Land Records
What is a 7/12 Extract (Satbara)?
India's most searched land record. And the thing almost nobody realises: if you're buying a flat in Mumbai, this is probably not the document you need.
The short answer
The 7/12 extract — Satbara — is Maharashtra's land record. It combines Village Form VII (who holds the land, and what charges are on it) with Village Form XII (what has been cultivated on it).
Here is what almost nobody tells you: it applies principally to AGRICULTURAL land. If you are buying a flat in urban Mumbai or Pune, the record you need is the Property Card, not the 7/12.
What a 7/12 extract contains
Two village forms, printed together.
| What it records | |
|---|---|
| Village Form VII The Record of Rights | The survey / gat number, the holder's name, the area, the land revenue assessment, the tenancy position, and — importantly — any charges, loans or encumbrances noted against the land, plus the mutation entries recording past transfers. |
| Village Form XII The Crop Register | What was cultivated on the land, season by season, and the area under each crop. Irrigation source. |
The crop register is why the document exists at all. The 7/12 was designed as an agricultural revenue record — a way for the state to know what was grown and what revenue was due. Everything else it is used for came later.
The urban / rural distinction — the thing to understand
The 7/12 extract is an agricultural land record, maintained by the revenue department for land under cultivation.
Urban land in Maharashtra — land within a City Survey area — is recorded differently, on a Property Card, against a CTS number (City Survey number) rather than a survey or gat number.
So when a Mumbai flat buyer is told to 'check the 7/12', they are frequently being sent to the wrong document. For urban land, ask for the Property Card.
Where a 7/12 does still exist for land on the urban fringe, and the land is being developed for housing, the critical question becomes: has the land use been converted from agricultural to non-agricultural?
How to read a 7/12
- The holder's name. Does it match the seller, exactly?
- The survey / gat number. Does it match the sale deed and the RERA filing?
- The area. Does it match what is being sold?
- The "other rights" column. This is where loans, charges and encumbrances appear. Read it carefully. A bank loan against the land will be noted here.
- The mutation entries. A history of transfers. Read it against the chain of title. They should agree.
- The land classification. Agricultural? Then conversion is required before it can be built on.
- Any tenancy entries. A tenant with rights over agricultural land is a serious complication, and Maharashtra's tenancy law is protective of them.
Most people look at the name and stop.
The other rights column is where a bank's charge appears, where a tenant's rights appear, where a court's attachment appears. It is the part of the document that tells you whether the land is free, not just who holds it.
Read it. Then read the mutation entries. Then compare both against the deeds.
How to get one
- Mahabhulekh — the Maharashtra land records portal — for a viewable copy.
- Digital Satbara — for a digitally signed copy, which carries legal weight. Prefer this.
- Enter the district, taluka, village, then the survey / gat number or the holder's name.
- Pay a small fee for the signed version.
- Verify the digital signature. A screenshot proves nothing.
For urban property, use the Property Card service instead.
It is not title
A 7/12 is a revenue record. It records possession and revenue liability, and Maharashtra's own record notes carry a disclaimer to that effect.
It is strong, useful, cross-checkable evidence. It is not proof of ownership. You still need the registered sale deed, the chain of title, and a 30-year encumbrance certificate.
Frequently asked questions
What is a 7/12 extract?
Maharashtra's land record, combining Village Form VII — the record of rights, showing the holder, the area, any charges and the mutation history — with Village Form XII, the crop register. It applies principally to agricultural land.
Do I need a 7/12 extract to buy a flat in Mumbai?
Usually not — you need the PROPERTY CARD. The 7/12 is an agricultural land record. Urban land within a City Survey area is recorded on a Property Card against a CTS number instead. Mumbai and Pune flat buyers are frequently sent to the wrong document.
What is the difference between 7/12 and a Property Card?
The 7/12 is for agricultural land, maintained by the revenue department against a survey or gat number. The Property Card is for urban land within a City Survey area, against a CTS number. Same purpose, different land, different document.
What is the 'other rights' column on a 7/12?
The column where loans, charges, encumbrances, tenancy rights and court attachments are noted. Most people read the name and stop. The other rights column is where you find out whether the land is actually free — not just who holds it.
Does a 7/12 extract prove ownership?
No. It is a revenue record — it records possession and liability for land revenue. Maharashtra's own records carry a disclaimer to that effect. It is strong, cross-checkable evidence, but you still need the registered sale deed, the chain of title and a 30-year encumbrance certificate.