How to Check EC and Patta Online in Tamil Nadu (Step-by-Step Guide)

Before you buy a flat, plot or house in Chennai, or anywhere in Tamil Nadu, two documents tell you most of what you need to know about the property: the Encumbrance Certificate (EC) and the Patta. Both can now be checked online for free in a few minutes. This guide explains what each document shows, how to check it online step by step, and the warning signs a lawyer looks for.

What is an Encumbrance Certificate (EC)?

An EC, called Villangam Certificate in Tamil, lists every registered transaction on a property over a chosen period, including sale deeds, gift deeds, mortgages, settlements and releases. It tells you who has owned the property and whether it is pledged to a bank or anyone else. If a sale or mortgage was registered at a Sub-Registrar Office (SRO), it should appear in the EC.

What is a Patta?

A Patta is a revenue record issued by the Tamil Nadu Revenue Department. It shows who the government records as the owner of the land, along with the survey number, sub-division, extent (area) and land classification. Chitta is the related record of land details kept by the village administration. In Chennai and other towns, the equivalent urban record is the TSLR (Town Survey Land Register) extract. The FMB (Field Measurement Book) sketch shows the shape and boundaries of the survey number.

In simple terms, the EC shows the registered transactions and the Patta shows whose name is on the revenue records. For a clean property, the two should agree.

How to check EC online on TNREGINET

1. Go to the official Tamil Nadu Registration Department portal, tnreginet.gov.in.
2. Open Encumbrance Certificate → Search / View EC. You can register for a free account or use the guest search where it’s available.
3. Select the Zone, District and Sub-Registrar Office where the property is registered.
4. Choose the Village and enter the Survey Number and Sub-division. You can also search by document number if you have the registered deed.
5. Choose the period you want to check. For a purchase, lawyers usually check at least the last 30 years.
6. Enter the captcha and submit. The EC opens on screen in Tamil or English, and you can download it.

Tip: Viewing the EC online is free. For bank loans or court use, you may need a certified EC, which you can apply for online on the same portal for a small government fee. Very old records may still need a visit to the SRO.

How to check Patta and Chitta online

1. Visit the Tamil Nadu Revenue Department e-services portal, eservices.tn.gov.in.
2. Click View Patta & FMB / Chitta / TSLR Extract.
3. Select District, then Rural or Urban (choose Urban for most Chennai properties to get the TSLR extract).
4. Select the Taluk and Village, then enter either the Patta number or the Survey number and sub-division.
5. Enter the captcha and submit to view the Patta or Chitta with the owner’s name, extent and classification.
6. To confirm that a Patta someone has shown you is genuine, use the Verify Patta option with the reference number printed on it.

Red flags to watch for

• The name on the Patta doesn’t match the seller. The Patta may not have been transferred after an earlier sale or inheritance.
• An unreleased mortgage appears in the EC. A bank loan registered against the property with no release deed means the property may still be pledged.
• There are gaps or unexplained transfers in the EC, such as power-of-attorney sales or settlements you can’t trace to the current seller.
• The extent or survey number in the EC, the Patta and the sale deed don’t match.
• The land classification is wrong. Land classified as poramboke (government land), temple land or agricultural land needs extra care before residential use.
• The EC comes back as “Nil” for a property the seller says they bought. This can mean the wrong survey number or SRO was searched, or that the sale was never registered.

Is an online check enough?

Online EC and Patta checks are an excellent first filter, but they don’t replace full legal due diligence. Unregistered agreements, pending court cases, disputes among legal heirs and planning-approval problems won’t appear in either record. Before paying an advance or signing a sale agreement, have a lawyer review the full chain of title documents.

Need help? Vakil Labs offers EC, Patta & property record verification and a complete property legal opinion and title verification for properties across Chennai and Tamil Nadu. Contact us or call +91 99416 26224.

This article is for general information only and isn’t legal advice. Portal menus and fees may change; always check the official government websites.