBPAS); bdakarnataka.in (BDA); Sakala portal for status
1
What is Building Plan Approval in Karnataka?
Definition
Building plan approval in Karnataka is the formal sanction issued by the jurisdictional planning authority confirming that a proposed construction meets the Karnataka Building Code 2020, local bye-laws, setback norms, and FAR limits. Starting construction without this is illegal from day one.
Most people think of this as a builder's problem. It is not. If you are buying a finished flat or a house, the sanctioned plan is your evidence that whoever built it had legal permission, and that what they built stayed within that permission. Those are two separate things, and both matter.
Which authority signs off depends on the plot's location. BBMP covers Greater Bengaluru's municipal limits. BDA handles its own layout areas inside the city. BMRDA governs the outer metropolitan ring beyond both. BIAAPA takes the airport corridor. Smaller Karnataka cities go through their jurisdictional Municipal Council or Town Planning Department. Submitting to the wrong body wastes months and produces a sanction that carries no legal weight for your plot.
State-specific note: BBMP can order demolition of floors built beyond the sanctioned count. Verify the sanctioned floor number against the actual building before paying any advance, not at the registration table.
2
How to Get Building Plan Approval in Karnataka: Step-by-Step
BBMP properties in Greater Bengaluru go online via the OBPAS portal. BDA and other jurisdictions require offline submission at the respective office. Before starting either route, confirm your jurisdiction, hire a licensed architect registered with the Council of Architecture, and keep your e-Khata, title deed, EC, and property tax receipts ready.
Online method (recommended)
1
Confirm your plot falls under BBMP limits Check the Khata record for the issuing authority name
If it reads BBMP or Greater Bengaluru Authority, use the OBPAS route. Getting this wrong is the most common reason first-time applicants lose weeks to a rejected submission.
2
Register on bpas
bbmpgov.in and upload documents Create an account with name, mobile, and email. The portal now requires a valid e-Khata number linked to the plot before the application opens. Upload the e-Khata, sale deed, Encumbrance Certificate, latest property tax receipt, Khata extract, and the architect's digitally signed drawings.
Portal bpas.bbmpgov.in
3
Pay scrutiny fee and submit the application Scrutiny charges run at approximately 0
5% of guidance value per square metre for most residential cases. Pay through the integrated gateway and save the transaction receipt. The portal generates an acknowledgement number for Sakala tracking.
4
Wait for site inspection and collect the digitally signed sanction A BBMP engineer visits within 5 to 7 working days
Under the Sakala Mission, automatic approval kicks in if no objection is raised within 30 days. The sanctioned plan downloads as a digitally signed PDF. Check that the approved floor count, FAR figure, and setback distances match your architect's submitted drawings exactly.
Track application status on the Sakala portal using your acknowledgement number.
Offline method (Sub-Registrar Office)
1
Identify and visit the correct office For BDA plots, go to the Bangalore Development Authority office
For other Karnataka cities, visit the jurisdictional Municipal Council or Town Planning Department. Confirm the correct office before travelling; some districts have separate counters for residential and commercial applications.
2
Submit the application with the full document set
Attach the registered title deed, Khata certificate and extract, EC, latest property tax receipt, architect-signed drawings, site plan, structural drawings, NOCs from BESCOM and BWSSB where required, and an Affidavit and Indemnity Bond under the Karnataka Urban Land Act 1976
3
Pay fees and collect the fee challan Fee components include scrutiny charges, development charges, 1% labour cess, and a security deposit
Keep the challan; the office will not release the sanctioned plan without it.
4
Collect the stamped sanctioned plan Verification and site inspection typically take 30 to 45 days from submission
Before leaving, check that every page carries the authority's stamp, the sanction date, and the authorised signatory's name and designation.
For BDA applications, check status updates at bdakarnataka.in rather than making repeated office visits.
3
What Does Building Plan Approval Contain in Karnataka?
