Last updated: 28 October 2026 · By the Sqft Expert engineering team
Quick answer
In Bengaluru you should not start building a house on a B-khata property. A B-khata plot cannot get a sanctioned building plan, and since 1 July 2025 every online plan application has to quote the property's e-Khata (ePID) number. The practical route is to convert the B-khata to an A-khata first (if the property is eligible), get the e-Khata, then apply for plan approval, and only then start construction.
Khata rules in Bengaluru have changed several times since 2024 and are now administered by the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA). Treat this guide as a starting point and confirm the current rule for your property on the GBA / e-Aasthi portal or at your ward office before you pay for anything.
What A-khata, B-khata and e-Khata mean
| Record | What it means | Can you get a building plan sanctioned? |
|---|---|---|
| A-khata | The property is in the main municipal register: it is on converted land in an approved layout (or an approved single-plot sub-division) and complies with the rules. | Yes, subject to the usual setback, FAR and height rules for the plot. |
| B-khata | A separate register created so that property tax could be collected from properties with an irregularity, such as an unapproved layout, unconverted agricultural land or building violations. | No. B-khata properties are not eligible for sanctioned plans. |
| e-Khata | The digital, online version of the khata record, with a unique ePID. It is not a third category: an A-khata or B-khata property each has its own e-Khata. | Required to apply. Since 1 July 2025 the e-Khata / ePID number must be entered in every online plan application. |
One point causes a lot of confusion: paying property tax on a B-khata property does not legalise it or turn it into an A-khata. Only a formal conversion does that.
Why the khata type matters before you build
- Plan approval: without a sanctioned plan you have no legal permission to build, and the house cannot later get an occupancy certificate.
- Home loans: most banks and housing finance companies will not fund construction on a B-khata property, because the bank needs a clear title and a sanctioned plan to release staged disbursements.
- Utility connections and resale: permanent electricity and water connections, future sale and future loans on the house all become harder when the property and the building are not on record.
- Enforcement risk: an unsanctioned building can attract notices, penalties and, in serious cases, demolition orders.
Converting a B-khata to an A-khata
The GBA allows eligible B-khata properties to be converted to A-khata on payment of a conversion charge calculated on the property's guidance value. As reported in 2026:
- Fee: the standard charge has been reported at 5% of the guidance value. The GBA reduced it to 2% for a 100-day window from 15 May 2026, which ended in late August 2026; outside that window the higher rate applies unless a new order is issued.
- Typical eligibility: an independent house or a vacant plot with clear title and property tax paid up to date.
- Not eligible: land reserved for roads or other public use, and buildings with serious bye-law violations. Paying the conversion fee does not cure a major violation.
- Process: apply online with the title documents, tax-paid receipts and the existing B-khata, pay the application fee, allow the joint site inspection, then pay the conversion charge once the application is accepted. The A-khata and the e-Khata record are then updated.
Fees, cut-off dates and eligibility conditions are set by government order and have changed more than once, so check the current order before you budget for conversion.
Step-by-step: from plot to construction start
- Verify the plot. Check the khata type, the e-Khata / ePID, the layout approval, the land-conversion status and the encumbrance certificate. If you are buying, do this before you pay an advance.
- Convert if needed. If the property is on B-khata and eligible, complete the B-to-A conversion and get the updated e-Khata.
- Get the design done. The architectural plan and structural design must follow the setbacks, FAR and height allowed for your plot size and road width.
- Apply for plan approval with the e-Khata number. See our guide to building plan approval in Bangalore for the process and the documents.
- Start construction only after the sanctioned plan is in hand, and build to that plan so the house can get its occupancy certificate.
If you are buying a plot
- Prefer an A-khata plot in an approved layout. A lower price on a B-khata plot is often cancelled out by the conversion charge, the delay and the loan difficulty.
- If the plot is on B-khata, find out before you buy whether it is eligible for conversion and what the charge will be at today's guidance value.
- Ask for the e-Khata, the latest property tax receipt, the layout approval and the encumbrance certificate, and get them checked by a property lawyer.
How Sqft Expert helps
Before we finalise the design for any plot, our team checks the khata type, the e-Khata and the approving authority, so the drawings are made for a plan that can actually be sanctioned. We also handle house plan approvals in Bangalore as a service. Once the paperwork is in order, see our house construction packages in Bangalore or read the steps to build a house in Bangalore.
