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Document Guide · Puducherry

How to Check the Primary Revenue Record in Puducherry — Complete Guide 2026

The Primary Revenue Record, called Patta or RoR, is Puducherry's official government proof of land ownership. Verify it at the Revenue Department before any deal closes. This guide covers the Nilamagal portal steps, Rs. 40 CSC fee, field meanings, and the French Cadastre check most buyers never do.

Quick Reference
Also calledPatta / RoR / Chitta
Issued byDirectorate of Survey, Settlement and Land Records, Puducherry
Valid forCurrent until next mutation
CostRs. 40 per copy via CSC
Time takenInstant online; 1-7 days offline
Online portalnilamagal.py.gov.in
noteEC from regn.py.gov.in covering minimum 30 years is compulsory alongside Patta at registration
1

What is the Primary Revenue Record in Puducherry?

Definition

The Patta or Register of Rights is a digitally signed extract from the Settlement and Chitta Register, issued under the Pondicherry Settlement Act and Rules, 1970. It records current owner, land type, survey number, and extent for every parcel in the Union Territory.

Puducherry finished its land settlement only after the French left in the 1970s. Tamil Nadu wrapped up the same process a century earlier under the British. That gap matters. French Cadastre records sit beneath every older parcel here, and they are not on any digital portal. The Nilamagal system shows the current Patta layer only. Whatever happened to the land before 1970 lives in physical files at the Revenue Complex, Kamaraj Salai, Saram.

What the Patta actually contains: patta number, resurvey number (RS No.), cadastral number, owner name, land classification (cultivable or residential), extent in metric units, and the GLR guideline value. Settlement Officer-I digitally signs every CSC-issued copy. That signature gets verified through the Puduvai Sevai web portal. A printout without it is not a certified copy, whatever the agent says. And per the Registration Department's own FAQ, presenting only the Patta at the Sub-Registrar office is not enough. You need both the Patta and an EC covering at least 30 years.

State-specific note: Puducherry's Registration Department explicitly requires a minimum 30-year Encumbrance Certificate alongside the Patta for any registration. French Cadastre records are a separate physical check at the Directorate, Saram.
2

How to Get the Revenue Record in Puducherry: Nilamagal Portal and CSC Steps

Free online lookup at nilamagal.py.gov.in takes two minutes. Certified copy with legal standing costs Rs. 40 at a CSC. Patta number or RS number is what you need to start.

Online method (recommended)

1
Open Nilamagal Go to nilamagal
py.gov.in/public. No registration, no login.
2
Select region and details Puducherry UT has four separate regions: Puducherry, Karaikal, Mahe, Yanam
Pick yours, then taluk, village, and land type (Cultivable or Residential).
3
Submit your number Enter Patta Number or RS No
and submit. What appears is only as current as the last mutation entered into the system. If a sale happened but patta transfer was never filed, the old owner's name still shows.
Save the cadastral number from the result. Older agricultural parcels link to the French Cadastre via this number, and you will need it if you go to the Directorate.
4
Certified copy needs CSC The portal view is free
It is not a certified copy. A legally valid extract with Settlement Officer-I's digital signature comes only from a CSC outlet.

Offline method (Sub-Registrar Office)

1
Go to any CSC in your region CSC outlets cover all four regions of the UT
Directorate of Survey, Settlement and Land Records: Revenue Complex, Kamaraj Salai, Saram, Puducherry 605013.
2
Hand over land details Patta number or RS number plus region, taluk, village
The operator does the rest.
3
Pay exactly Rs
40 This is the fee fixed by the Puducherry e-Governance Society. If someone asks for more, it is not the official rate.
4
Verify the signature before leaving CSC-issued Patta, Settlement, and FMB extracts carry Settlement Officer-I's digital signature
The Puduvai Sevai verification link is printed bottom-left. Check it before you walk out.
Sub-dividing land or applying for a fresh separate Patta goes to the Directorate under Section 16 of the Pondicherry Settlement Act 1970, not to any CSC.
3

What Does the Revenue Record Contain in Puducherry?

Seven fields appear on every Puducherry Patta extract pulled from the Nilamagal database.

Field What It Means What to Check
Patta NumberUnique property referenceMatch this against every other document the seller provides
Survey / Sub-Division Number (RS No.)Official parcel identifierCross-check against FMB sketch for boundary match
Cadastral NumberLinks parcel to French Cadastre mapFlag this for any pre-1970 agricultural land
Owner NameRegistered legal ownerMust be identical to the sale deed and Aadhaar
Land TypeCultivable or ResidentialConverting type requires a separate CLU order
ExtentTotal area in metric unitsVerify against FMB and physical site measurement
GLR ValueGovernment guideline rate for that yearStamp duty at registration is calculated from this
Good sign: One owner name, RS number that lines up with the FMB sketch, land type matching actual use, extent matching physical measurement, and Settlement Officer-I's digital signature on the copy. No blank fields anywhere.
4

Common Issues With Revenue Records in Puducherry

Each of these problems has derailed Puducherry land deals at the registration stage or the bank.

