Ask the developer for the registration number in writing, then search it yourself at rera.tn.gov.in, rera.telangana.gov.in or rera.karnataka.gov.in. Read the declared completion date, the complaints tab and the approved plan — and confirm the number covers your specific phase.
Key facts
- Tamil Nadu: rera.tn.gov.in. Numbers look like TN/01/Building/015/2019. Buildings and layouts are registered separately.
- Telangana: rera.telangana.gov.in. Numbers are short, such as P01100006655.
- Karnataka: rera.karnataka.gov.in. The longest format, such as PRM/KA/RERA/1251/310/PR/080223/005704.
- A QR code is not a substitute for the number in text. It resolves, but you cannot read, search or keep it.
- Registration is not approval of quality — it is a disclosure regime. It tells you what was promised, not whether it is good.
- Phase-wise registration is normal. A valid number for phase one says nothing about the phase you are buying.
- The declared completion date on the portal is the one that carries weight, not the date in the brochure.
Which portal do I use, and what does a number look like?
Each state runs its own authority and its own portal, and the registration formats differ enough that you can usually tell the state from the number.
| State | Authority | Portal | Example formats seen in the market | State-specific note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tamil Nadu | TNRERA | rera.tn.gov.in | TN/01/Building/015/2019 · TN02/Building/0086/2023 · TN/29/Layout/2159/2024 | Separate registrations for buildings and layouts. A layout approval does not cover a tower built on it. |
| Telangana | TG-RERA | rera.telangana.gov.in | P01100006655 | Projects in the GHMC fringe may sit under a municipality or HMDA. Ask which authority sanctioned the plan as well. |
| Karnataka | K-RERA | rera.karnataka.gov.in | PRM/KA/RERA/1251/310/PR/080223/005704 | The longest format of the three. Phase-wise registration is common, so ask for the number covering your phase. |
Example numbers are real registrations published on developer project pages, read 3 November 2026, and are shown only to illustrate the format.
If you are given a number whose format does not match the state the project is in, that is worth a question. It is usually an error in the listing rather than anything sinister — but confirm before you proceed.
How do I actually verify a project, step by step?
Six steps, about ten minutes, and they apply identically in all three states.
| Step | What you do | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Get the number in writing | Ask the sales team for the registration number as text, not a QR code. | A QR code resolves to the registration but you cannot read, search or save it. If a developer will not put it in writing, stop there. |
| 2. Search the state portal yourself | Enter the number on the portal for that state. | Do not accept a screenshot or a printed certificate. Portals are free and take a minute. |
| 3. Read the declared completion date | The date the developer committed to, not the one in the brochure. | This is the date that carries legal weight. A brochure date that is earlier is marketing. |
| 4. Open the complaints tab | Complaints filed against the project and the promoter. | Search the promoter name separately too. A pattern across projects matters more than one complaint. |
| 5. Check the approved plan | Sanctioned plan, approved unit count, approved land area. | Compare against what you are being sold. A tower that is not on the sanctioned plan is a serious problem. |
| 6. Confirm your phase | Which registration covers the specific tower or phase you are buying. | Phase-wise registration is normal. A valid registration for phase one says nothing about phase three. |
What does a RERA registration not tell me?
This is the part most buyers get wrong, and it matters.
It is not a quality certificate. RERA is a disclosure and accountability regime. Registration means the promoter has filed the required information and accepted the obligations. It says nothing about construction quality, materials or finish.
It is not a guarantee of delivery. It gives you a declared date and a forum to complain if it is missed. That is considerably better than nothing, and it is not the same as the building being finished on time.
It does not cover everything. Small projects below the state threshold need not register at all. Completed projects that predate the Act are outside it. And a layout registration is not a building registration — in Tamil Nadu especially, check you have the right one for what you are buying.
It does not replace title diligence. A registered project can still have a title issue. You need the encumbrance certificate, the chain of deeds and, on resale, a no-dues certificate from the association regardless of what the portal says.
What if the developer will not give me the number?
Take it seriously, but establish which of three situations you are in before concluding anything.
The number exists but only as a QR code. This is common and legal. Several developer pages in this market publish a QR code rather than the number in text. Ask for it in writing; a sales team with a registered project sends it without friction.
