Encumbrance Certificate (EC): Form 15 & Form 16
What an EC shows, Form 15 vs Form 16, how to apply online and why lenders insist on it.
Updated 30 September 2026 · 17 lenders trackedWhat you need to know
An encumbrance certificate is issued by the sub-registrar’s office and lists every registered transaction affecting a property — sales, mortgages, gifts, leases, partitions — during the period you ask for. Lenders ask for an EC (usually for 13 to 30 years) to confirm the seller has clear title and the property is not already mortgaged.
Form 15 vs Form 16
| Form | What it shows | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Form 15 | Registered transactions (encumbrances) found during the period, with document numbers and parties | Normal for most properties |
| Form 16 | Nil encumbrance — no registered transaction in the period | Clean record for the period searched |
How to get an EC
- OnlineState registration portals, e.g. TNREGINET (Tamil Nadu), Kaveri Online Services (Karnataka), AP and Telangana registration portals.
- Details neededProperty survey/door number, village, sub-registrar office, period, and applicant ID.
- Fees & timeFees depend on the state and the number of years searched; online ECs are often issued within a few days.
- OfflineApply at the sub-registrar office where the property is registered.
Limits of an EC
- Covers only registered documents — unregistered agreements, oral family arrangements and many court cases do not appear.
- Some states (e.g. Maharashtra) rely on a title search of Index-II records instead; lenders’ lawyers do this search.
- Combine the EC with revenue records (mutation), tax receipts and a lawyer’s title report.
Frequently asked questions
How many years of EC does a bank need?
Commonly 13 to 30 years, as decided by the lender’s legal policy.
Will my home loan appear on the EC?
A registered mortgage deed appears; an equitable mortgage by deposit of title deeds appears only where the state requires registration of the memorandum.
For information and comparison only. Loan terms, rates and rules change — confirm with the lender and read the Key Facts Statement before borrowing.