Guide · Approvals
BBMP plan sanction and khata, explained for homeowners
Before any foundation is dug in Bangalore, your plot has to be in order. Your drawings have to be sanctioned. This guide walks through the plan sanction process. It explains the difference between A khata and B khata. It covers the setback and FAR basics that decide how much you can build. And it sets out what NRIs need to check first.
Residential architecture
Start with the title
Khata: A versus B, and why it comes first
Before you think about drawings, check what kind of khata your plot holds. The khata is the city's account for a property. It records the property for tax and civic purposes. In Bangalore, the difference between A khata and B khata decides what you can and cannot do next.
An A khata means the property is recorded as meeting the civic and revenue rules. It is the one that lets you get a plan sanctioned, raise a home loan and sell cleanly. A B khata is a separate register. It is kept mainly to collect property tax on properties that have not yet met all the rules. It is not a title. You usually cannot get a fresh plan sanction on a B khata property. That waits until it is regularised (brought within the rules) into A khata. If you are buying a plot to build on, ask a lawyer to confirm two things before you commit. Check the khata status and the full chain of title. This is the single most common trap for buyers. It also catches NRIs who rely on a photograph and a phone call.
The process
How plan sanction works, step by step
Clear the plot
Confirm A khata, clean title, an approved layout and up-to-date tax paid. Nothing else can proceed until this is sound.
Prepare drawings
A licensed architect or engineer prepares the sanction drawings. They follow the setback, FAR and height rules that apply to your plot.
Apply and pay
The plan goes to BBMP with the documents it asks for. Betterment charges, scrutiny fees and deposits are worked out and paid.
Sanction and build
Once BBMP issues the sanctioned plan and licence, building can begin. Build exactly what was approved. The occupancy certificate later depends on it.
The two dials
Setbacks and FAR: how much you can build
Two rules decide how much house your plot can legally hold. The first is setbacks: the open margins you must leave between your building and the plot boundary. They apply at the front, the rear and the sides. Setbacks grow with plot size and with building height. That is why a large plot does not always mean a footprint that grows in step with it. The tighter the plot, the more carefully these margins have to be planned. Otherwise you lose usable space.
The second is floor area ratio, or FAR. It caps the total floor area you may build, as a multiple of the plot area. FAR and the height limit are set by the zoning rules for your area. Together, setbacks and FAR are the two dials that turn a plot size into a real design brief. A good architect works within them from the first sketch. The alternative is to design a house and find out later that it cannot be sanctioned. On a standard site, our guides to 40x60 and 30x40 design show how these rules shape what is possible.
For NRIs
What to check before you build from abroad
An NRI can own non-agricultural residential property in Bangalore and build on it. The problem is rarely whether you are allowed to. It is presence. Plan sanction, contractor management and site sign-offs all happen on the ground, in Indian working hours. The usual answer is a power of attorney given to a trusted family member or professional. That person can sign and act locally. Pair them with an architect who runs the approval process. The architect reports back with drawings, documents and site photos.
Before you buy or build, check three things on your own. The khata is A khata. The title is clean over its full chain. And the layout itself is approved. Do not rely on a seller's word. For agricultural land the rules are different and tighter. Treat any plot described as farm or agricultural land with special care. Take legal advice specific to your case. Our guide to building from abroad sets out which steps you can take from there. It also says what needs someone on the ground.
Questions
Common questions on sanction and khata
What is the difference between A khata and B khata in Bangalore? +
An A khata means the property is recorded as fully meeting the civic and revenue rules. It lets you get a plan sanctioned, raise a home loan and sell cleanly. A B khata records a property that has not yet met all the rules. It exists mainly to collect tax, and it is not a title. You usually cannot get a fresh plan sanction on a B khata property until it is regularised.
Do I need BBMP plan sanction to build a house? +
Yes. Any new home built inside BBMP limits needs a sanctioned plan before you start. Building without one exposes you to penalties and the risk of demolition. It also causes problems later with the occupancy certificate, loans and resale. The sanction is your legal permission to build to a specific set of drawings.
What are setbacks and FAR? +
Setbacks are the open margins you must leave between your building and the plot boundary on each side. They grow with plot size and building height. FAR, or floor area ratio, caps how much total floor area you may build relative to the plot area. Both are set by the zoning rules for your plot. Together they decide how much house your site can legally hold.
Can an NRI get a plan sanctioned and build in Bangalore? +
Yes. An NRI can own non-agricultural residential property and build on it. The practical issue is presence. Sanction, contractor management and site sign-offs happen on the ground in Bangalore. Most NRIs give a power of attorney to a trusted family member or professional, who signs and acts locally. They then work with an architect who runs the approval and reports back to them abroad.
What is an occupancy certificate and why does it matter? +
An occupancy certificate, or OC, is issued after construction. It confirms the building was completed in line with the sanctioned plan. It matters because it is often needed for utility connections, khata updates, loans and a clean resale. Building beyond the sanctioned plan can make the OC hard to get. So it is worth building to what was approved.
Please read
This guide is general information, not legal or regulatory advice. Building rules in Bangalore change. Many of them are set by BBMP, BDA and the state and central governments. That includes khata types, the plan sanction process and setback and FAR norms. It also includes betterment charges and NRI property rules. They are revised from time to time. Always confirm the rules in force on your date, for your plot and zone. Do that before you buy, sanction or build. Use a qualified lawyer, chartered accountant and licensed architect or engineer. Figures, categories and procedures described here may have changed after publication.
Related
Get the approvals right before you build.
Book a video consultation with the Principal Architect. We will look at your plot, its khata and its zoning. Then we will map the path to a sanctioned plan.