BDA Approved Plots Checklist: Bengaluru Layout Checks 2026

Short answer: A BDA approved plots checklist starts with one question: who approved the layout? It might be BDA, a local planning authority under BMRDA, or another body. Get the approval and plan, verify them with that authority, then confirm release, land conversion, the khata or Form 9, and RERA registration.

Key takeaways

"Approved" means nothing until you know by whom. BMRDA lists 12 local planning authorities in the Bengaluru region.
Plots are an outer-ring product. On K-RERA, 1,074 of 4,529 approved projects in seven Bengaluru taluks are plotted, and 74% of Devanahalli's projects are plots.
Four papers decide most plot deals: approval, release, conversion and record. Our ARCR test below.
Plotted layouts need RERA unless the land is 500 sq m or less or there are eight plots or fewer, and the 10% advance cap applies.
Budget beyond the price: 7.6% to 7.65% in government charges, and 5% of guidance value if you'll convert a B-khata.

Table of contents

Which authority approves layouts around Bengaluru?
Where are plotted layouts being registered?
How do you verify a layout with the approving authority?
What is a release order, and why does it matter?
How do you confirm land conversion?
What is a revenue site, and why avoid it?
Does a plotted layout need RERA registration?
What khata will the plot have?
Worked examples
The ARCR test (our framework)
Plot checklist
Frequently asked questions
Talk it through with acre&key
Sources

Plots feel simpler than flats. There's no building to inspect and no association. In practice, almost everything that can go wrong with a plot is in the paperwork, and the paperwork goes further back. The general list is in our property legal checks from title to OC; this page is about what's specific to plots.

Which authority approves layouts around Bengaluru?

The Bengaluru Metropolitan Region covers Bengaluru Urban, Bengaluru Rural and Ramanagara districts, about 8,005 sq km, under the BMRDA Act 1985. BMRDA lists 12 local planning authorities, all working under the Karnataka Town and Country Planning Act 1961 (BMRDA):


BDA	Satellite Town Ring Road Planning Authority
Greater Bengaluru Development Authority	Anekal Planning Authority
Airport Area Planning Authority (Devanahalli)	Hoskote Planning Authority
Nelamangala Planning Authority	Doddaballapura Planning Authority
Magadi Planning Authority	Kanakapura Planning Authority
Ramanagara Urban Development Authority	Channapatna Planning Authority

That list tells you which bodies exist, not which one covers a given survey number. So start from the approval, not the hoarding: ask for the layout approval letter and the approved plan. They name the authority and carry a reference number. Outside the region, or for older layouts, the approval may come from another body; whatever it names is the authority to verify with. Where no town planning authority has been constituted, the Director of Town Planning is the competent authority for layout plans, according to the Panchayat Raj department's e-Swathu FAQ.

Where are plotted layouts being registered?

We counted the plotted developments on the Karnataka RERA register for seven Bengaluru taluks on 15–16 Oct 2026 (K-RERA project search).

Taluk	Approved projects	Plotted	Plotted share	Plotted, date kept	Plotted, Section 6 or further extension
Devanahalli	305	227	74.4%	81.1%	9.7%
Hosakote	233	112	48.1%	81.2%	9.8%
Anekal	874	363	41.5%	74.4%	10.2%
Yelahanka	162	33	20.4%	93.9%	3.0%
Bengaluru South	1,056	180	17.0%	87.2%	4.4%
Bengaluru North	664	93	14.0%	77.4%	14.0%
Bengaluru East	1,235	66	5.3%	86.4%	4.5%
All seven	4,529	1,074	23.7%	80.3%	8.8%

Two things stand out. Plots are concentrated in the outer taluks, where approvals usually come from a local planning authority rather than BDA. And plotted layouts keep their RERA dates more often than apartments (80.3% against 67.4% for all projects). That makes sense, since roads and drains are quicker to finish than towers. 311 plotted projects still have their completion date ahead.

How do you verify a layout with the approving authority?

Get the approval letter and the approved layout plan with plot numbers.
Verify with the authority named, in writing or at its office, quoting the reference. Don't rely on a photocopy alone. For BMRDA-region layouts, KSRSAC's official BMRDA Layout Information System app shows layout plans, approval status, site dimensions and developer name, searchable on a map (Google Play listing). Treat it as a pointer, and confirm with the authority.
Check three things on the plan: your plot number exists, its dimensions match the sale deed, and it's marked as a residential site, not a park, civic amenity site or road.
Check the layout on RERA, download the approval and plan the promoter uploaded, and compare. Our RERA check guide shows how.

