In a significant move to streamline building norms across Karnataka, the Urban Development Department (UDD) has proposed exempting small residential buildings from the mandatory requirement of obtaining Occupancy Certificates (OCs). Under the proposal advanced in mid-July and chaired by Additional Chief Secretary Tushar Girinath, property owners constructing on plots up to 1,200 sq ft, with specific building heights, may no longer need to secure an OC before occupying the structure.
Core Proposal
- The exemption is designed for plots measuring up to 1,200 sq ft.
- Permitted building formats include ground + two floors or stilt + three floors.
- The proposal aims to amend legislation including the Greater Bengaluru Governance Act, 2024, the Karnataka Municipal Corporations Act, 1976, and the state’s model building by-laws.
Impact
OC requirements exist to ensure that buildings adhere to approved plans, safety codes, and municipal standards. These certificates are also prerequisites for access to public utilities such as electricity, water, and sewage. However, in practice, many small buildings, especially in Bengaluru, are constructed informally, often lacking OCs and facing difficulties in securing utility connections.
If implemented, this exemption could offer relief to thousands of homeowners with small sites, particularly in older or high-density localities where 1,200 sq ft plots are common.
Benefits for Homeowners
- Simplified process: Builders and homeowners would no longer need to wait for OC approval before occupying their completed buildings.
- Utility access: While the OC may be waived, plan sanctions remain mandatory. Utility agencies must still verify building compliance before granting connections.
- Formalisation pathway: Owners of previously unregularised or partially approved buildings could benefit from an easier path toward compliance through plan approvals alone.
Concerns Raised by Experts
While the proposal aims to ease procedural burdens, several experts and observers have flagged potential risks. One major concern is the possibility of misuse, as the exemption could be exploited by those who violate approved building plans, given that municipal authorities would have reduced scope for post-construction checks in smaller buildings. This, in turn, could lead to a surge in informal or noncompliant constructions, further straining Bengaluru’s already overburdened civic infrastructure, including sewage systems, water supply, and waste management.
Legal uncertainty also arises, as approved building plans will still be mandatory despite the absence of an OC, meaning deviations could attract penalties or even demolition orders. Urban planners warn that without a final occupancy certification review, ensuring compliance with sanctioned norms will become harder, and civic activists have voiced environmental concerns, particularly in areas lacking authorised sewage disposal systems. Ask ChatGPT
Concurrent Policy Alignments
This OC exemption is part of a broader set of land and housing reforms being rolled out in Karnataka:
- Regularisation of B-Khata properties: As of mid-July, the Karnataka cabinet has approved legal recognition of over six lakh B-Khata buildings and flats that were registered with BBMP before September 30, 2024. These will now be treated similarly to A-Khata properties, giving them access to utilities and reducing ownership disputes.
- Digitisation of land records: From July 1, 2025, Karnataka’s new Bhu Suraksha initiative makes land ownership records fully paperless, allowing easier access to documents for owners and buyers, while improving transparency and reducing fraud.
Both these measures, alongside the proposed OC exemption, appear to target long-standing gaps in the state’s housing formalisation process.
What Property Owners Should Know?
For those owning or planning to build on small residential plots in Karnataka, key points include:
- Eligibility criteria: The exemption applies to plots of up to 1,200 sq ft and limited building heights—either ground + 2 or stilt + 3 configurations.
- OC not required—but plan sanction is: Builders must still secure municipal approval for their plans. Skipping this step can attract penalties.
- Compliance checks still apply: Agencies such as BBMP, BWSSB, and BESCOM retain the right to verify construction quality before approving utility services.
- Safety and NOC requirements remain: Developers may still need to obtain fire safety clearances, environmental permissions, and structural certifications as per existing laws.
Karnataka’s move to exempt small-plot homes from OC requirements marks a practical step toward addressing housing regularisation and easing bureaucratic hurdles. In parallel with B-Khata legalisation and land record digitisation, the proposal reflects a trend toward simplifying homeownership, especially in urban areas with large volumes of informal housing.
However, this relaxation needs to be paired with strict oversight and smart enforcement. Without this balance, well-meaning exemptions could fuel irregular construction and infrastructure overload. As civic experts have warned, the government must ensure that easing compliance does not come at the cost of safety, sanitation, and legal clarity.
