Glossary · Land records

What is Encumbrance certificate?

Also called: EC, Form 15, Form 16 (nil encumbrance)

An encumbrance certificate (EC) is issued by the sub-registrar’s office and lists registered transactions — such as sales, mortgages and gifts — on a property over a chosen period.

An EC shows every registered document affecting a property during the years you ask for. In several states it is issued as Form 15 when transactions exist, or Form 16 when there are none (a nil encumbrance certificate).

Buyers, banks and lawyers use it to check that land is free of registered loans and has not been sold to someone else.

An EC only shows registered documents. Unregistered agreements, informal occupation and many court cases won’t appear, so it should be read alongside the land record and the ground reality.

Why it matters if you live abroad

An EC can reveal a sale or mortgage you didn’t know about — worth requesting before any transaction and whenever you suspect fraud.

Read the full guide

Guide

Empty land invites guests

🛡️ Protecting your land 8 min read

How to Protect Your Land in India From Encroachment as an NRI

A calm, practical guide for NRIs: why empty land gets targeted, the four layers of protection, and a simple monthly and yearly checklist to run from abroad.

Related terms

Mutation
Mutation is the process of updating the government land revenue record after land changes hands by sale, gift or inheritance. It records the change but is not proof of title.
Power of attorney
A power of attorney is a legal document authorising another person to act on your behalf — for example, to manage, lease or sell your land.
Patta
A patta is a revenue document in Tamil Nadu and other southern states that records who holds a piece of land, issued by the revenue department under a patta number.
7/12 extract
The 7/12 (Satbara) extract is the land record of rights in Maharashtra and Gujarat, combining Village Form 7 (ownership) and Form 12 (cultivation and crops) for a survey number.
Sub-registrar
A sub-registrar is the official who registers property documents such as sale deeds, gift deeds, mortgages and powers of attorney under the Registration Act, 1908, and keeps the records.
Sale deed
A sale deed is the registered document that transfers ownership of property from seller to buyer. In India, a sale of immovable property worth ₹100 or more must be registered.

We watch both sides: the land from space, and the record every week.

See how it works

← All glossary terms