How to Check a Project MahaRERA Registration Before You Buy in Maharashtra (2026)

Reading time: about 8 minutes · Last updated: 21 August 2026 · By Girish Chhalwani, Founder & CEO, THE EDGE Developments (20+ years in Maharashtra land)

The direct answer

Direct answer: to check a plot or project MahaRERA registration, open the official portal at maharera.maharashtra.gov.in, click “Registered Projects,” and search by project name, promoter name, or the 51-character MahaRERA registration number — do this before you pay a single rupee of token money. A genuine registration returns a project page carrying the sanctioned plan approvals, carpet-area schedule, quarterly progress report, litigation status, and the committed completion date. If the project does not appear, or the promoter cannot give you a registration number, treat it as unregistered and walk away.

MahaRERA is the Maharashtra Real Estate Regulatory Authority, the state body set up under the central Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016. It is the single most powerful free due-diligence tool available to an ordinary buyer, and most people never open it. The verification below takes about five minutes and can save you years of litigation.

Which plots and projects MUST be registered

A real estate project must be registered with MahaRERA if the area of land proposed to be developed exceeds 500 square metres, or if the number of plots or apartments proposed to be developed exceeds eight, inclusive of all phases. This is the threshold in Section 3(2)(a) of the RERA Act, 2016, and it applies squarely to plotted developments, not only to towers.

The wording matters, so read it the way the regulators do. A project is exempt only when both conditions are small — area of 500 square metres or less and eight or fewer plots. If either threshold is crossed, registration is compulsory. A 40-plot layout on two acres is covered; so is a small six-plot layout that happens to sit on 900 square metres of land.

One practical trap: a promoter may slice one large layout into several “phases” of eight plots each to dodge registration. The Act counts all phases together, so this is non-compliant. If a seller tells you the plots are “too small to need RERA” but is selling roads, drainage, and a compound wall, be sceptical and verify the numbers yourself.

How to check a project on MahaRERA, step by step

Follow this exactly. Use the official domain; never a lookalike or a broker’s screenshot.

1. Go to the official portal at maharera.maharashtra.gov.in and open the Registered Projects section.
2. On the Search Project page, enter the project name, the promoter/company name, or paste the MahaRERA registration number the seller gave you.
3. Match the result carefully — confirm the promoter name, the district, and the survey or CTS numbers match the land you are actually buying, not a namesake project elsewhere.
4. Open the project page and download the certificate, the sanctioned plans, and the latest quarterly progress report (QPR).
5. Check the proposed completion date and whether any extension or complaint is recorded against the project.
6. Separately verify your broker at Registered Agents — an unregistered agent selling a registered project is still a red flag.

What the registration page actually shows you

A MahaRERA project page is a self-declared but legally binding disclosure by the promoter, updated every quarter. Read these five fields before anything else:

• Sanctioned approvals: the commencement certificate, layout sanction, and NA (non-agricultural) order. A plot layout without a sanctioned NA order is not sellable land.
• Carpet area / plot schedule: the exact area you are paying for, promoter-declared. Match it to your allotment letter.
• Quarterly progress report (QPR): construction and development status filed every quarter. A project with no QPR filed for two or more quarters is either stalled or non-compliant.
• Litigation and encumbrance: pending cases and mortgages disclosed against the land. Cross-check this against the 7/12 extract.
• Completion date: the date the promoter committed to. This is the date your Section 18 refund clock runs from.

Registered vs unregistered: what changes for you

The gap is not paperwork — it is whether the law is on your side when things go wrong.

Section 18 gives you the strongest remedy in the Act: if the promoter fails to hand over possession by the committed date, you may either withdraw and demand a full refund with interest, or stay and claim interest for every month of delay. Section 31 lets any aggrieved person file a complaint directly with MahaRERA against a promoter, allottee, or agent — a far faster forum than a civil court. Both remedies exist only if the project is registered. That single fact is why verification is not optional.

The 70 percent escrow rule

Under Section 4(2)(l)(D) of the RERA Act, the promoter must deposit 70 percent of the money collected from buyers into a separate project bank account, to be used only for the land and construction cost of that project. Withdrawals are allowed in proportion to construction completion and only after an architect, an engineer, and a chartered accountant each certify the stage. This is what stops a developer from taking your money for one layout and spending it on another. In an unregistered project, no such ring-fence exists, and your payment is unsecured from day one. Where a project is in default, MahaRERA can even freeze the account — the reason it maintains a public common bank account list of such cases.

