B-Khata vs A-Khata: what every Bengaluru property buyer must know

Two-thirds of property-purchase questions we hear about Bengaluru begin with the same line: "Is this an A-Khata or a B-Khata?" If you're buying property in BBMP limits, the difference materially affects whether your bank will lend on the property, whether you can get a building plan sanctioned, and what the property is worth at resale. Here's the working knowledge every buyer needs.

TL;DR

• A-Khata = property is fully recognised by BBMP for tax, building-plan and resale purposes. Banks lend.
• B-Khata = property is on BBMP's secondary register; tax is paid, but building plan and bank loan eligibility are problematic. Banks generally don't lend.
• B-Khata can be regularised to A-Khata by paying the betterment charges and fulfilling other municipal requirements — but the process is slow and not guaranteed.
• PropertyRisk flags Khata classification automatically on every Bengaluru case via the BBMP eAasthi cross-check.

What is a Khata?

Despite the name sounding like it has something to do with ownership, a Khata is simply BBMP's tax assessment record — a register entry that says "property X exists, here is the owner of record, here is what tax is being paid on it." Possessing a Khata is not proof of ownership; only a registered sale deed proves ownership. But for everyday municipal purposes — paying property tax, applying for water and sanitation, applying for building plan sanction, seeking a bank loan — your Khata classification matters more than almost any other document.

A-Khata, in plain language

A-Khata properties have been issued a Khata after the property was found to comply with all relevant building-plan and zoning regulations at the time of registration. They appear in BBMP's primary register. For an A-Khata property:

• You can apply for and obtain building plan sanction
• You can apply for water and sanitation connections without complications
• Banks recognise the property as collateral for home loans
• Resale is straightforward — buyers know what they're getting
• Property tax is paid through standard SAS (Self-Assessment Scheme) channels

B-Khata, in plain language

B-Khata properties exist in BBMP's secondary register. They are properties BBMP recognises as existing (and collects tax from) but has not regularised — typically because the property was constructed in violation of approved building plans, was built on agricultural land that wasn't formally converted, or falls into a revenue layout that pre-dates BBMP integration.

For a B-Khata property:

• Bank loans are very difficult. Most major banks (HDFC, ICICI, SBI, Axis) will not lend on a B-Khata property as primary collateral. Some NBFCs may lend at higher rates with shorter tenures.
• Building plan sanction is hard. The property is technically unauthorised; getting a fresh sanction requires regularising the property first.
• Resale value is depressed — the buyer pool is much smaller (essentially cash buyers) which directly affects price.
• Property tax is paid (BBMP wants the revenue), but the receipt is marked B-Khata.

How to tell what you're being shown

Look at the Khata certificate the seller has provided:

• Form A on the certificate header → A-Khata
• Form B on the certificate header → B-Khata
• The same applies to property tax receipts and the e-Khata download from BBMP eAasthi.

Common buyer mistake: the seller shows you a tax receipt and says "Khata is there" — but doesn't say it's B-Khata. Always ask for the Khata certificate (not just the tax receipt), and check the form type explicitly.

Can B-Khata be converted to A-Khata?

Yes — and the route is the BBMP regularisation scheme. The owner pays betterment charges (calculated on guidance value of the plot), submits a regularisation application, and after BBMP's verification the Khata is upgraded. Specifics vary by year: BBMP has run several Akrama Sakrama-style schemes with different windows, fees, and acceptance criteria.

Practical reality: regularisation can take 6–24 months and isn't guaranteed. Don't pay a B-Khata seller's price hoping you'll regularise it post-purchase — treat the property at its B-Khata valuation and negotiate accordingly.

If you're taking a home loan

Most large banks have an internal panel of approved layouts and a categorical no-lend on B-Khata. Some workarounds:

• NBFCs (housing finance companies like Aavas, Aadhar Housing, Five-Star) may lend on B-Khata at higher rates and lower LTV
• Some regional cooperative banks lend with additional collateral
• Loan-against-property routes may be considered by some lenders as an alternative to home-loan

None of these match an A-Khata home loan in cost. Confirm with your lender before paying advance.

How PropertyRisk flags this automatically

On every Bengaluru property case, PropertyRisk fetches the e-Khata from BBMP eAasthi using the property's PID, cross-references the form type (A or B), and surfaces a high-severity finding if you've uploaded documents for a property classified B-Khata. The same check applies to BDA layouts, panchayat properties (where Form 9 / 11B from eSwathu applies), and revenue-layout sites where the eAasthi record will simply not exist.

Pre-purchase Khata checklist

1. Ask for the Khata certificate (not just the tax receipt)
2. Verify form type — A or B — and read it explicitly
3. Cross-check with BBMP eAasthi using the PID number
4. If B-Khata: confirm with your lender BEFORE paying advance
5. If B-Khata: re-price as a B-Khata property; don't pay A-Khata prices
6. Verify the building plan sanction status separately
7. Confirm there's no separate Akrama-Sakrama application pending that would change classification

Have a Karnataka property you want to verify? Run your first PropertyRisk case free. Or read more on how the BBMP eAasthi cross-check works.