Kaveri 2.0 Karnataka: EC, Guidance Value and Registration Guide
Use Kaveri 2.0 before you buy in Karnataka: apply for the encumbrance certificate, check guidance value, calculate stamp duty and book registration.
Written by
Justin
3 November 2026 · 7 minutes read
How to Use Kaveri 2.0 Before You Buy in Karnataka: EC, Guidance Value, Stamp Duty and Registration
Short version: Kaveri 2.0 is the Karnataka Stamps and Registration Department’s portal. It’s where you apply for the encumbrance certificate (EC) that shows registered transactions and charges on a property, look up the guidance value, work out stamp duty and registration charges, and book your registration appointment. It only knows about registered documents, so it can’t tell you who the revenue records name as owner, or whether a revenue court case is pending. Those need other checks.
Kaveri covers the money side of a Karnataka property deal. Here’s what it offers, how to use it, and where its limits are.
What is Kaveri 2.0?
Kaveri 2.0 is the online platform at kaveri.karnataka.gov.in, run by the Department of Stamps and Registration. When your sale deed is registered, Kaveri also sends the transfer to Bhoomi, the land records system, which starts the mutation. We cover that in our Bhoomi guide.
Service | What it does |
|---|---|
Encumbrance certificate (EC) | Lists registered transactions on a property for a chosen period |
Guidance value search | Shows the government’s minimum value for a location |
Stamp duty calculator | Estimates stamp duty and registration fee |
Document registration | Online data entry, fee payment and appointment booking |
Certified copies | Copies of registered documents |
What isn’t on Kaveri?
The RTC and mutation status. Those are on Bhoomi.
Revenue court disputes. Those are on RCCMS, which we cover in a separate guide.
Survey sketches and GPS checks. Those are Mojini and Dishaank.
Unregistered arrangements. If a deal was never registered, the EC won’t show it.
What is the encumbrance certificate?
The EC is a record of registered transactions on a property over a period you choose: sales, mortgages, releases, gifts and similar documents. It’s how you check whether the seller really holds the title and whether a loan or charge is still sitting on the property.
Form | What it means |
|---|---|
Form 15 | Registered transactions were found in the period. It lists them |
Form 16 | No registered transaction was found (a “Nil” EC) |
Form 17 | The search was made by the executant’s name and shows entries against that name |
A Nil EC is not proof of a clean title. It only says nothing registered was found for the details you searched. A wrong survey number, a missing hissa or a name spelt differently can all produce a misleadingly clean result.
How do I apply for an EC?
Go to kaveri.karnataka.gov.in, register as a new user and log in.
Choose Online Services, then Encumbrance Certificate.
Enter the district, taluk, village, survey number or property details, and choose the search period.
Verify with the OTP and pay the fee.
View the certificate, or download the digitally signed version if you need it for a bank or lawyer.
Fee: Rs 10 application fee plus Rs 30 for the first year searched and Rs 10 for each additional year. The portal shows the exact amount before you pay.
How far back? Ask for 30 years for a purchase, though some banks ask for 13 or 15 years. The portal may limit a single application, so you might need to apply in blocks. Records before the digitised period may need a visit to the sub-registrar’s office.
How do I read it?
Check the sub-registrar office, the period and the property schedule match your property.
Read every entry: the type of document, the date, the parties and the value.
Look for mortgages and see whether a matching release or discharge follows.
Trace the chain: each seller should have bought from the previous seller.
Compare the entries with the RTC and the deed you’ve been shown.
Run the search by property details and, for the seller, by name (Form 17). Different searches catch different mistakes.
What is the guidance value?
The guidance value is the government’s minimum value for a location, published on Kaveri. You can look it up by area and property type, and the stamp duty calculator applies it automatically.
Why it matters: stamp duty is charged on the higher of the price in your deed or the guidance value. If your price is lower than the guidance value, you still pay on the guidance value. And if you see a deal priced far below the guidance value, ask why.
Guidance values are revised from time to time, and reports about a 2026 revision conflict. Check the current figure on the portal for your exact location.
What are the stamp duty and registration charges?
Karnataka’s stamp duty is slab-based on the higher of the price or the guidance value, and the registration fee has been 2% since 31 August 2025.
Property value | Stamp duty | Registration fee |
|---|---|---|
Up to Rs 20 lakh | 2% | 2% |
Above Rs 20 lakh up to Rs 45 lakh | 3% | 2% |
Above Rs 45 lakh | 5% | 2% |
Cess and a surcharge are added on top. Sources describe these differently, but agree that the total at the top slab comes to roughly 7.5% to 7.6% of the property value. Karnataka doesn’t give a concession for women buyers.
Worked examples (before cess and surcharge):
Value | Stamp duty | Registration fee | Total before cess |
|---|---|---|---|
Rs 25 lakh | 3% = Rs 75,000 | 2% = Rs 50,000 | Rs 1,25,000 |
Rs 80 lakh | 5% = Rs 4,00,000 | 2% = Rs 1,60,000 | Rs 5,60,000 |
On the Rs 80 lakh flat, cess and surcharge bring the total to roughly Rs 6 lakh. These must be paid from your own funds, not the home loan. Use the Kaveri calculator for the exact figure for your location and document.
How does registration work on Kaveri?
Draft the document and check it with your lawyer.
Enter the details online on Kaveri.
Pay stamp duty and the registration fee online.
Book an appointment at the right sub-registrar’s office.
Attend with all parties, witnesses and ID. The registration is completed in person.
Collect the registered document.
Watch for the mutation. Kaveri sends the transfer to Bhoomi, which starts it. Track it there, and pull a fresh signed RTC when it’s done.
What commonly goes wrong?
Mistake | How to avoid it |
|---|---|
Relying on a Nil EC as proof of clean title | Cross-check with the RTC, the khata and court records |
Searching a wrong or partial survey number | Use the exact survey number and hissa, and also search by name |
A short EC period | Ask for 30 years for a purchase |
Ignoring a mortgage entry with no release | Ask for the discharge in writing |
Budgeting only the stamp duty slab | Add the registration fee, cess and surcharge |
Assuming the deed price is what duty is based on | Duty applies to the higher of the price or guidance value |
Treating registration as the end | Follow the mutation through to the RTC |
Quick answers (FAQ)
What is Kaveri 2.0?
The Karnataka Stamps and Registration Department’s portal for registration, EC, guidance value, stamp duty calculation, certified copies and appointments.
How much does an EC cost in Karnataka?
Rs 10 application fee plus Rs 30 for the first year searched and Rs 10 for each additional year.
What is the difference between Form 15 and Form 16?
Form 15 lists registered transactions found. Form 16 is a Nil EC.
Is a Nil EC proof of a clean title?
No. It means no registered transaction was found for what you searched.
How many years of EC do I need?
Ask for 30 years for a purchase, though banks may ask for 13 or 15.
What is the guidance value in Karnataka?
The government’s minimum value for a location. Stamp duty is charged on the higher of the guidance value or the price in the deed.
What is the registration fee in Karnataka?
2% of the property value since 31 August 2025.
Does the EC show court cases?
No. It shows registered documents only. Revenue court cases are on RCCMS.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Fees, rates and portal menus change, so confirm current details on the Kaveri portal and consult a property lawyer before you pay.