Registration Bill 2025: What the Draft Would Change for Property Buyers

The Registration Bill, 2025 is still a draft. The Department of Land Resources published it on 27 May 2025 to replace the Registration Act, 1908 with online, paperless registration and consent-based Aadhaar checks. It has not been passed by Parliament, so every property deed today is registered under the 1908 Act and your state’s rules, and stamp duty is still set by your state.

Key facts

What the Registration Act, 1908 requires today

Section 17 of the 1908 Act lists the documents that must be registered. They include gift deeds of immovable property, sale and other deeds that create or transfer rights in property worth ₹100 or more, and leases for more than one year. Since the 2001 amendment, an agreement to sell must also be registered if the buyer wants protection under Section 53A of the Transfer of Property Act, 1882.

Section 23 gives you four months from the date of execution to present a document. Under Section 25, the Registrar can accept a document up to four months late if the delay was unavoidable, with a fine of up to ten times the registration fee. Our property registration process guide walks through the office visit, fees and documents under the current law.

Key proposals in the 2025 draft

The Department of Land Resources lists five aims for the Bill:

Online registration and Aadhaar-based verification

Clause 29 of the draft covers identity. Anyone presenting a document would give a signature, a photograph and a thumb impression, and a PAN for notified document types. They could choose consent-based Aadhaar authentication, offline Aadhaar verification or other officially valid documents. The draft states that no one may be refused registration for not having an Aadhaar number.

Clause 32 would let a state notify documents that must be registered only online. A state could also require the parties to appear in person before the certificate is issued, to prevent fraud. Physical and electronic signatures would both be accepted.

Documents that would become compulsorily registrable

Clause 12(1) of the draft adds these to the compulsory list:

• Agreements for sale, developer’s agreements and promoter’s agreements for property development or construction.
• Powers of attorney that authorise transfer of immovable property, with or without payment.
• Documents setting out the terms of a mortgage by deposit of title deeds (unless the lender files it under clause 14(3)).
• Sale certificates issued by a competent authority under a central or state law, such as auction sale certificates.
• Instruments on company mergers, amalgamations and demergers that transfer property under a Companies Act, 2013 order.
• Instruments that create or transfer property rights under a court decree, order or award.

Clause 14(3) would also require banks and other lenders to file a copy of the title deed with the Sub-Registrar when they lend against a deposit of title deeds. The draft drops the ₹100 value threshold that the 1908 Act uses.

For a buyer, the practical effect would be that an unregistered agreement to sell or a general power of attorney used to pass on a flat would no longer be enough. Our explainers on agreement to sell versus sale deed and general power of attorney cover how these documents work now.

Other changes a buyer would notice

Where the bill stands now

After the comment window closed on 25 June 2025, no introduced version has appeared. PRS Legislative Research’s annual policy review for April 2025 to March 2026 still records it as a draft released in May 2025, which covers the Winter Session 2025 and the Budget Session 2026. The Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs’ list of the 13 bills introduced in the Monsoon Session 2026 does not include it, and PRS Legislative Research’s Bill Track did not list it on 18 September 2026. Parliament has not sat since the Monsoon Session was adjourned sine die on 13 August 2026. Until Parliament passes a Bill and the Centre notifies a start date, the draft has no legal effect. The draft itself allows different start dates for different provisions, so even after it passes, parts could come in later.

If an introduced version differs from the draft, the clause numbers and lists above may change.

What stays the same: stamp duty is still set by states

The draft deals with registration, not stamp duty. Your registry cost still has two parts: stamp duty under your state’s stamp law and a registration fee notified by the state. Rates, concessions for women buyers and the valuation basis all vary by state. See stamp duty and registration charges by state or estimate your cost with the stamp duty calculator.

Several states already offer online document submission, slot booking and e-stamping under the 1908 Act, so many online steps are already available where you live. For a disputed or high-value deal, a property lawyer can check which documents must be registered in your state.

Frequently asked questions

Has the Registration Bill 2025 become law?

No. It is a draft released for comments on 27 May 2025. Registration still happens under the Registration Act, 1908.

Will the Registration Bill change stamp duty?

No. The draft covers the registration process. Stamp duty rates remain with state governments.

Is Aadhaar compulsory under the draft Bill?

No. Aadhaar authentication is optional and consent-based, and clause 29(4) says no one may be refused registration for not having an Aadhaar number.

Would an agreement to sell need registration?

Yes, under the draft, every agreement for sale of immovable property would be compulsorily registrable. Today it must be registered only to claim protection under Section 53A of the Transfer of Property Act.

Can I register property online today?

It depends on your state. Several states already accept online submission and verification under the 1908 Act, but most still need a visit to the Sub-Registrar office.

How long do I have to register a sale deed?

Four months from execution under Section 23 of the 1908 Act. A further four months is possible for unavoidable delay, with a fine of up to ten times the registration fee.

Where can I track the Bill?

Watch the Department of Land Resources website, PIB releases and PRS Legislative Research’s Bill Track for an introduced version.

Sources

• The Registration Bill 2025 — Press Information Bureau (checked 17 Sep 2026)
• Draft Registration Bill 2025 and notice inviting suggestions — Department of Land Resources (checked 17 Sep 2026)
• Suggestions invited on draft Registration Bill 2025 — Department of Land Resources (checked 17 Sep 2026)
• The Registration Act, 1908 — India Code (checked 17 Sep 2026)
• Monsoon Session of Parliament adjourns sine die (list of bills) — Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, PIB (checked 18 Sep 2026)
• Bill Track — PRS Legislative Research (checked 18 Sep 2026)
• Annual Policy Review, April 2025 to March 2026 — PRS Legislative Research (checked 18 Sep 2026)