Buying a property involves more than checking the seller’s ownership documents. If you are purchasing a house, apartment, commercial unit or constructed property, it is also important to verify whether the building was constructed according to a sanctioned or approved building plan.
An approved building plan is the plan accepted by the competent local authority for construction on a particular plot or property. It generally specifies details such as the proposed building layout, floor configuration, plot dimensions, setbacks, coverage and other construction-related parameters. The exact approval process varies between states, municipalities and development authorities.
A buyer should verify the sanctioned plan before purchasing because the building that exists on the site may not always match the plan approved by the relevant authority. An unauthorized additional floor, excess construction or alteration can create problems with municipal authorities, lenders, insurers or future resale.
What Is an Approved Building Plan?
An approved or sanctioned building plan is a construction drawing and associated information that has been approved by the competent authority or processed under the applicable approval system.
The plan may contain information about:
- Plot dimensions and boundaries
- Ground coverage
- Setbacks
- Number of floors
- Floor layouts
- Built-up area
- Height of the building
- Parking arrangements
- Staircases and access
- Basement or stilt areas
- Other applicable planning requirements
The exact contents depend on the property and local building regulations.
For example, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi’s building-plan approval system requires drawings and statements in specified formats and separately refers to sanctioned plans, plinth inspection and completion-cum-occupancy documentation.
Why Should You Verify the Approved Building Plan?
Verifying the building plan helps determine whether the physical construction corresponds with the permissions granted by the competent authority.
Consider a property where the approved plan permits a ground floor and two upper floors, but the actual property has an additional floor. The extra construction may require separate approval, regularization where legally permitted, or other action.
Similarly, a sanctioned plan may show a particular setback or parking arrangement that differs from what currently exists.
These discrepancies can become important when applying for a loan, selling the property, obtaining certain certificates or dealing with municipal action.
Therefore, buyers should verify both the approval itself and the actual construction.
Step 1: Ask the Seller for the Approved Building Plan
The first step is to request a copy of the sanctioned building plan from the seller.
Ask for:
- Sanctioned building plan
- Building-plan approval or sanction letter
- Approval/application number
- Date of approval
- Property or plot number
- Architect’s details
- Revised plans, if any
- Completion certificate, where applicable
- Occupancy certificate, where applicable
Do not rely solely on a photocopy provided by the seller. The information should be independently verified with the relevant authority.
Step 2: Identify the Approving Authority
The authority responsible for approving a building plan depends on the property’s location and type.
It could be:
- Municipal corporation
- Municipality
- Development authority
- Town-planning authority
- Local planning authority
- Other designated government body
For example, in Delhi, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi operates an online building-plan approval and town-planning system. Its official portal provides information about online approval, sanctioned plans, plinth inspections and completion-cum-occupancy certificates.
Therefore, before checking a document, identify which authority actually has jurisdiction over the property.
Step 3: Check the Approval Number and Property Details
Examine the sanctioned plan carefully and compare its details with the property documents.
Important details include:
- Plot number
- House or property number
- Survey or khasra number, where applicable
- Plot area
- Owner/applicant name
- Address
- Approval or online application ID
- Approval date
- Number of floors
- Approved built-up area
For example, MCD records show that building plans can be associated with an online ID, applicant details, plot area and the construction configuration approved for the property.
If the approval document describes a property that does not correspond to the property being sold, stop the verification process and investigate the discrepancy.
Step 4: Verify the Plan With the Local Authority
Where an online verification facility exists, use the official government portal to verify the building-plan information.
If the information cannot be verified online, contact the relevant municipal or planning authority or obtain certified copies from the appropriate office.
The purpose is to establish that:
- The approval actually exists.
- It relates to the same property.
- It was issued by the competent authority or through the applicable authorized process.
- It has not subsequently been cancelled or revoked.
- The plan being shown to you is the latest applicable approved plan.
This last point is particularly important because a property may have had a revised building plan.
Step 5: Check Whether There Is a Revised Plan
Sometimes construction changes after the original approval.
A developer or property owner may obtain permission for modifications or submit a revised plan where permitted.
Therefore, do not assume that the first sanctioned plan is necessarily the final one.
Ask:
- Was the plan revised?
- Was additional construction approved?
- Was the floor layout changed?
- Were setbacks modified?
- Was the building height changed?
- Was the number of floors changed?
