Updated for 2026 · The A-Register extract — the fuller revenue record behind a patta.
- A-Register records extent, classification, assessment and holder per survey number.
- Obtain the extract from the taluk office or VAO.
- Its main use is proving land classification.
- Poromboke land is government land and generally cannot be sold privately.
- Check it before buying agricultural or unbuilt land.
What the A-Register adds beyond a patta
A patta names the holder and the extent. The A-Register goes further: it records how the land is classified in the revenue system, the assessment levied on it, and the history of the entry for that survey number. For built-up urban plots that extra detail rarely matters. For agricultural, semi-urban or unbuilt land it matters a great deal, because classification governs what can lawfully be done with the parcel.
| Classification | Broadly means |
|---|---|
| Nanjai | Wet land — irrigated, typically paddy |
| Punjai | Dry land — rain-fed cultivation |
| Poromboke | Government land set apart for public purposes |
| Assessed waste / unassessed | Uncultivated categories with their own restrictions |
Poromboke is government land — set apart for tanks, channels, roads, burial grounds and similar public purposes. It is not private property and generally cannot be validly sold. Every year buyers pay for parcels that turn out to include poromboke, sometimes because a long-standing occupation was mistaken for ownership. If you are buying unbuilt or agricultural land, checking classification in the A-Register is not optional. A patta in someone's name does not by itself resolve the question.
How to obtain an extract
2. Check the Tamil Nadu land records portal, where A-Register data is progressively available.
3. If not available online, apply at the taluk office or through the village administrative officer.
4. Request a certified copy if you need it for a transaction or a court matter.
5. Read the classification and extent against the patta and the FMB sketch.
When you actually need it
You do not need an A-Register extract for every transaction. It becomes important when you are buying agricultural or unbuilt land, when a parcel is being converted from agricultural to residential use, when classification is disputed, or when a bank or authority specifically asks for it. For a flat in a completed apartment building, patta, EC and the sale deed chain will normally be enough.
Where it earns its keep is in exactly the situations where money is most at risk — open land, distant from the buyer, sold on the strength of a patta and a friendly assurance. That is the scenario in which classification problems surface after payment rather than before.
Reading it with the other records
Build the picture in order. The survey number identifies the parcel. The FMB shows its shape and measurement. The A-Register shows its classification and assessment. The patta and chitta show who holds it. The encumbrance certificate shows what has been registered against it. Any one of them alone leaves a gap, and land fraud tends to exploit precisely the record the buyer did not check.
Agricultural land you intend to build on
One situation deserves particular care. Land classified as agricultural in the A-Register cannot simply be built on because you bought it — conversion of land use requires permission from the competent authority, whether that is the local planning authority, DTCP or the relevant municipal body, depending on where the land sits.
The A-Register classification is the starting point of that enquiry, not the end of it. Before buying agricultural land with the intention of building, establish three things: what the land is currently classified as, whether conversion is permissible for that parcel given its location and any planning restrictions, and roughly what the conversion will cost and how long it will take. Buyers who assume conversion is a formality sometimes find that the particular parcel cannot be converted at all — because of its classification, its proximity to a water body, or a planning designation over the area. That discovery is considerably cheaper before the purchase than after it.
Frequently asked questions
What is an A-Register in Tamil Nadu?
It is the village revenue register recording, for each survey number, the extent, land classification, assessment and holder. An extract is a certified copy of that entry.
How do I get an A-Register extract?
Through the Tamil Nadu land records portal where available, or by applying at the taluk office or to the village administrative officer with the district, taluk, village and survey number.
What is the difference between patta and A-Register?
A patta names the holder and extent. The A-Register adds the land classification, assessment and the history of the entry, which is what matters for agricultural and unbuilt land.
What does poromboke mean?
Poromboke is government land set apart for public purposes such as tanks, channels or roads. It is generally not private property and cannot validly be sold.
Do I need it to buy a flat?
Usually not. Patta, encumbrance certificate and the deed chain are normally sufficient for a built apartment. It matters most for agricultural and unbuilt land.
About ComplyKraft. Built by Dinesh Kumar S in Chennai — B.Sc. Mathematics, M.Sc. IT. Plain-language guides to Tamil Nadu government services and schemes.
Disclaimer: Informational guide, updated 2026. This is not official government communication. Land classification rules and record availability are administered by the Tamil Nadu Revenue Department — confirm at the taluk office before relying on this for a transaction.