In Bihar, the records a land buyer relies on sit in different places: registered deeds with the Registration Department, and the jamabandi, maps and mutation records with the Revenue and Land Reforms Department. A seller can show a clean jamabandi while a deed, a mortgage or a court case tells a different story. Most of these records can now be checked online before any money changes hands.
Two legal points shape every check:
- Ownership passes by a registered sale deed. A sale of land worth ₹100 or more can be made only by a registered instrument (Transfer of Property Act, 1882, section 54), and such a document must be registered (Registration Act, 1908, section 17). The chain of deeds is the backbone of title.
- Jamabandi and mutation do not prove ownership. They are revenue entries for paying rent. In Suraj Bhan v. Financial Commissioner, (2007) 6 SCC 186, the Supreme Court held that revenue entries do not confer ownership. A jamabandi in the seller's name is a good sign, not proof.
Documents to ask the seller for
Ask for copies first, check them against the official records, and see the originals before signing anything.
- The seller's registered deed (sale, gift, partition, or will with probate): shows how the seller got the land.
- Earlier deeds in the chain, as far back as available: shows that each earlier owner had the right to sell.
- Jamabandi (Register-II) details: jamabandi number, khata, khesra and area, to match with the online jamabandi.
- Recent rent (lagan) receipts: shows rent is paid in the seller's name.
- Land Possession Certificate (LPC), if the seller has one.
- Mutation order in the seller's favour: shows the revenue record was updated after the seller's purchase or inheritance.
- Identity documents of every seller. If you are buying the whole plot, every co-owner must join the deed.
- For inherited land: the family tree (vanshavali) and any partition deed or decree, showing who the heirs are and each one's share.
The 10 checks, step by step
- Read the seller's deed closely. Note the seller's name, how they got the land, and the schedule: mauza, thana number, khata, khesra (plot), area and boundaries. Every later check matches against these details.
- Trace the chain of deeds. Each earlier deed should lead to the next without a gap, and the area sold should never exceed the area owned. Certified copies of registered deeds can be applied for on the Registration Department's eNibandhan portal after citizen login. Old deeds in Kaithi script can be translated through Bihar Bhumi's Kaithi document translation service, after citizen login.
- Match the jamabandi online. Open the Jamabandi Register (Register-II) and check that the raiyat's name, khata, khesra and area match the deed. A wrong entry can be corrected through Parimarjan Plus, but get it corrected before you buy, not after.
- See the plot on the map. Bhu-Naksha Bihar shows the revenue maps, including maps under the special survey. Check that the plot number, shape and location match what you are shown on the ground.
- Check the scanned revenue records. The Bhu-Abhilekh portal gives access to scanned revenue records and digitally signed copies after public login.
- Check mutation status and pending applications. The mutation status page can be searched by case number, deed number, mauza or plot number. See whether the seller's mutation was allowed, and whether anyone else has applied for mutation on the same plot. A competing application is a serious warning.
- Search for mortgages and charges. The Revenue Department's encumbrance search shows charges recorded against a computerised jamabandi number. An Encumbrance Certificate can also be applied for on eNibandhan after citizen login.
- Check the prohibited properties list. eNibandhan's View Prohibited Properties lists properties whose registration is restricted.
- Search for court cases. Search civil cases in the seller's name and the plot details on eCourts, and revenue court cases on the Revenue Court Management System. Our guides explain how to search the district courts and the Patna High Court.
- Visit the land and measure it. Check who is in possession, the boundaries and access road, and speak to neighbours. An official measurement can be applied for through e-Mapi. If agricultural land is to be used for building, check the land conversion portal.
Buying a flat? Also check that the project is registered with RERA Bihar.
Red flags: stop and check further
- The name in the jamabandi is not the seller's, and there is no mutation order explaining why.
- A gap in the chain of deeds, or an earlier deed that sold more area than was owned.
- Someone else has a mutation application pending on the same plot.
- A mortgage shows in the encumbrance search, or the plot is on the prohibited properties list.
- Inherited land where not all heirs are joining the sale, or there is no partition.
- A pending civil suit, revenue case or appeal about the plot.
- The plot on Bhu-Naksha does not match the land you are shown, or someone else is in possession.
- The seller presses for full payment before you have finished these checks.
None of these always means the deal is bad, but each needs an answer in writing before you pay.
After you buy: registration and mutation
- Register the sale deed through the Registration Department (eNibandhan). An unregistered sale of land worth ₹100 or more does not transfer ownership (section 54, Transfer of Property Act).
- Apply for mutation (dakhil-kharij) online on Bihar Bhumi. Bihar Bhumi also publishes a mutation form to be filed along with registration. Track it on the mutation status page.
- If mutation is rejected, appeal within 30 days. The appeal lies before the DCLR under Rule 11 of the Bihar Land Mutation Rules, 2012. See our guide: Mutation Appeal to the DCLR in Bihar.
- Correct any wrong entry through Parimarjan Plus. See: Jamabandi correction through Parimarjan.
- Turn on SMS alerts. Bihar Bhumi offers an SMS alert service for your jamabandi, after citizen login. You get an SMS when a correction or transaction is recorded on your jamabandi.
- Pay rent (lagan) every year on Bhu-Lagan and keep the receipts.
Frequently asked questions
Is a jamabandi in the seller's name enough?
No. It is a revenue entry, not proof of ownership. Check the registered deeds behind it as well.
Can I check Bihar land records online without visiting the office?
Yes, for most of them: jamabandi, mutation status, encumbrances, maps and revenue court cases are online. Certified copies of deeds and scanned revenue records need a citizen login.
How do I check who owns a piece of land in Bihar?
Open the Jamabandi Register on Bihar Bhumi, choose the district, circle and mauza, and find the jamabandi for the plot. It shows the raiyat in whose name rent is recorded. Then confirm ownership from the registered deeds.
How do I see old land records in Bihar?
Scanned revenue records are on the Bhu-Abhilekh portal after public login. Certified copies of old registered deeds can be applied for on eNibandhan. Old deeds in Kaithi script can be translated through Bihar Bhumi's Kaithi translation service.
How do I spot a fake registry?
Check the deed against the Registration Department records by applying for a certified copy on eNibandhan. Then search the mutation status page by deed number and plot number, and match the jamabandi. A deed that does not match the official records needs a closer look before you pay.
The land is ancestral. What extra should I check?
That every legal heir is joining the sale, or that there is a registered partition or a court decree dividing the land. Ask for the family tree.
What if the jamabandi is wrong?
Ask the seller to get it corrected through Parimarjan Plus before the sale.
Is mutation done automatically after registration?
Not always. Check the mutation status after registration, and apply on Bihar Bhumi if no case has started.
Who prepares a title report?
A title report is usually prepared by an advocate after reading the deeds and the official records described above.
This article is general information about land records and procedure in Bihar and is not legal advice. Portal services change; check the current position on the official portal, or consult an advocate about your own matter.
Related on this site: How to buy land in Patna: simple guide · How to apply for mutation in Bihar · Errors in the Bihar land survey · Property & Title in Patna · Mutation Appeal to the DCLR in Bihar · Jamabandi correction through Parimarjan · Mutation & Land Records in Bihar
Official sources (links checked 3 November 2026): Bihar Bhumi · eNibandhan · Transfer of Property Act, 1882 · Registration Act, 1908 · Suraj Bhan v. Financial Commissioner (SC, 2007) · Bihar Land Mutation Rules, 2012 · Bhu-Naksha Bihar · RERA Bihar · eCourts
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