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Land & Property Records

Tamil Nadu Patta: Types, Transfer Process and Fees

A patta is Tamil Nadu's revenue record of land ownership. After a sale or inheritance, apply for patta transfer on Tamil Nilam; the fee is ₹60.

VD

Written by Vikram Desai

Published 2 October 2026·7 min read

On this page9 sections
Credsir Land & Property Records guide cover with a land plot icon

A patta is the Tamil Nadu revenue record that names the person holding a piece of land, with its survey number, extent and classification. When land changes hands, you apply for patta transfer on the Tamil Nilam portal or at a Common Service Centre for a ₹60 processing fee. Simple sales that meet set checks are now transferred automatically at registration.

Key facts

Item Detail
View or verify patta eservices.tn.gov.in (“Anytime Anywhere” e-services), free
Apply for transfer Tamil Nilam Citizen Portal or any Common Service Centre (CSC)
Processing fee ₹60 per application, with or without subdivision
Subdivision fee ₹400 rural, ₹500 town, ₹600 corporation, per subdivision
Target time (2011 order) 15 days without subdivision; 30 days with subdivision
Legal status QR-coded, digitally signed patta is a legally valid record (G.O.(Ms) No. 303, 27 December 2016)
Helpline 1100

What a patta shows

A patta lists the pattadar (holder), the patta number, the district, taluk and village, each survey and subdivision number, the extent in hectares and ares, and the land type, such as wet or dry. Since G.O.(Ms) No. 303, the patta you download from the e-services site carries a QR code and the Tahsildar’s digital signature. The order declares these copies legally valid, equal to signed copies, wherever online patta transfer is fully in place.

A patta records who holds the land for revenue purposes. Title still rests on the chain of registered deeds, so buyers check both. Our property legal checklist covers the other papers to ask for.

Types of patta you will come across

ItemDetails
Rural (ryotwari) pattathe standard record for village land, shown on the e-services site under “View Patta / Chitta / FMB – (Rural / Natham)”.
Natham pattaissued for house sites in village settlement areas. Under Natham Settlement, ordered in 1987 and notified in 1988, land with houses was granted a Natham patta or Natham manai patta and recorded as “Natham-manai”, according to G.O.Ms.No.221 of 4 May 2023.
UDR pattaa patta as updated under the Updating Registry Scheme (UDR) of 1979 to 1984, when privately held land was reclassified as “ryoti”. Errors from that exercise still surface in old records.
Town survey (TSLR) recordsurban land in towns and cities is recorded in the Town Survey Land Register. Use “TSLR Extract” on the e-services site and the separate Tamil Nilam Urban portal for transfers.
Computer or e-pattathe downloadable, digitally signed version of any of the above.

Search terms such as “nila urimai patta” (land-rights patta) are used loosely online. Ask the taluk office which record type applies to your land before relying on the label.

Patta vs chitta vs A-register

Record What it tells you
Patta Who holds the land, patta number, survey numbers and extent
Chitta Village revenue account of holdings, including classification such as wet or dry land
A-register Village register of every survey field: classification, extent and holder; the base record behind patta
Adangal Village Administrative Officer’s register of cultivation and land use

Patta and chitta are issued as one combined extract today. Sobha’s guide dates the merger to 2015. The A-register can be viewed separately under “View A-Register Extract”.

Patta transfer after a sale or inheritance

Automatic transfer at registration

G.O.(Ms) No. 84, dated 4 February 2020, set up automatic mutation for sales that do not involve subdivision. The Sub-Registrar answers four checks in the registration software: the seller’s name matches the online patta, the survey number and extent match the chitta, there is no encumbrance, and both parties gave Aadhaar and mobile numbers. If all four are “Yes”, the patta moves to the buyer without human intervention. You get an SMS and an email, and can download the new patta. If any answer is “No”, the case goes through the normal Tamil Nilam workflow.

A government order dated 25 June 2026 widened this, DT Next reported. Auto-mutation now covers deeds signed jointly with family members, and deeds signed by a registered power of attorney holder. Buyers who already hold a patta in the village are now given the next available patta number automatically.