What is a release order, and why does it matter?

An approved layout isn't always free to sell all at once. Authorities usually release plots after the developer completes works such as roads and drains, sometimes in stages. So a plot can be in an approved layout and still not be released for sale. Ask for the release document covering your plot number, and have your lawyer confirm it. If the seller says "release is coming", that's a conversation for before you pay.

How do you confirm land conversion?

A residential layout has to sit on land converted from agricultural use under the Karnataka Land Revenue Act, 1964 (e-Swathu FAQ). Ask for the conversion order and check:

the survey numbers on the order match the layout's;
the extent converted covers the whole layout;
the permitted use is residential.

Then check the RTC (pahani) for those survey numbers on Bhoomi (land records services). It should be consistent with the conversion. For lakes and drains in the same survey numbers, the Revenue Maps service helps.

What is a revenue site, and why avoid it?

"Revenue site" is the term for a plot carved out of agricultural land that hasn't been converted, or sold without an approved layout. These come cheaper, and the seller will have a reason why it doesn't matter. It does: you can struggle to get a building plan sanctioned, a loan, a proper khata or utility connections, and resale gets hard. Buying in the hope it'll be regularised later is a bet, not a plan.

Does a plotted layout need RERA registration?

Usually, yes. Section 3 of the RERA Act covers plotted developments unless the land is 500 sq m or less or there are eight plots or fewer. Section 13's 10% advance cap applies to plots too (MoHUA RERA FAQ). For a registered project, Karnataka's RERA Rules require the promoter to upload the title deed, a title search report from an advocate with at least 10 years' experience, an encumbrance certificate for the past 12 years, and any joint development agreement (Karnataka RERA Rules 2017). Download them and compare with what the seller gives you.

Dates on or after 28 Feb 2026 also carry K-RERA's four-month blanket extension of 10 Aug 2026 (Order No. K RERA/ADMIN/10/2026), which the register didn't yet show in October 2026.

What khata will the plot have?

Inside GBA limits: an e-Khata through e-Aasthi, mandatory for registration since 30 Sep 2024 (The Hindu, news). Check whether it's A-khata or B-khata; see our A-khata vs B-khata guide. GBA's B-to-A conversion fee is 5% of guidance value for applications from 24 Aug 2026 (2% for those on or before 23 Aug 2026), and land conversion charges are extra (GBA B-to-A page).

In a panchayat area: Form 9 and Form 11 on e-Swathu. Form 9 is issued only for land converted under the Land Revenue Act with an approved plan, government housing beneficiaries, or Tahsildar-certified gramathana property. A Revenue circular of 6 Apr 2009, amended in 2013, made Forms 9 and 11 mandatory for registering non-agricultural panchayat property (e-Swathu FAQ).

Not sure which side of the line you're on? Use our ward and corporation lookup or the answer on city or panchayat.

Worked examples

Worked example 1: costs on a ₹60 lakh plot

Illustrative. Plots pay 5% stamp duty under Article 20(1) of the Karnataka Stamp Act; the lower first-sale slabs apply only to flats.

Charge	GBA or municipal area	Panchayat area
Stamp duty 5%	₹3,00,000	₹3,00,000
Cess 10% of duty	₹30,000	₹30,000
Surcharge (2% / 3% of duty)	₹6,000	₹9,000
Registration 2%	₹1,20,000	₹1,20,000
Total	₹4,56,000 (7.6%)	₹4,59,000 (7.65%)

Surcharge rates: GBA Act s.170 for GBA; CAG Stamp Duty and Registration Manual §7.4 for municipal and panchayat areas. Duty is on the higher of price and guidance value. Check your figure with the stamp duty calculator.

Worked example 2: the 10% advance cap

Illustrative. On the same ₹60 lakh plot in a RERA-registered layout, the promoter can take at most ₹6,00,000 before a written agreement for sale is signed and registered. If you're asked for ₹9 lakh "to block the plot", ₹3 lakh of that is over the limit.

Worked example 3: budgeting a B-to-A conversion

Illustrative. A B-khata plot inside GBA with a guidance value of ₹50 lakh.