Old owner name still showing
Nilamagal reflects only what was mutated. An earlier sale that skipped patta transfer leaves the previous owner's name active in the system. The Sub-Registrar will not proceed.
Fix: Get the seller to complete patta transfer under Section 16 of the Pondicherry Settlement Act 1970 at the Directorate before any money changes hands.
Area on Patta does not match FMB
Survey errors and unrecorded sub-divisions create mismatches between the Patta extent and the FMB sketch. That gap is enough for a bank to kill the loan.
Fix: Obtain FMB certified copy from the Directorate. Physically measure the site. Both numbers must agree before signing.
French Cadastre rights on agricultural land
Pre-1970 agricultural parcels in Puducherry carry tenancy claims and usage restrictions from the French administrative period. None of this is visible on Nilamagal. Buyers have purchased land with active encumbrances they discovered only in court.
Fix: Visit the Directorate physically and check pre-1970 Cadastre files before committing to any agricultural land purchase in the UT.
Seller shows Patta but not the EC
The Registration Department FAQ explicitly says registration requires an EC of minimum 30 years. A seller who produces only the Patta is hiding what happened to the property in that 30-year window.
Fix: Get the EC yourself from regn.py.gov.in or the Sub-Registrar's office. Do not take the seller's word or their copy.
Region mismatch on Patta
Puducherry UT's four regions are geographically separate. A Patta from a Karaikal village does not apply to a plot in the Puducherry region. Sub-Registrar offices reject such documents outright.
Fix: Before agreeing on anything, confirm that the region, taluk, and village on the Patta exactly match the physical site and the SRO covering that location.
Unsigned printout from an agent
Brokers sometimes hand over plain printouts with no Settlement Officer-I signature. These carry no legal weight as certified copies.
Fix: Check every copy through the Puduvai Sevai authentication link. It is printed on the bottom-left corner of every legitimate CSC-issued document.
5

Why the Revenue Record Matters for Land Buyers in Puducherry

The Patta Chitta record opens every land deal in Puducherry, and three other documents must travel with it.

📋
Ownership confirmation The Patta is what the government says about who owns the land today
No bank, Sub-Registrar, or judge moves forward without it. Seller's name absent from the current Patta means the deal cannot proceed legally.
⚠
Registration requirement Puducherry's Registration Department FAQ is explicit
The Patta copy is mandatory at the time of presenting documents, alongside the EC and original link documents. Missing it closes the counter.
🏦
Bank loan dependency Title verification for any Puducherry land loan starts with the Patta
When the Patta extent and FMB area diverge, underwriters reject the file. It is one of the most common loan refusal reasons in the UT.
🔍
Puducherry-specific: colonial land history No mainland Indian state has this layer
French Cadastre records from before 1970 underlie the current Revenue Record for older parcels. Agricultural land buyers who skip the Directorate visit have, in documented cases, purchased land with active tenancy rights they did not know existed.
Red flag: Seller hands over a Patta with no digital signature, blank cadastral number field, and an RS number that differs from the FMB. Stop. Go to the Directorate of Survey, Settlement and Land Records at Saram and verify in person before any further step.
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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Revenue Record Puducherry 2026 and why does a buyer need it?
Patta or RoR comes from the Pondicherry Settlement Act 1970. It names the current legal owner, gives the survey number, land type, and area. Banks need it for loans, the Sub-Registrar needs it at registration, and courts use it to settle ownership disputes.
How do I check my Patta details online in Puducherry?
Open nilamagal.py.gov.in/public. No login required. Pick region, taluk, village, land type, enter patta number or RS number, submit. Free to view. Certified copies with a digital signature need a CSC visit and cost Rs. 40.
What does the Nilamagal portal actually show?
It pulls from the Settlement and Chitta register and displays patta number, RS number, cadastral number, owner name, land type, extent, and GLR value. The catch: it shows only what was last mutated. Pre-1970 Cadastre data is not there.
How much does a Patta copy cost in Puducherry?
Rs. 40 per certified extract at any CSC, set by the Puducherry e-Governance Society. Online viewing on Nilamagal costs nothing. A CSC counter charging above Rs. 40 is outside the official rate.
Is Patta alone enough for land registration in Puducherry?
No. Registration requires Patta copy, EC covering at least 30 years, original link documents, and identity proof. The Registration Department FAQ is clear on this. Patta without the EC gets rejected at the counter.
How long does Patta transfer take in Puducherry?
Transfer under Section 16 of the Pondicherry Settlement Act 1970 goes to the Directorate of Survey, Settlement and Land Records at Saram. Timeline varies by taluk. Confirm directly with the Directorate at 605013 before making any schedule assumptions.
What separates the Patta from the Encumbrance Certificate in Puducherry?
Patta tells you who owns the land and how it is classified per Revenue records. EC from the Registration Department shows every registered sale, mortgage, and legal claim in the period you request. Both are compulsory; neither substitutes for the other.
What is the French Cadastre and why does it matter here?
Puducherry completed land settlement after 1970. Older parcels carry French-era Cadastre records with tenancy rights and restrictions that Nilamagal does not show. Agricultural land buyers who do not check these physical files at the Directorate risk buying land with active encumbrances.

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