Go through every field against the physical building before you sign anything.
| Field | What it means | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Sanction number and date | Unique identifier the authority assigns on approval | Search this number on site.bbmp.gov.in or Sakala to confirm the document is not fabricated |
| Plot details (survey number, dimensions, address) | The specific plot covered by this sanction | Must match the title deed and Khata; if it does not, the sanction belongs to a different property |
| Approved floors and building height | Legal ceiling for construction on this plot | Count the actual floors; any floor above the sanctioned number is unauthorised |
| Floor Area Ratio (FAR) utilised | Total built-up area permitted as a ratio of plot area | Compare sanctioned FAR against the developer's total saleable area; excess is unauthorised |
| Setback distances | Minimum open space required on each side | Walk the site and measure; setback encroachments are common in Bengaluru's older developments |
| Issuing authority and authorised signatory | The officer and body that signed the sanction | Verify the designation is listed in the authority's official delegation; an unauthorised signatory voids the sanction |
| Conditions and bye-law references | Specific requirements attached to the approval | Non-compliance with listed conditions during construction invalidates the sanction for that portion |
Good sign: The sanction number returns a matching record on the BBMP or Sakala portal. Approved floors and FAR match the actual building. All pages carry the authority stamp, date, and signatory name.
4
Common Issues With Building Plan Approval in Karnataka
These are the problems that catch buyers after they have already paid.
No sanctioned plan available
Sellers or developers claim the original plan is unavailable, lost, or with the previous owner. This is not a paperwork delay. A building with no traceable sanction is unauthorised. The civic authority has no record of it being legally approved to exist.
Fix: Search the BBMP sanction database at site.bbmp.gov.in using the property address or application number. If nothing comes up, do not proceed regardless of what the seller says.
Actual construction deviates from the sanctioned plan
Floor count, FAR utilisation, or setback distances on site do not match what the sanctioned plan specifies. This is the most frequent violation in Bengaluru's residential stock. Minor deviations attract penalties. Anything beyond 5% puts demolition of that portion on the table.
Fix: Before paying an advance, compare the sanctioned plan to the actual building. If you cannot read technical drawings, hire a licensed architect for a one-day compliance review. It costs far less than a compromised purchase.
Floors above the sanctioned count sold as regular apartments
Some developers in Bengaluru construct floors beyond the sanctioned number and sell those units at standard rates. Buyers on those floors receive no OC coverage. They cannot register the flat with clean title. No mortgage is possible. If BBMP acts, the floor can be demolished.
Fix: Count the floors on the sanctioned plan and confirm your unit's floor sits within that number. The developer must produce the sanction, not just assert compliance verbally.
FAR exceeded across the entire project
When total built-up area in a project crosses the sanctioned FAR, every unit in the building is affected. OC cannot be issued for any floor. Banks stop loan disbursements. Resale for all buyers in the building becomes legally difficult, not just for those in the excess portion.
Fix: Divide the sanctioned FAR by the plot area to get the permitted total built-up area. Compare this against the developer's total saleable area figure. If saleable area exceeds permitted built-up area, the excess is unauthorised.
Sanction issued by the wrong authority
A plan sanctioned by BBMP for a plot that sits under BDA jurisdiction, or vice versa, carries no legal weight. This happens when developers submit to whichever body processes faster, without checking actual jurisdiction boundaries.
Fix: Match the issuing authority on the sanction against the authority named in the Khata. A mismatch means the sanction is void for that plot.
e-Khata not in place for post-July 2025 submissions
From July 1, 2025, BBMP will not process plan applications without a valid e-Khata linked to the plot. Properties still on manual Khata or B-Khata cannot submit until they complete e-Khata conversion through BBMP's e-Aasthi system. Any sanction claimed to have been applied for after this date without e-Khata backing is procedurally invalid.
Fix: Check e-Khata status on BBMP's e-Aasthi portal before accepting any developer's claim that approvals are in order.
5
Why Building Plan Approval Matters for Land Buyers in Karnataka
The sanctioned plan is where a building's legal life begins, and problems here do not surface until after you have paid.