Applied	Fee rate	Fee
On or before 23 Aug 2026	2%	₹1,00,000
From 24 Aug 2026	5%	₹2,50,000

Land conversion charges come on top, and we don't know whether the fee base is the site value alone or site plus building in every case. Get the figure in writing from GBA's portal before you price the plot.

Worked example 4: a drain buffer

Illustrative. A plot whose nearest boundary is 20 m from a secondary stormwater drain. The Revised Master Plan 2015 buffers are 50, 25 and 15 m from primary, secondary and tertiary drains, and 30 m around lakes, as discussed in the Supreme Court's 5 Mar 2019 judgment (Supreme Court). At 20 m, the plot sits about 5 m inside the 25 m buffer. Whether the distance runs from the drain's edge or centre isn't consistently stated, so ask your lawyer and check our lake and rajakaluve checks.

The ARCR test (our framework)

Paper	Question	Fails if
Approval	Which authority approved the layout, and is your plot on the plan as a residential site?	No letter, authority won't confirm, or plot marked park, CA site or road
Release	Is your plot number released for sale?	Not released, or "coming soon"
Conversion	Does the conversion order cover all the layout's survey numbers for residential use?	Partial, wrong survey numbers, or none
Record	e-Khata (GBA) or Form 9/11 (panchayat) in the seller's name, and the RTC consistent?	Missing, mismatched, or B-khata with no conversion budget

Then add RERA and the buffer check. A plot that passes ARCR but sits inside a drain buffer still fails.

Plot checklist

[ ] Layout approval letter and approved plan, naming the authority
[ ] Approval verified with that authority
[ ] Plot number, dimensions and residential marking on the plan
[ ] Release document covering your plot
[ ] Conversion order covering the layout's survey numbers
[ ] RTC consistent with the conversion
[ ] Title chain and EC checked by your lawyer
[ ] RERA registration (unless exempt) and documents compared
[ ] e-Khata or Form 9/11 in the seller's name
[ ] Lake and drain distances checked; site visited after rain
[ ] Advance within 10% until the agreement is registered

Frequently asked questions

How do I check if a layout is BDA approved?

Ask the seller for the BDA approval letter and the approved layout plan with plot numbers. Verify the approval with BDA directly, quoting the reference, rather than relying on a photocopy. Then check that your plot is on the plan with matching number and dimensions, and marked as a residential site.

Who approves layouts outside BDA limits?

In the Bengaluru region it's usually one of the local planning authorities BMRDA lists, such as Anekal, Hoskote or the airport area authority at Devanahalli. Don't guess from the area name. Read the approval letter, see which authority issued it, and verify with that authority before paying.

Is there an official list of BMRDA-approved layouts?

KSRSAC publishes an official BMRDA Layout Information System app showing layout plans, approval status, site dimensions and developer names, searchable on a map. Use it as a pointer, then confirm the approval and your plot number with the authority named on the approval letter.

What is a release order for a layout?

It's the authority's confirmation that plots in an approved layout can be sold, usually once the developer has completed works such as roads and drains. Some layouts are released in stages. A plot can be in an approved layout and still not be released, so ask for the release document.

Does a plotted development need RERA registration?

Usually. Under Section 3 of the RERA Act, plotted developments must register unless the land is 500 sq m or less or there are eight plots or fewer. Section 13 also applies, so the promoter can't take more than 10% of the cost before a registered agreement for sale.

Is it safe to buy a plot with panchayat khata?

It can be, if the paperwork holds up. Form 9 is issued only for land converted with an approved plan, government housing beneficiaries or certified gramathana property. Check Forms 9 and 11, the conversion order and the layout approval, and take a lawyer's view before paying.

What is the stamp duty on a plot in Bengaluru?

Plots pay 5% stamp duty under Article 20(1) of the Karnataka Stamp Act, plus 10% cess on the duty, a surcharge on the duty and a 2% registration fee. That's about 7.6% inside GBA or a municipal area and 7.65% in a panchayat area.

Do plotted layouts get delayed on RERA?

Less often than apartments. Across seven Bengaluru taluks, 80.3% of 1,074 approved plotted projects still carry their original completion date, against 67.4% of all projects, and 8.8% have a Section 6 or further extension.

Talk it through with acre&key

If you'd like help running the ARCR test on a plot, book a consultation with acre&key.

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Lawyer note: Layout approvals, release, conversion, khata and title are legal questions. This page is general information. Have a property lawyer check every paper before you pay or sign.