RERA Registration for Real Estate Projects and Agents under the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016
Video Explanation & Insights
What RERA registration is, and who must register
The Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 requires a promoter to register every real estate project with the state Real Estate Regulatory Authority before advertising, marketing, booking or selling any plot, apartment or building in it. Real estate agents must also register before facilitating any sale in a registered project. Each state runs its own authority and portal; in Rajasthan it is RERA Rajasthan (rera.rajasthan.gov.in), which decides complete applications within 30 days.
Registration is not a formality. It fixes the completion date the promoter is bound to, forces 70% of buyer money into a separate project account that can be withdrawn only against certified progress, and gives buyers a forum where a delayed or defective project is penalised. A project sold without registration attracts a penalty of up to 10% of the estimated project cost, and an unregistered agent ₹10,000 for every day of default.
Registration is mandatory for
- •Any residential, commercial, plotted or mixed-use project where the land exceeds 500 square metres or the number of apartments exceeds eight, counting all phases
- •Each phase of a large project, registered as a separate project
- •Ongoing projects that had not received a completion certificate when the Act commenced in the state
- •Every real estate agent — individual, firm or company — who sells or facilitates sales in a registered project
Requirements for project and agent registration
| Requirement | Rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Who registers a project | The promoter: developer, builder, landowner in a joint development, society or public body developing for sale | Section 2(zk) and section 3 |
| Land title | Clear title with authenticated title deed, non-encumbrance and, where applicable, development agreement | Section 4(2)(l) |
| Approvals | Sanctioned layout / building plans, commencement certificate, and the approvals the project needs (conversion, environment, fire, airport height, etc.) | Section 4 |
| Project account | 70% of amounts realised from allottees deposited in a separate bank account; withdrawals in proportion to certified completion | Section 4(2)(l)(D) |
| Completion date | Declared date of completion; extension only up to one year for force majeure | Sections 4 and 6 |
| Agents | Individual or entity; registration valid for five years, renewable; must maintain books and not mislead buyers | Sections 9 and 10; state rules |
| Advance | Not more than 10% of the cost without a written, registered agreement for sale | Section 13 |
Documents required for RERA registration
Promoter
- •PAN, incorporation / partnership documents, photographs and details of directors or partners
- •Details of projects launched in the last five years, status and pending cases
- •Audited balance sheets and ITRs for three years
- •Authenticated title deed, encumbrance certificate and title search report
- •Development / collaboration agreement, if the land is not owned
Project
- •Sanctioned layout plan, building plans, commencement certificate
- •Project specifications, number and carpet area of units, garages and parking
- •Proforma allotment letter, agreement for sale and conveyance deed
- •Details of architect, structural engineer, contractor and CA
- •Estimated cost, funding plan and the separate bank account details
- •Declaration (Form B) with the completion date and the 70% undertaking
Agent
- •PAN, Aadhaar, photograph, address proof
- •Constitution documents for a firm or company
- •Details of projects / promoters dealt with
- •Registration fee (₹10,000 individual / ₹50,000 other than individual in Rajasthan)
RERA registration process
- 1Week 1 — Applicability and gap check: exemption test, phase structure, approvals in hand and missing, title and encumbrance review.
- 2Week 1–2 — Documentation: title report, CA and engineer certificates, cost estimate, bank account opening, drafts of allotment letter and agreement for sale, Form B declaration.
- 3Week 2 — Filing: online application on the state RERA portal with documents and the fee computed on the land area and project type.
- 4Week 2–5 — Scrutiny: the authority raises queries; replies and corrections filed. A complete application is decided within 30 days.
- 5Week 4–6 — Grant: registration certificate with the RERA number, valid till the declared completion date; the number goes on every advertisement and booking form.
- 6Ongoing — Quarterly progress updates on the portal, annual CA audit (Form 5), withdrawals from the 70% account against certificates, extension application where needed, and conveyance of common areas after completion.
Fees, validity and penalties
| Item | Amount / period | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Project registration fee | Per square metre of land area at rates fixed in the state rules, different for residential, group housing, commercial and mixed use | Rajasthan Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Rules, 2017; computed by the portal and paid at actuals |
| Agent registration fee (Rajasthan) | ₹10,000 for an individual; ₹50,000 for other than an individual | Valid five years; renewal fee as per rules |
| Extension of registration | Fee as per rules; extension up to one year | Section 6 |
| BookMyCA professional fee | Fixed fee per project / agent | Includes quarterly-update set-up |
| Timeline | About 30 days from a complete application | Rajasthan RERA |
| Penalty — unregistered project | Up to 10% of the estimated cost; up to 3 years' imprisonment for continued default | Sections 59 |
| Penalty — unregistered agent | ₹10,000 per day, up to 5% of the cost of the unit | Section 62 |
Worked example: a 48-flat project in Jaipur
A developer with a 2,400 sq m plot on Ajmer Road plans 48 apartments in two towers to be launched together. Because both the area and the unit count exceed the exemption, the project is registered before the first advertisement. We compile the JDA-sanctioned plans, the title search over 30 years, the encumbrance certificate, the CA-certified cost estimate and the separate project account, declare a completion date 36 months out with the Form B undertaking, and file on RERA Rajasthan. Two queries on the parking plan and the allotment letter are answered; the certificate issues in the fifth week. The three channel partners selling the project are registered as agents. Every quarter the portal is updated with sales and construction status, and withdrawals from the 70% account are released against the engineer's and CA's certificates.
Mistakes that lead to penalties and rejections
- •Advertising or taking bookings before registration; the penalty is calculated on the project cost, not the flat
- •An unrealistic completion date to look attractive; delay interest and refunds follow
- •Mixing project money with company money instead of the 70% account
- •Skipping quarterly updates, which the authority treats as non-compliance and buyers as a warning
- •Selling through unregistered agents
Frequently asked questions on RERA
Every project where the land exceeds 500 square metres or the number of apartments exceeds eight, counting all phases, must be registered before it is advertised or sold. Some states set lower limits.
The authority must decide a complete application within 30 days. With documents ready, most projects are registered in four to six weeks including query replies.
Project fees are charged per square metre of land area at the rates in the state rules and computed by the portal. In Rajasthan an agent pays ₹10,000 (individual) or ₹50,000 (other than individual) for a five-year registration.
Yes, for anyone who facilitates sale or purchase in a RERA-registered project. Unregistered agents face ₹10,000 per day of default.
Seventy per cent of the money received from allottees must be deposited in a separate account and used only for land and construction of that project, withdrawn in proportion to completion certified by the engineer, architect and CA.
Once, for up to one year, on grounds of force majeure, with an application and fee. Beyond that the registration lapses and the authority can act.
The landowner who receives a share of units for sale is treated as a co-promoter and is part of the registration.
Official sources this page is based on
- Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 — India Code
- RERA Rajasthan — project and agent registration
- Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs — RERA
Fees, thresholds and timelines above are taken from these Acts, Rules, notifications and official portals; where the authority's current notification differs, the notification prevails.