By Saurabh Garg, founder·5 min read·Published 2026-07-16·Updated 2026-08-10

Short answer: Karnataka cut the B-Khata to A-Khata conversion fee from 5% of guidance value to 2%. The window shuts on 23 August 2026 and the rate goes back to 5% the next day. On a property with a ₹1 crore guidance value, that gap is ₹3 lakh.

Bengaluru's B-Khata Conversion Fee Goes Back to 5% on 24 August

Karnataka cut the fee to convert a B-Khata to an A-Khata from 5% of guidance value to 2%. It is a 100-day window and it shuts on 23 August 2026. On a property with a ₹1 crore guidance value, that gap is ₹3 lakh.

What changed

Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar announced the cut on 13 May 2026 under a campaign called "Namma Khate, Namma Hakku," which translates to "Our Khata, Our Right." The conversion fee that normally runs at 5% of the property's guidance value drops to 2% for the length of the window. Reports put the number of B-Khata properties in Bengaluru at around 7 lakh.

The discount runs 100 days and closes on 23 August 2026. From 24 August the rate returns to 5%.

Update, 10 August 2026

The window is still open and the date has not moved. What has changed is that the runway is short enough to matter, because the paperwork takes longer than the decision does.

The Sakala timeline is 30 working days from submission, and the conditions have to be satisfied before you submit, not after. For an owner living abroad, the binding constraint is seldom the application. It is getting a power of attorney signed, notarised and apostilled, and getting the property tax dues cleared, and both of those run on other people's calendars.

What has to be true before 23 August 2026:

If a power of attorney is not already signed and apostilled, treat the 2% rate as gone and plan around 5%. Say that to yourself now rather than discovering it on 22 August.

One caution on our own reporting: the 2% rate, the 23 August date and the 30 September 2024 eligibility cut-off come from law-firm and property-portal coverage of the announcement, not from a gazette notification we have read. Confirm against the Greater Bengaluru Authority portal before you spend money on the strength of it.

The reported conditions: the B-Khata had to be on BBMP records on or before 30 September 2024, property tax dues have to be clear, the property cannot be in live civil litigation, and properties sitting on land marked for roads or parks are excluded. Applications run through the Greater Bengaluru Authority portal, with a Sakala timeline of 30 working days from submission.

Why an A-Khata is worth the fee

A B-Khata records that your property exists. An A-Khata records that it is legitimate. The difference shows up at three moments, and all three decide money.

If you plan to sell or refinance a Bengaluru property in the next few years, this is not paperwork. It is the thing that decides who is allowed to buy it from you. Once the A-Khata lands, generate the digital record too, which our e-khata guide for Bengaluru owners abroad walks through.

What this costs

The arithmetic is plain. On a ₹1 crore guidance value, 5% is ₹5 lakh and 2% is ₹2 lakh. Moving before 23 August keeps ₹3 lakh in your pocket. On a standard 30x40 site, one source puts the saving at about ₹2.17 lakh.

Guidance value is not market value. Check yours on the Kaveri portal before you run the numbers on a figure you assumed.

What to do

We report the deadline. We do not file your khata application and we do not vouch for your eligibility.

If you are remote and your khata records are stale, the process is in khata and mutation for a remote owner. If you are untangling which bills and records attach to the flat, read society maintenance bills and khata for a remote owner. For city context, see NRI property management in Bangalore.

One caution. The percentages and the cutoff date above come from press coverage of the announcement, not from a gazette we could pull. Check your own eligibility against the current government order for your ward before you pay anything. Portal behaviour and conditions move.

FAQ

When does the 2% B-Khata conversion fee end? 23 August 2026. From 24 August 2026 the fee reverts to 5% of guidance value.

Is my B-Khata property eligible? The reported cutoff is that the B-Khata was on BBMP records on or before 30 September 2024, with tax dues cleared and no live litigation. Properties on land earmarked for roads or parks are out. Confirm against the government order for your ward.

Do I need to be in Bengaluru to apply? The application runs through the GBA portal and needs your documents and e-KYC. An owner abroad can act through a holder of a registered power of attorney. Power of attorney from the USA to India covers how that document has to be built and registered to hold up.

Own a Bengaluru flat and unsure what your khata says?

66 MG Road keeps NRI owners current on the records that decide whether a property can be sold or borrowed against. We run property with our own teams in Delhi NCR and Bangalore. A Property Health Check or Watch covers the rest of India through vetted local partners. Read khata and mutation for a remote owner or request a proposal.

66 MG Road newsdesk

Sources

Information on this page is as on 2026-08-10. Rules, rates, deadlines and government portals change without notice, so verify against the official source before you act. This page is for information only. It is not tax or legal advice, and it is not a substitute for a qualified adviser who knows your position.