The project is pre-launch. Marketing before registration is not permitted, and "expression of interest" or "pre-registration" exercises are a grey area. If there is no registration yet, there should also be no money changing hands. Be very careful here.
The project is below the registration threshold. Small projects may legitimately be unregistered. Ask the developer to say so explicitly and to show you the approved plan and the sanctioning authority's approval instead.
What should end the conversation is a developer who is evasive about which of those three applies. The answer is a fact they know.
What else should I check alongside RERA?
RERA is one of five checks, not the whole of diligence.
- Occupancy certificate, for the specific tower, with its issue date — the document that actually says a building is fit to live in.
- Encumbrance certificate for 30 years, from the sub-registrar, plus the full chain of sale deeds and sight of the originals.
- Land records. Patta and chitta in Tamil Nadu via eservices.tn.gov.in, Dharani in Telangana, Bhoomi in Karnataka. Confirm the survey numbers match the sale deed.
- Sanctioning authority. Which body approved the plan — CMDA, GHMC, HMDA, BBMP, BMRDA or a local municipality — and the approval number. This varies within a single city and it affects resale.
- The association accounts, in any completed community: maintenance, tanker spend and the sinking fund balance.
Done together these take a weekend. Skipped, they are the reason most property disputes in this market exist.
Questions buyers ask
Answered from this page's own research. Last reviewed 3 November 2026 by the PropIQ World research desk.
How do I check a project's RERA registration in Tamil Nadu?
Ask the developer for the registration number in writing, then search it at rera.tn.gov.in. Tamil Nadu numbers look like TN/01/Building/015/2019 or TN02/Building/0086/2023. Note that buildings and layouts are registered separately — a layout approval does not cover a tower built on that layout, so confirm you have the right registration for what you are buying.
How do I check a project on Telangana RERA?
Search the number at rera.telangana.gov.in. Telangana registrations are short, such as P01100006655. In the GHMC fringe belts, also ask which authority sanctioned the plan — GHMC, a surrounding municipality or HMDA — because jurisdiction across the Miyapur–Bachupally–Nizampet belt has shifted over the years.
How do I check a project on Karnataka RERA?
Search the number at rera.karnataka.gov.in. Karnataka uses the longest format of the three, such as PRM/KA/RERA/1251/310/PR/080223/005704. Phase-wise registration is common in Karnataka, so ask specifically for the number covering the phase your unit sits in.
Is a QR code as good as the RERA number?
No. A QR code resolves to the registration, which is legal and legitimate, but you cannot read, search, save or send it. Ask for the number as text. A sales team with a properly registered project provides it without friction, and the request itself is a useful test.
What should I look for once I find the project on the portal?
Four things. The declared completion date, which is the one that carries legal weight rather than the brochure date. The complaints tab, searched for the promoter as well as the project. The approved plan, compared against what you are being sold. And confirmation that the registration covers your specific tower or phase.
Does RERA registration mean the project is good quality?
No. RERA is a disclosure and accountability regime, not a quality certificate. Registration means the promoter has filed the required information and accepted the obligations that come with it. It says nothing about construction quality, materials or finish, and it is not a guarantee that the building will be delivered on time.
What if a project has no RERA registration at all?
Establish which of three situations applies. The project may be pre-launch, in which case no money should be changing hands. It may be below the state registration threshold, which is legitimate but should be stated explicitly and backed by the approved plan. Or the number may exist only as a QR code. A developer being evasive about which applies is the real warning sign.
Does a layout registration cover the apartments built on it?
No, and this catches people out in Tamil Nadu in particular, where buildings and layouts are registered separately. A layout registration such as TN/29/Layout/2159/2024 covers the plotted development. A tower built within that layout needs its own building registration. Ask for the one that matches what you are actually buying.
What else should I check besides RERA?
Four things. The occupancy certificate for your specific tower. A 30-year encumbrance certificate plus the chain of sale deeds and sight of the originals. Land records — patta and chitta in Tamil Nadu, Dharani in Telangana, Bhoomi in Karnataka — with survey numbers matched to the deed. And the sanctioning authority and approval number.
When should I do these checks?
Before you pay a booking amount, not after. Every check here is free and takes about ten minutes on a state portal. Booking amounts are frequently described as refundable and frequently difficult to recover in practice, so the order matters more than most buyers realise.