East Bengaluru buyer answers
Why does one project have several RERA registration numbers?
Direct answer: Because RERA treats each phase as its own project. The Explanation to section 3 says that where a project is developed in phases, every phase is a stand-alone real estate project needing separate registration. So a large township can carry several RERA numbers, each with its own completion date, approvals and quarterly updates.
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.
Big projects in East Bengaluru are often sold under one name across several years: towers A to D first, then E to H, then a final phase near the clubhouse. Search the Karnataka RERA portal and you may find three or four registrations under that name. That isn't a red flag in itself. It's how the Act is designed. What matters is that you check the right one.
What does the Act say about phases?
Section 3 requires a promoter to register a project with the Authority before advertising, marketing, booking or selling any part of it. The Explanation to section 3 then says:
"where the real estate project is to be developed in phases, every such phase shall be considered a stand alone real estate project, and the promoter shall obtain registration under this Act for each phase separately" (RERA Act, s.3).
Each registration then has its own section 4 application, including the completion date declared under section 4(2)(l)(C) and the 70% project-account declaration under section 4(2)(l)(D).
Why does the phase number matter to me?
Because almost everything you'd check is tied to the registration, not the brand name:
- Completion date. Section 5(3) makes registration valid for the completion period declared for "the project or phase thereof". Phase 2 can have a very different date from Phase 1.
- Approvals. The plans, layout and approvals uploaded are for that phase.
- Quarterly updates. Section 11(1) requires quarterly updates on bookings, approvals and construction status for each registered project.
- Project money. The 70% rule applies to the money collected for that registered project. See RERA's 70% rule for project money.
- Proforma documents. The proforma allotment letter, agreement for sale and conveyance deed under section 4(2)(g) are filed with each registration.
If you read Phase 1's page while buying in Phase 3, you could be reassured by a near-complete tower that isn't yours.
How do I find the right registration number?
- Ask the sales team for the RERA number of the tower and phase your unit is in, in writing.
- Check that the same number is printed on the allotment letter and the agreement for sale.
- Search it on the Karnataka RERA portal and confirm the tower names and unit counts match. Our guide to checking a project on the Karnataka RERA website shows the steps.
- Look at the advertisement. Section 11(2) requires ads to show the registration number and the Authority's website address. A brochure showing one number for a multi-phase project deserves a question.
What about shared amenities across phases?
This is where phase-wise registration can trip buyers up. A clubhouse, pool or internal road may sit in a later phase, or be shared across all of them. Ask:
- Which phase's registration includes the clubhouse and other common areas you're paying for?
- What's that phase's completion date?
- Are the common areas described in your agreement, and on whose sanctioned plan?
Section 14(2) limits changes once the plans have been disclosed to you. Changes to your own unit's plans, specifications and fittings need your previous consent, apart from the minor changes the proviso allows. Other changes to the building's plans or to the common areas need the previous written consent of at least two-thirds of the allottees in that building, not counting the promoter. See whether a builder can change the plan after booking.
Can a builder split a project into small phases to skip RERA?
Not by splitting alone. Section 3(2)(a) exempts a project from registration only where the land doesn't exceed 500 square metres or the apartments don't exceed eight, and both limits are counted "inclusive of all phases". So a builder can't escape registration by cutting a larger project into small phases that each fall under the limit. If a project looks bigger than it's registered as, ask why, and check the land area and unit count on the portal.
Can a builder sell a phase before registering it?
No. Section 3 bars advertising, marketing, booking or selling any part of a project that needs registration before it's registered. "Expression of interest" or "pre-launch" offers for an unregistered phase fall into this risk; read whether it's safe to pay an EOI for a pre-launch project.
Does a delay in one phase affect another?
Legally, each phase is a stand-alone project with its own registration and its own declared completion date. In practice, shared roads, water connections and amenities can link them. When you check delays, look at your phase's dates and progress, and ask how shared infrastructure is scheduled.
What should I compare across phases before choosing one?
If the same project is selling in two phases at once, the registrations let you compare them on facts rather than on the sales pitch:
- Declared completion date for each phase, and whether any extension has already been granted.
- Construction status in the latest quarterly update. A phase that's further along has less construction left to finish.
- Approvals pending. Section 11(1)(d) requires a quarterly list of approvals taken and approvals still pending after the commencement certificate.
- Bookings. The quarterly booked-unit count gives a rough sense of how the phase is selling.
- Proforma agreement. Phases launched at different times can have different proforma terms, so read the one filed for your phase.
Write down each figure with the date you saw it. If the sales team says something that doesn't match the portal, ask them to confirm in writing.
What happens at handover in a phased project?
Conveyance and handover follow the phase too. Section 17 requires the promoter to execute a registered conveyance deed and hand over the common areas to the association within the period provided under local laws. Where there's no local law, the conveyance deed has to be done within three months of the occupancy certificate. Where common areas are shared across phases, ask how and when each part will be handed over, and to which association. See how apartment association handover works under RERA.
Frequently asked questions
Is it normal for one project to have several RERA numbers?
Yes. The Explanation to section 3 requires each phase to be registered separately as a stand-alone project, so a multi-phase project carries several numbers.
Which RERA number should be on my agreement?
The registration number of the phase that includes your tower and unit. Check it matches the allotment letter and the portal listing.
Do different phases have different completion dates?
They can. Each registration is valid for the completion period declared for that phase under section 4(2)(l)(C).
Can amenities sit in a different phase from my flat?
Yes. Ask which registration covers the clubhouse and other shared areas, and check that phase's completion date and plans.
Can a builder take bookings for a phase that isn't registered yet?
No. Section 3 bars advertising, marketing, booking or selling any part of a project that requires registration before it's registered.
References
- Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016, ss. 3 (incl. 3(2)(a) and Explanation), 4(2), 5(3), 11(1)–(2), 14(2), 17. https://rera.karnataka.gov.in/resources/staticpage/Real_Estate_Act.pdf, accessed 17 Oct 2026.
- Karnataka RERA FAQs. https://rera.karnataka.gov.in/resources/staticpage/KARNATKA_FAQs.pdf, accessed 17 Oct 2026.
- Karnataka RERA portal (project search). https://rera.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.