Raw land — a plot, farmland, or farmhouse parcel — carries a different, often longer risk chain than a built apartment in a RERA-registered project. There's usually no promoter or regulator standing between you and the seller's own ownership history. This is what to verify before you pay.
Full chain of Sale Deeds
Don't stop at the seller's own purchase deed — trace ownership back as far as records reasonably allow. A gap or an unregistered transaction anywhere in the chain is a risk that transfers to you on purchase.
Khasra, Khata, and Jamabandi records
These revenue records establish the plot's identity, area, and recorded ownership in government land records — distinct from, and in addition to, the Sale Deed. Confirm the current Jamabandi (record of rights) reflects the seller as the recorded owner, not a previous one whose mutation never happened. See our full documents checklist for how these fit with the rest of your paperwork.
Encumbrance Certificate covering a long enough period
Request an EC covering at least 13-30 years, not just the most recent transaction — older undisclosed mortgages or disputes can still surface and affect your ownership even if the last sale looked clean.
Land-use conversion status
If the land was originally agricultural, confirm through your lawyer whether formal conversion to residential/farmhouse use has been completed with the relevant development authority. This affects both legal standing and, for NRI buyers, whether FEMA restrictions on agricultural land even apply. See our guides on land conversion in Jaipur and how to check land use before buying.
Layout/colony approval, if applicable
For plots within a developed layout, confirm the layout itself has approval from JDA or the relevant authority — an unapproved layout can mean the individual plot never gets a valid Patta, regardless of what the seller shows you. See JDA-approved plot vs JDA-approved colony and how to verify a JDA property before buying.
Physical boundaries match the paper record
Have a surveyor confirm the plot's actual dimensions, access, and boundary markers on-site match the record — a common source of disputes is a boundary description that doesn't line up with what's physically there.
Access and easement rights
Confirm the plot has a legally documented right of way to a public road, especially for interior or farmland plots — access that's currently informal ("everyone just uses this path") isn't the same as a legal right that survives a future dispute with a neighbor.
Legal heirs and inheritance chain, if relevant
If the seller inherited the land, confirm a Legal Heir Certificate exists and that all legal heirs have documented consent to this specific sale — not just the signature of whichever heir approached you.
Pending litigation or acquisition proceedings
Check whether the land is subject to any pending court case, or any government land acquisition proceeding (common near infrastructure corridors like ring roads or planned highways) — both can materially affect what you're actually buying.
Property tax and mutation currency
Confirm property tax records and the mutation entry are current and in the seller's name — a tax receipt in someone else's name, without a documented explanation, is worth pausing on rather than assuming is a paperwork lag.