DC Conversion in Bangalore: Process, Fees & Plot Buyer Guide 2026

If you are buying a plot anywhere on Bangalore's edge (Devanahalli, Sarjapur, the Whitefield outskirts, the Kanakapura belt), DC conversion is the one legal fact that decides whether you are buying a buildable residential plot or a piece of farmland with a nice signboard. DC Conversion is the Deputy Commissioner's order, issued under Section 95 of the Karnataka Land Revenue Act, that legally changes land use from agricultural to non-agricultural. Without it, the plot cannot get an A-Khata, a building plan, a bank loan or a permanent utility connection, no matter what the brochure says. This guide explains the process, the fees, and, above all, how to verify a conversion before you pay.

What DC conversion is

Every parcel of land in Karnataka is, by default, classified as agricultural. Until something changes that classification, the land is legally meant for farming and nothing else. DC conversion (formally "land conversion" or "change of land use") is the legal process that changes that classification to non-agricultural: residential, commercial or industrial. The name comes from the approving authority: the Deputy Commissioner of the Revenue Department, who grants the conversion under Section 95 of the Karnataka Land Revenue Act, 1964.

The reason this exists is that agricultural land in Karnataka carries specific legal protections: restrictions on who can buy it, obligations to cultivate it, and Land Reforms Act limits on transfer to non-agriculturists. Conversion lifts those for the approved non-agricultural purpose, but only that purpose: land converted for residential use cannot then be used commercially, and vice versa.

When you need it

You need DC conversion whenever the land you are buying or building on is recorded as agricultural and you intend to use it for a home, a plotted layout, or any non-agricultural purpose. In Bangalore's peri-urban belt this is the rule, not the exception, because the city expanded outward over what was farmland. Even within Bangalore's broader limits, many plots are still recorded as agricultural, and you must confirm conversion before you can lawfully build.

The consequence of skipping it is severe. Constructing on agricultural land without conversion violates Section 95: the DC can issue a notice, impose a penalty, and order demolition of the structure. The property will not get an Occupancy Certificate, cannot be registered as residential through the Sub-Registrar, and no bank will finance it.

Who issues it and where to apply

The Deputy Commissioner of the Revenue Department issues the conversion order. Applications are made online through the State's land conversion portal at landconversion.karnataka.gov.in, integrated with the Bhoomi land-records system and the Sakala service-guarantee framework. The old process required more than 20 documents submitted across multiple departments and took six months to a year; the current affidavit-based route cut the document load and the time substantially. You can choose, where applicable, between an affidavit-based conversion and a master-plan-based deemed conversion for land that already conforms to the published plan.

Documents required

• Prescribed application form under the Karnataka Land Revenue Rules (the Section 95 form).
• Current RTC (Record of Rights, Tenancy and Crops) from the Bhoomi portal.
• Survey / FMB sketch of the survey number from the Survey Department.
• Encumbrance Certificate from Kaveri (13 years minimum, 30 recommended).
• Registered Sale Deed confirming ownership.
• Mutation record.
• NOCs where required, from the Agriculture, Forest, Water Resources or Highways departments, and the local gram panchayat, depending on the land's location and surroundings.

Step-by-step process

Confirm convertibility first by pulling the RTC and checking the Master Plan zoning: land marked Green Belt, Agriculture Protection Zone, Forest or Water Body Buffer cannot be converted regardless of any application. Then file online with the documents above, selecting the appropriate route. The DC's office verifies records, zoning and revenue status and inspects the site; concerned departments are asked for their opinion, and if they do not respond within the prescribed window, no-objection is presumed in some categories. On clearance you pay the fee and download the order, which you then notarise. Critically, conversion is the first step: you still need layout approval, the individual plot formed under that layout, a Khata, and a building-plan sanction before you can build. If construction does not begin within the prescribed period, the authority can withdraw the certificate.