The latest valid approval should be compared with the property as it exists today.
Step 6: Compare the Approved Plan With the Actual Property
This is one of the most important steps.
Do not simply compare documents. Physically inspect the property and compare the construction with the approved drawing.
Check:
Number of Floors
If the sanctioned plan shows three floors but the property has four, investigate the additional construction.
Built-Up Area
Compare the approved built-up area with the actual construction.
Setbacks
Check the distance between the building and the plot boundaries.
Parking
Verify whether the parking area shown in the plan is actually being used or has been converted into another room or commercial space.
Balconies and Extensions
Check whether balconies, projections, enclosed areas or extensions correspond with the sanctioned plan.
Basement and Stilt
Where applicable, verify whether basement or stilt areas are being used for the purpose approved.
A qualified architect or engineer can help conduct a physical comparison between the sanctioned drawing and the existing structure.
Step 7: Check the Completion Certificate
For applicable properties, also ask for the completion certificate.
A completion certificate generally relates to completion of construction in accordance with the approved plan and applicable requirements.
MCD’s official construction-permit information specifically lists a completion-cum-occupancy certificate as part of the building-plan process.
The buyer should check whether the certificate relates to the same property and whether the completed construction corresponds to the approved plans.
Step 8: Check the Occupancy Certificate
For applicable buildings, an Occupancy Certificate (OC) is another important document.
An OC generally indicates that the completed building is considered fit for occupation under the applicable regulatory framework, subject to the conditions and laws governing the relevant authority.
For apartments in larger projects, buyers should also check the project’s approvals and occupancy-related documents rather than relying only on documents supplied for an individual unit.
Step 9: Check RERA Documents for New Projects
If you are purchasing a unit in a RERA-registered real-estate project, examine the project’s disclosures on the relevant state RERA portal.
Compare the building plan and project information disclosed by the promoter with what is being offered to you.
Pay attention to:
- Approved plans
- Project layout
- Building configuration
- Number of towers
- Number of floors
- Common areas
- Parking
- Completion timeline
- Changes or revisions disclosed by the promoter
This can provide another layer of verification, although RERA records should not replace independent title and municipal due diligence.
Step 10: Check for Unauthorized Construction or Notices
Buyers should also investigate whether the property has received any municipal notice relating to unauthorized construction, demolition, deviation or violation.
This is important because a building plan may have been sanctioned originally but later construction could have deviated from it.
For example, MCD has published orders concerning revocation of sanctioned building plans, demonstrating that a previously sanctioned plan can become subject to regulatory proceedings.
Therefore, the existence of an approval document alone should not be treated as conclusive proof that every part of the present structure is authorized.
Common Mistakes Buyers Should Avoid
Several mistakes can make building-plan verification ineffective:
- Checking only the seller’s copy of the plan.
- Ignoring revised or amended plans.
- Not comparing the plan with the actual building.
- Assuming registration of the property means construction is fully approved.
- Ignoring unauthorized additional floors or extensions.
- Failing to check completion or occupancy documentation where applicable.
- Relying on a broker’s verbal assurance.
- Making a large payment before completing construction-related due diligence.
What If the Building Does Not Match the Approved Plan?
Do not automatically proceed with the purchase.
First determine the nature and extent of the deviation. Some changes may have a lawful approval or regularization mechanism, while others may constitute unauthorized construction that cannot simply be ignored.
Ask the seller to provide documentation explaining the deviation. For a significant property purchase, an independent architect or building professional can compare the sanctioned plan with the physical structure, while a property lawyer can examine the legal and regulatory consequences.
Conclusion
Verifying a property’s approved building plan is an important part of due diligence before buying a constructed property. Buyers should obtain the sanctioned plan, identify the competent authority, verify the approval number and property details, check for revised plans, and physically compare the approved drawing with the existing construction.
For applicable properties, completion and occupancy certificates should also be examined. In Delhi, for example, MCD’s official building-plan system provides information on sanctioned plans, plinth inspections and completion-cum-occupancy documentation.
Most importantly, an approved plan should not be treated as a substitute for complete property due diligence. Title verification, land records, encumbrance checks, tax records, RERA information where applicable and litigation checks should be considered separately.
Taking these steps before signing the final sale deed can help a buyer identify construction deviations and approval-related issues early, reducing the risk of unexpected legal, financial or regulatory problems after the purchase.