East Bengaluru buyer answers
When must the builder register the conveyance deed in my name?
Direct answer: Section 17(1) of the RERA Act requires the builder to execute a registered conveyance deed in your favour within the period set by local law. Where there's no local law on it, the deed must be executed within three months of the occupancy certificate. Until conveyance, the builder remains responsible for its obligations under section 11(4).
Disclosure: acre&key’s advice is free to buyers; we are an authorised sales partner for some projects and may be paid by the developer.
Verify with your lawyer: This page explains the RERA Act as published, not legal advice. Have your own property lawyer review the documents for your specific flat before you sign, pay or file anything.
Verify with your CA: This page is not tax advice. Have your own chartered accountant confirm the rate, the amount and the filing for your specific transaction before you pay.
You can have the keys, live in the flat and pay maintenance while the builder is still the owner on paper. Possession and title are two different steps. The RERA Act deals with both, and it sets a deadline for the second one.
What does section 17 require?
Section 17(1), "Transfer of title", says the promoter "shall execute a registered conveyance deed in favour of the allottee along with the undivided proportionate title in the common areas to the association of the allottees or the competent authority", hand over physical possession of the apartment to you and the common areas to the association, "and the other title documents pertaining thereto within specified period as per sanctioned plans as provided under the local laws" (RERA Act, s.17).
The proviso supplies the fallback: "in the absence of any local law, conveyance deed in favour of the allottee… shall be carried out by the promoter within three months from date of issue of occupancy certificate." If you were handed keys before any OC was issued, see possession without an OC.
Section 11(4)(f) repeats the duty in the promoter's list of obligations, and section 11(4)(a) keeps the promoter responsible for all its obligations "till the conveyance of all the apartments".
Why does the occupancy certificate matter here?
The three-month fallback runs from the OC. So the first question on a delayed conveyance is whether the OC has been issued for your tower. If it hasn't, the problem starts earlier, and section 11(4)(b) makes getting the OC the promoter's job. More on that in why OC and CC matter.
The Act puts matching duties on you. Section 19(10) says you shall take physical possession within two months of the OC issued for your unit. Section 19(11) says every allottee "shall participate towards registration of the conveyance deed".
What does the Karnataka model agreement say about conveyance?
Karnataka RERA publishes a Proforma Agreement of Sale on its downloads page. Clause 10, "Conveyance of the said apartment", says the promoter, on receipt of the total price under clause 1.2, shall execute a conveyance deed and convey title to the apartment "together with proportionate indivisible share in the Common Areas within 3 months from the date of issuance of the occupancy certificate and the completion certificate, as the case may be". It repeats the Act's three-month fallback from the OC.
Two things follow from that wording. First, the model clause ties conveyance to you paying the total price, so an unpaid balance on your side can hold it up. Second, clause 10 says that if you don't deposit the stamp duty and registration charges within the period in the builder's notice, you authorise the promoter to withhold registration until you pay.
Clause 7.2 links the two clocks. After the OC, the promoter offers possession in writing, to be taken within two months. The same clause carries the three-month conveyance proviso. Your own agreement may not follow the model word for word, so read your clause 10 equivalent with your lawyer. Our guide to checking a builder's sale agreement before signing covers what to look for.
What is conveyed, and to whom?
Two things happen under section 17(1):
- You receive the registered conveyance deed for the apartment.
- The association (or the competent authority) receives the undivided proportionate title in the common areas.
Section 17(2) then requires the promoter to hand over the necessary documents and plans, including for common areas, to the association. Where local law is silent, that's within thirty days after the completion certificate. Read how apartment association handover works under RERA for the association side.
How is the conveyance deed different from the agreement for sale?
The agreement for sale is the contract. Section 13(1) says a promoter can't take more than ten per cent of the cost as an advance or application fee without first entering into a written agreement for sale and registering it. The conveyance (sale) deed is the later document that transfers title under section 17. Registering the agreement doesn't make you the owner. Here's how the allotment letter, agreement and sale deed differ.
Who pays stamp duty and registration fee?
Check your agreement first. Section 19(6) makes the allottee responsible for paying "the share of the registration charges" and other charges as set out in the agreement for sale, and the Karnataka model agreement expects you to deposit the stamp duty and registration charges when the builder asks. Take the amounts from official Department of Stamps and Registration guidance or from your CA, not from a forwarded chart. For the other costs, see costs beyond the base price.
What if the builder delays the conveyance?
Delay on conveyance is a breach of a specific duty under the Act. Practical steps:
- Write to the builder asking for the date of execution and registration, and cite section 17.
- Check the OC date so you know when the three-month fallback period ended, if it applies.
- Clear your side. Pay what you owe under the agreement, including the stamp duty and registration charges when demanded, so the delay can't be put down to you.
- Talk to other owners. If others in your tower are waiting too, keep a shared record of the OC date, notices and replies.
- File a complaint with Karnataka RERA under section 31 if the delay continues. Section 18(3) makes the promoter liable to pay compensation if it fails to discharge any other obligation under the Act or the agreement for sale. Here is how to file a complaint with Karnataka RERA.
Why shouldn't I leave conveyance for later?
The registered conveyance deed is the document that transfers title to you under section 17. Until it is registered, the builder still holds title, and section 11(4)(a) keeps the builder answerable for its obligations until conveyance. Section 11(4)(h) bars the builder from mortgaging or charging your flat after the agreement for sale and says any such charge won't affect your rights. That protects you, but it isn't the same as having the registered deed. Ask your lawyer what a missing deed means for khata, resale or a loan in your case.
What should I check in the conveyance deed before signing?
Your lawyer should read the draft deed against your agreement for sale. Check that the flat number, floor, carpet area and parking match, that the undivided share in the land and common areas is stated, and that the consideration matches what you paid. Look for the schedule describing the property and the common areas, and confirm any bank charge from your home loan is recorded correctly. If the builder's draft adds terms that weren't in the agreement, such as fresh charges or changed common-area descriptions, ask your lawyer before you sign. Bring originals of your agreement, payment receipts, possession letter and ID to the sub-registrar. After registration, keep the registered deed safe and apply for khata transfer, which is a separate process with the local body.
Frequently asked questions
What is the deadline for conveyance under RERA?
The period set by local law. If there's none, section 17(1) requires the deed within three months of the occupancy certificate.
Does the agreement for sale transfer ownership?
No. It's the registered contract. Ownership passes on the registered conveyance (sale) deed under section 17.
Do I have to take part in registering the conveyance deed?
Yes. Section 19(11) says every allottee shall participate towards registration of the conveyance deed.
What if the builder hasn't got the OC yet?
The three-month fallback runs from the OC, so the OC delay itself is the first issue. Section 11(4)(b) makes obtaining it the promoter's responsibility.
Where do I complain about a delayed conveyance deed?
To Karnataka RERA under section 31, citing section 17. Keep your agreement, possession letter and the OC date as evidence.
References
- Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016, ss. 11(4)(a), (b), (f), (h), 13(1), 17, 18(3), 19(6), 19(10)–(11), 31. https://rera.karnataka.gov.in/resources/staticpage/Real_Estate_Act.pdf, accessed 17 Oct 2026.
- Karnataka RERA, Proforma Agreement of Sale (Downloads page), clauses 1.2, 7.2 and 10: https://rera.karnataka.gov.in/downloadPage, accessed 17 Oct 2026.
- Department of Stamps and Registration, Karnataka (IGR). https://igr.karnataka.gov.in/, accessed 17 Oct 2026.
This page explains public rules and processes. It isn't legal or tax advice. acre&key gives buyers advice for free. We are an authorised sales partner for some projects and may be paid by the developer.