Current fees: what it actually costs

This is where buyers get conflicting numbers, so let's be precise. There are two fee bases, which is the source of most of the confusion.

The honest takeaway: the ₹327 figure is a legacy statutory rate per cent of land (not ₹327 per plot and not ₹327 per square metre) and is widely treated as superseded in practice by the percentage-of-guidance-value approach in master-plan and BBMP areas. Because the basis genuinely varies by route and district, the only safe move is to confirm the current payable amount with the relevant Deputy Commissioner's office before you file. Budget for the higher end, and remember that conversion fees are only one slice of the 10–15% in additional costs (stamp duty, registration, Khata) that sit on top of the land price.

Typical timeline

Under the Karnataka Public Service Guarantee Act, the official Bhoomi portal cites a 120-day timeline; the Sakala framework is often cited at 60 days by secondary sources. In practice budget 60-120 days for a non-contested application, with the longer end more realistic for files needing inspection or document corrections. An affidavit-based fast-track exists for land conforming to the Master Plan, intended to be far quicker. In practice, secondary sources report 30 to 90 days for clean cases, with delays where documents are incomplete, zoning conflicts, or a site inspection is required.

How to verify DC conversion BEFORE buying a plot

This is the section to read twice. The most expensive mistakes in Bangalore's plot market come from skipping verification:

1. Pull the current RTC from the Bhoomi portal and confirm the land status. A genuinely converted plot's records should reflect the conversion.
2. Get the actual DC Conversion Order (not a photocopy the seller waves at you) and confirm it covers the entire survey number, has not lapsed, and matches the plot you are buying.
3. Run an encumbrance certificate on Kaveri to confirm clean title and that the conversion shows in the records. This same EC check is the foundation of any plot due diligence.
4. Check the Master Plan zoning to ensure the land is not in a non-convertible zone.
5. Confirm layout approval and Khata exist. A conversion order alone does not make a plot buildable.

Red flags: the scams to call out

Bangalore's outskirts are full of traps for the under-informed buyer:

• Agricultural land sold as "residential." The land is still farmland in the records; the "residential" label is marketing. Without conversion it is illegal to build, un-financeable, and exposed to demolition.
• Forged, partial or lapsed conversion orders. Some plots have a conversion order for only a portion of the survey number; some orders have lapsed because construction never started in time. Verify the order itself, every time.
• The B-Khata trap on DC plots. A plot sold as "convertible" or "soon-to-be A-Khata" with only a B-Khata is a warning sign; understand exactly what a B-Khata means versus an A-Khata before you accept that story.
• Projects claiming DC conversion but no layout approval. Conversion without an approved layout still leaves you unable to form and register a legal plot.

The legal stack a plot buyer needs

Think of a clean Bangalore plot as a stack, each layer resting on the one below:

1. DC Conversion: agricultural to non-agricultural (the foundation).
2. Layout approval: from the planning authority (BBMP, BDA, BMRDA).
3. A-Khata: issued by the local body once converted and approved. Unconverted land cannot get a city Khata at all, which is why DC conversion sits at the base. The relationship between A-Khata and B-Khata only makes sense once the land is converted.
4. e-Khata: the digital record over the A-Khata, now mandatory for plan approvals and transactions, issued through BBMP e-Aasthi.

Miss the bottom layer and everything above it is invalid. DC conversion is not paperwork to defer; it is the legal basis on which a buildable, financeable, resaleable plot rests.

Quick Reference

Note: The "₹327 residential per unit" figure from prior research has been clarified: it is ₹327 per CENT of land (1 cent = 1/100 acre ≈ 40.47 sq m), a legacy statutory rate, not ₹327 per plot or per square metre, per architects4design.com and 99acres.com. The current operative basis in master-plan/BBMP areas is widely applied as a percentage of guidance value (~1–2% residential). The official fee table at landconversion.karnataka.gov.in should be checked directly in a browser to confirm the exact current rate for a specific plot, as the portal blocks automated access.