Applying online when it is not automatic

Subdivision cases, inheritance, settlement deeds and failed auto-mutation need an application. You file it as NISD (not involving subdivision) or ISD (involving subdivision).

  1. Get an encumbrance certificate for the property. See our guide to the online encumbrance certificate in Tamil Nadu.
  2. Open eservices.tn.gov.in and click “Apply Online Patta Transfer”, which leads to the Tamil Nilam Citizen Portal. You can also go to a CSC.
  3. Log in with your mobile number and OTP.
  4. Choose the district, taluk and village, and the rural, natham or urban record type.
  5. Enter the survey and subdivision numbers, the registered document number and date, and the Sub-Registrar office.
  6. Upload the encumbrance certificate, the deed pages naming the transferor and transferee, and any legal heir certificate or court order.
  7. Tick the declaration that the land is not under land ceiling, assignment, panchami land or a court dispute.
  8. Pay the ₹60 fee and note the application number.

The Village Administrative Officer checks the link documents and encumbrances. The Zonal Deputy Tahsildar approves cases without subdivision; the Tahsildar handles subdivision cases.

Documents, fees and timelines

For a transfer by sale, keep the registered sale deed, the encumbrance certificate, the previous patta and your ID. Inheritance cases also need the death certificate and legal heir certificate. The Tamil Nilam Urban FAQ lists sale deed, settlement deed, encumbrance certificate and legal heir certificate as common documents, and says others may be asked for.

Charge Amount
Processing fee, transfer without subdivision ₹60
Processing fee, transfer with subdivision ₹60
Subdivision fee, rural land ₹400 per subdivision
Subdivision fee, town (municipality) ₹500 per subdivision
Subdivision fee, corporation (Chennai, Coimbatore etc.) ₹600 per subdivision
F-Line boundary measurement ₹60 processing fee plus ₹200 per side

These rates come from G.O.(Ms) No. 370 of 21 July 2020. Registration costs are separate; estimate them with the stamp duty calculator.

The Commissionerate of Land Administration cites G.O.(Perm) No. 210 of 8 July 2011: 15 days for transfers without subdivision and 30 days with subdivision. G.O.(Ms) No. 303 replaced that procedure with the online system, so treat these as targets.

Application status and rejection

You get an SMS at each stage. To check yourself, use “Application Status” on eservices.tn.gov.in, or the TamilNilam mobile app. Once approved, download the patta and the order copy under “View Patta Order Copy”.

Common reasons for rejection include a seller name that does not match the patta, a survey number or extent that differs from the chitta, a pending encumbrance or dispute, and missing link documents. Fix the mismatch and apply again, or appeal.

Under Revenue Standing Order 31, you can appeal a Tahsildar’s or Deputy Tahsildar’s order to the Revenue Divisional Officer within 30 days of receiving it. A revision lies to the District Revenue Officer, also within 30 days. For disputed inheritance or old UDR errors, a property lawyer can advise on the right forum.

Frequently asked questions

How do I verify a patta online in Tamil Nadu?

Open eservices.tn.gov.in and choose “Verify Patta / Chitta”. Enter the details it asks for from your downloaded copy to confirm the copy matches the government record.

Does patta change automatically after registration?

Yes, for sales without subdivision where the seller’s name, survey details, encumbrance and Aadhaar checks all pass at the Sub-Registrar office. Otherwise you must apply on Tamil Nilam.

What is the fee for patta name transfer?

₹60 per application at a CSC or on the Citizen Portal. Subdivision adds ₹400 to ₹600 per subdivision, depending on whether the land is rural, in a town or in a corporation.

How long does patta transfer take?

The 2011 order set 15 days without subdivision and 30 days with subdivision. Actual time depends on the taluk and on document checks.

What is a natham patta?

A patta for a house site in a village settlement area, granted during Natham Settlement and recorded as “Natham-manai”.

What is a UDR patta?

A patta as updated under the Updating Registry Scheme of 1979 to 1984, which reclassified private land as “ryoti”.

Can I appeal if my patta transfer is rejected?

Yes. Appeal to the Revenue Divisional Officer within 30 days of the order, then to the District Revenue Officer.

Sources

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