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Government Services

Caste Certificate: How to Apply, Documents and Validity

A caste certificate is issued by the Tehsildar, SDM or DM of your area. Apply on your state portal with ID, address proof and a paternal relative's certificate.

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Written by Ananya Iyer

Published 7 October 2026·7 min read

On this page8 sections
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A caste certificate is issued by your state’s revenue administration, usually the Tehsildar, Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) or District Magistrate of the area where your family normally lives. You apply on the state’s e-District or public-service portal with identity and address proof and a caste certificate of your father or another paternal relative. OBC applicants also need to show they are outside the “creamy layer”.

Key facts

Item Detail
Who issues it District Magistrate, Collector, Deputy Commissioner, SDM, Taluka or Executive Magistrate, a revenue officer not below Tehsildar, or the Sub-Divisional Officer
Where you apply Your state’s online service portal or the SDM/Tehsil office
Main proof Caste certificate of father or a paternal blood relative
OBC creamy layer income limit ₹8 lakh a year, in effect from 1 September 2017
Central formats Separate forms for SC/ST and for OBC, prescribed by DoPT for central government jobs
Delhi (SC/ST) No fee; issued in 14 days
Maharashtra Service time 45 days; designated officer SDO or Deputy Collector

Fees, timelines and document lists are set by each state. Only the two states above were checked for this guide.

Who issues a caste certificate

The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) accepts SC, ST and OBC certificates only from these authorities, in the prescribed format:

  • District Magistrate, Additional District Magistrate, Collector, Deputy Commissioner, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Deputy Collector, 1st Class Stipendiary Magistrate, Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Taluka Magistrate, Executive Magistrate or Extra Assistant Commissioner
  • Chief Presidency Magistrate, Additional Chief Presidency Magistrate or Presidency Magistrate
  • A revenue officer not below the rank of Tehsildar
  • The Sub-Divisional Officer of the area where you or your family normally live

A certificate signed by a village head, MLA or school principal does not meet this list for central purposes.

Before issuing one, the officer checks three things, according to DoPT’s reservation brochure:

  1. You and your parents belong to the caste you claim.
  2. That caste is in the Presidential Order for SCs or STs, or in the central OBC list, for your state.
  3. You belong to that state and to the area where the caste is notified.

A person claiming SC status must profess Hinduism, Sikhism or Buddhism. Marriage does not change caste status: a woman who was not SC, ST or OBC by birth does not become one by marrying into such a family. If you move to another state, you can claim the status only for your original state.

Documents required

Lists differ by state. The Delhi Revenue Department’s SC/ST list and Maharashtra’s Aaple Sarkar list cover the common items:

ItemDetails
Application form, self-attested, with a photograph.
Identity proofAadhaar, PAN, passport, driving licence or voter ID.
Address proofvoter ID, ration card, electricity, water or telephone bill, property tax receipt, or (in Maharashtra) a 7/12 or 8A land extract.
Proof of castea caste certificate of your father, brother, sister or another paternal blood relative.
Proof of date of birthbirth certificate, school certificate or passport. See our guide to getting a birth certificate online if you lack one.
Self-declaration or affidavitwhere the state asks for it. Our page on how to make an affidavit explains the format.

If no one in your family holds a certificate, Delhi asks for two government servants to certify that they know you and that you belong to the caste. Maharashtra accepts one of many alternatives, such as a school leaving certificate or land records showing caste. Married women in Delhi face a local enquiry at both the parental and marital addresses.

For an OBC non-creamy-layer certificate, also keep your parents’ income proof and details of their posts or employment ready.

Applying online through your state portal

Most states run caste certificates through an e-District or public-services portal. Examples: e-District Delhi, Aaple Sarkar in Maharashtra, RTPS (serviceonline.bihar.gov.in) in Bihar, and e-District in Uttar Pradesh.

  1. Register on your state portal with your mobile number, or sign in with your existing account.
  2. Choose the service, such as “Caste Certificate”, “SC/ST Certificate” or “OBC Certificate”. Bihar lists caste certificate issue at circle, sub-division and district level; pick the level the job or course asks for.
  3. Fill in your name, parents’ names, caste, sub-caste, address and the purpose.
  4. Upload scanned documents in the size and format the portal specifies.
  5. Pay the fee if your state charges one. Delhi charges nothing for SC/ST certificates.
  6. Submit and note the application number.
  7. Attend any field verification or hearing the office schedules.
  8. Download the signed certificate from the same portal once it is approved.

To track an application or find your certificate number, use the “Track Application” or “Download/Verify Certificate” option on the portal. The certificate number is printed on the certificate itself. Some states also push certificates to DigiLocker; Kerala’s government, for one, lists caste certificates among the revenue documents it issues there. Our DigiLocker guide shows how to pull issued documents.

You can also apply at the SDM or Tehsil office or at a common service centre. Delhi SDM and Deputy Commissioner offices take applications from 10 am to 1 pm on working days.

Central vs state format

A state-format certificate is for state jobs, state colleges and state schemes. For central government posts, central universities and national exams, you need the central format.

Point State format Central format
SC/ST basis Presidential Orders for the state Same Presidential Orders, in DoPT’s form
OBC basis State OBC list Central list of OBCs for your state
Creamy layer test State’s own income rules DoPT rules, ₹8 lakh limit
Used for State jobs, admissions, schemes Central jobs, central institutions, national exams

A caste can be OBC in the state list but missing from the central list. Search your caste on the National Commission for Backward Classes’ central list before you apply for a central OBC certificate.

Validity and OBC non-creamy layer

The central SC/ST form has no validity period on it. SC or ST status changes only if the caste is removed from the list or, for SCs, if you change religion.

OBC certificates are different. DoPT’s OM of 25 July 2003 says the creamy layer status “may change any time”, so no fixed validity period can be set. Employers and exam bodies therefore check your status on a cut-off date, usually the last date for applications, and ask for a declaration as well. Many ask for a certificate issued within a recent period, so read each notice.

How the creamy layer test works:

  • Children of parents whose gross annual income is ₹8 lakh or more for three consecutive years fall in the creamy layer. The limit was raised from ₹6 lakh with effect from 1 September 2017.
  • Salary income and income from agricultural land are not clubbed with other income for this test.
  • Children of parents in certain posts, such as Group A officers, are covered by a separate status test.

If your family income changes, apply for a fresh non-creamy-layer certificate before your next application.

Frequently asked questions

Who issues a caste certificate?

The state revenue administration: the Tehsildar, SDM, Deputy Collector or District Magistrate of the area where you or your family normally live.

How can I download my caste certificate?

Log in to the portal where you applied and use the download or print certificate option with your application or certificate number. Check DigiLocker if your state issues certificates there.

How do I know my caste certificate number?

The number is printed on the certificate. If you have lost it, use your application number on the state portal’s track or verify page, or ask the issuing office.

Is an OBC certificate valid for life?

The caste part does not change, but the non-creamy-layer part can. Most employers and exam bodies want a recent certificate that shows your status as on their cut-off date.

Can I get a caste certificate in the state I moved to?

You can claim SC, ST or OBC status only for the state you originally belong to. Apply there, or check the other state’s rules for migrants.

Does a woman’s caste change after marriage?

No. DoPT’s rules say a person does not become SC, ST or OBC by marrying into such a family, and does not lose the status by marrying outside it.

What is the income limit for OBC non-creamy layer?

₹8 lakh a year of parents’ gross income for three consecutive years, excluding salary and agricultural income.

Sources

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