Do not forget the agent

Every real estate agent who facilitates the sale of a registered project must themselves hold a MahaRERA agent registration under Section 9 of the Act. Ask your broker for their agent registration number and confirm it on the Registered Agents search. An agent operating without registration cannot legally market a RERA project, and dealing with one weakens your position if a dispute arises later.

Firm law vs recent circulars — read the label

Honesty about what is settled matters when money is on the line. The thresholds in Section 3, the 70 percent escrow in Section 4, the Section 18 refund-with-interest remedy, the Section 31 complaint route, and Section 9 agent registration are all firm statutory law in the RERA Act, 2016 — they do not change on a bureaucrat’s note. Layered on top are MahaRERA circulars and orders — administrative measures such as periodic changes to the QPR format, project grading, and the requirement to print a MahaRERA QR code and registration number on advertisements. These are enforceable but evolve; always read them on the current Rules, GRs and Circulars page rather than relying on an old summary. When a claim you hear is only a “proposal” or a draft circular, treat it as not-yet-binding until it is notified.

“In twenty years of buying and developing land across Maharashtra, I have never seen a five-minute check pay off like the MahaRERA search. If a plot layout is worth your money, it will be on that portal with its approvals and quarterly report visible. If a seller is nervous about you opening the site, that nervousness is your answer.”

Disclaimer: This article is general information on the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 and MahaRERA procedure as of August 2026, not legal advice. Statutory sections and circulars are updated periodically. Verify every project on the official MahaRERA portal and consult a qualified advocate before committing funds.

Frequently asked questions

Is MahaRERA registration mandatory for plotted developments in Maharashtra

Yes. A plotted development must be registered with MahaRERA if the land to be developed exceeds 500 square metres or more than eight plots are proposed across all phases, under Section 3 of the RERA Act, 2016. Only layouts below both thresholds are exempt.

How do I check if a project is registered on MahaRERA

Open maharera.maharashtra.gov.in, go to Registered Projects, and search by project name, promoter name, or registration number. Confirm the promoter, district, and survey numbers match your land, then download the certificate and the latest quarterly progress report.

What does the 70 percent escrow rule mean for my payments

Under Section 4(2)(l)(D), the promoter must keep 70 percent of buyer money in a separate account usable only for that project land and construction, released in stages certified by an architect, engineer, and chartered accountant. It protects your money from being diverted to other projects.

What can I do if I bought into an unregistered project

An unregistered project falls outside the Act, so the Section 18 refund and Section 31 complaint remedies do not apply to it. Your recourse shifts to slower civil or consumer forums, which is exactly why registration must be verified before you pay.

Does a real estate agent need MahaRERA registration

Yes. Section 9 of the RERA Act requires every agent facilitating a registered project to hold their own MahaRERA agent registration. Ask for the number and confirm it on the Registered Agents search before you deal through any broker.

Related reading

• 12 Red Flags to Check Before You Buy a Plot in MMR
• What Is RERA? How It Protects Buyers and What to Check Before You Sign
• Maharashtra Digital Land Records 2026: Satbara, ULPIN, Bhu-Aadhaar and GIS Maps for Title Checks
• Stamp Duty and Registration Charges on Land in Maharashtra 2026: The Complete Cost Breakdown

Citations and sources

• MahaRERA — Registered Projects search: maharera.maharashtra.gov.in/registered-projects
• MahaRERA — Search Project interface: maharera.maharashtra.gov.in/projects-search-result
• MahaRERA — Registered Agents search (Section 9): maharera.maharashtra.gov.in/agents-search-result
• MahaRERA — Acts (Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016): maharera.maharashtra.gov.in/acts/12
• MahaRERA — Rules, GRs and Circulars: maharera.maharashtra.gov.in/rules
• MahaRERA — Online complaint login (Section 31): maharerait.maharashtra.gov.in/login

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Girish Chhalwani CEO

Girish Chhalwani is a visionary real estate leader and Founder of THE EDGE Developments, known for identifying and unlocking land value through infrastructure-led and future-focused development strategies. With 18+ years of experience across sales, strategy, and land development, he has influenced over ₹8,500 crore in real estate transactions and advised multiple large-scale projects across emerging growth corridors in Maharashtra.

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