Legal existence of the building A structure without plan approval has no legal standing from day one
It cannot get a Commencement Certificate, Completion Certificate, or Occupancy Certificate. BBMP holds full authority to seal or demolish it. BESCOM and BWSSB utility connections stay on temporary status throughout, and can be cut without notice.
The deviation risk Karnataka buyers face Whatever is built must match what was sanctioned
Karnataka's regularisation scheme, Akrama Sakrama, applies only to violations before October 2013 and excludes construction on government land, green belts, and designated non-developable zones. There is no standing regularisation window for new violations. Buyers who discover deviations after registration inherit those problems permanently.
Home loans stop without a clean sanction Every lender in Karnataka requires a valid sanctioned plan before releasing a construction loan or home loan disbursement
If the building has uncorrected deviations that block OC issuance, the loan stops. Buyers who have paid advances from their own funds while waiting for loan disbursement face serious cash flow exposure.
Karnataka-specific: e-Khata mandatory from July 2025 Karnataka's e-Khata requirement for BBMP plan submissions is a material change that affects older properties seeking fresh sanctions for extensions or phased construction
A developer who cannot show e-Khata linked to the plot cannot legally obtain a new BBMP sanction post-July 2025. Any buyer depending on a pending sanction in such a case is relying on an approval that cannot legally proceed.
Red flag: The developer produces a sanction with fewer floors than the building has, cannot share the document number for portal verification, or wants you to register before the legal opinion on plan compliance is back. Stop the deal.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is building plan approval in Karnataka?
It is the written sanction from BBMP, BDA, or the local planning body confirming that a proposed construction meets Karnataka Building Code 2020 norms on FAR, height, setbacks, and zoning. Any construction without it is unauthorised from the start and can be demolished by the civic authority.
Which authority approves building plans in Karnataka?
BBMP covers Greater Bengaluru's municipal limits. BDA handles its own layout areas. BMRDA governs the outer metropolitan ring. BIAAPA covers the airport zone. Smaller Karnataka cities use the jurisdictional Municipal Council or Town Planning Department. The wrong authority produces a legally void sanction for your plot.
How long does building plan approval take in Karnataka?
Fifteen to sixty days, depending on authority and document completeness. BBMP residential approvals with full documents usually clear in 15 to 30 days. Under the Sakala Mission, if no objection is raised within 30 days, the application receives automatic approval.
What documents are needed for building plan approval in Karnataka?
You need the registered title deed, e-Khata certificate and extract, Encumbrance Certificate, latest property tax receipt, architect-signed drawings, site plan, structural drawings, and NOCs from BESCOM and BWSSB where required. From July 2025, valid e-Khata is mandatory for all BBMP submissions.
What happens if construction deviates from the sanctioned plan in Karnataka?
BBMP can issue demolition notices for deviations exceeding 5%. Floors above the sanctioned count are unauthorised, cannot receive an Occupancy Certificate, and no bank will lend against them. Karnataka's Akrama Sakrama regularisation scheme has strict cut-off dates and does not cover all deviation types.
Can I check building plan approval status online in Karnataka?
Yes. For BBMP, search at site.bbmp.gov.in under Building Plan Approval, or track using your acknowledgement number on the Sakala portal. BDA application status is available at bdakarnataka.in. Both portals show the sanction number, approval date, and conditions attached.
What is the difference between BBMP and BDA plan approval?
BBMP approves construction within Bengaluru's municipal city limits. BDA approves plots inside BDA-developed layouts. Submitting to the wrong body produces a sanction that has no force for your plot. Check the Khata record to confirm which authority holds jurisdiction before making any submission.
Is building plan approval required for small residential plots in Karnataka?
Yes, for all plots. BBMP proposed exempting plots smaller than 40x60 sq ft but that proposal had not been enacted as of 2026. Current rules apply uniformly: no sanction means unauthorised construction, regardless of plot size or whether it is a small independent house.
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